This list includes flags that either have been in use or are currently used in Antarctica. As a condominium with no single governing body, the continent of Antarctica does not have an official flag of its own. However, several designs have been created for the purpose of representing the continent.
An orange field bearing an emblem consisting of a pair of hands holding a segment of a disk representing Earth with the letter "A" representing Antarctica.
The pale blue strip represents pack ice, the dark blue stripe represents the night sky and the yellow stripe is a representation of the aurora australis. The famous stellar constellation the Southern Cross is shown in the dark blue stripe at the right.
The flag is vertically divided in four stripes — black, off-white, orange, and gray — reproducing the proportions of the colors on the "livery" (feathers) of an emperor penguin, selected as Antarctica's emblematic animal.
According to the flag's promoters, it signifies: "Horizontal stripes of navy and white represent the long days and nights at Antarctica's extreme latitude. In the center, a lone white peak erupts from a field of snow and ice, echoing those of the bergs, mountains, and pressure ridges that define the Antarctic horizon. The long shadow it casts forms the unmistakable shape of a compass arrow pointed south, an homage to the continent's legacy of exploration. Together, the two center shapes create a diamond, symbolizing the hope that Antarctica will continue to be a center of peace, discovery, and cooperation for generations to come."
Logo of the organization in 2:3 proportions. A white outline of Antarctica over a dark blue field with lines representing longitude and latitude counterchanged on top.
Logo of the organization in 2:3 proportions. A white outline of Antarctica on a blue field defaced with the acronym of the organization, surrounded by the text "The International Council for Science" and "Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research" arranged in a circle within a white circular line.
The blue symbolizes the sky and sea surrounding the province, while the Southern Cross reflects the night sky and the albatross itself is a local bird that represents freedom through flight.
The blue color represents the night sky, while the golden peaks symbolize the steppe region, white indicates the snow that often falls in winter, and the Southern Cross symbolizes the position of the area.
The flag consists of a blue field with the French flag with white fimbriation on the canton. The charge consists of 5 stars (for the five regions of the French Southern and Antarctic Territories) and the letters "TAAF" (from the French name of the territory, Terres australes et antarctiques françaises) forming a monogram in the shape of anchor.
The New Zealand flag is the basis for his design, though with an 'Ice Blue' background representing the Ross Sea, and the white horizontal bar at the bottom of the flag representing the Ross Ice Shelf.
UK flag defaced with a globe and an arrow circumnavigate it from North to South.
Sledge flags
To make it easier to recognize the participants of the expedition, flags were placed on the sleighs. British expeditions used distinctly complex, embroidered designs for this purpose.
A white swallowtail pennant defaced with the intertwined initials "YC" in black and gold, and two red triangles placed along the hoist.[35]
1910–1912
Name pennant of the Fram during Roald Amundsen's Antarctic expedition. When Amundsen and four of his men conquered the South Pole in December 1911, they erected a tent from which this flag was hoisted underneath the Norwegian flag itself.
A white pennant surrounded by a blue border along the top and bottom and defaced with the name "FRAM." in blue letters.[36]
White represents the ice and purity. Blue represents the sky and valor. The silhouette depicts Shakleton's efforts on the waters around Ross Island. The Antarctic Skua, inspires freedom found in the south and a free meal wherever it may be found. The bloodshot red bowsprit reflects the directional desires on earth and on the wheel of life.
Blue represents the 24-hour day of the summer season, black represents the 24-hour night of the winter season, and white represents the ice and snow of the Antarctic continent. The Diamond in the middle if divided across the equator represents the "A" of Antarctica and "V" of Vexillology. The Diamond also represents the 4 compass points representing the compass points leading away from the geographic South Pole.
^Proceedings of the XX International Congress of Vexillology, Stockholm, 27th July to 1st August 2003. Jan Oskar Engene, Nordic Flag Society. Bergen, Norway: Nordic Flag Society. 2004. ISBN 82-996983-1-6. OCLC224266642.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^T.A.A.F. (February 3, 2007). "Order n° 2007-18 of February 23, 2007"(PDF). Journal Officiel des Terres Australes et Antartiques Français (in French). 33: 16–17 – via taaf.fr.