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for recreational boats without declared cargo, which differs from the regular ensign. Merchant flags can only be flown by ships that are not ships of war, ships of state, auxiliary ships or yachts. These ships do not represent an extraterritorial area, but rather belong to a private person or similar
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of a country, unless the (private) owners are authorized to use another. The commercial flag was created to allow these private individuals to declare their nationality. Some countries have a specific
292:
for ship-related income are paid there. Flagging out always means that the relevant laws of the country apply on the ship. This includes employment contracts, safety regulations, stamp duty or
264:
countries originated in the ensigns of the United
Kingdom. Some of these national flags include those of Australia, New Zealand and several island nations. It is also very likely that the
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In nautical use, every boat uses a flag belonging to a specific Nation to indicate its organizational membership. This flag signifies the home port of the ship owner and that
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A boat flag is also often used as guest country flag and is flown on the boat when navigating in foreign waters or entering another country's port.
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for military ships. The term "war flag" is used irrespective of if a given country is at war. Large versions of naval ensigns called
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169:) is worn by merchant and pleasure vessels. The merchant maritime flag or civil ensign is, therefore, the specific flag for the
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and thus do not represent the state itself. This means that the use of the national or even state flag is normally forbidden.
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in the first half of the 20th century, a range of distinguishing flags and ensigns were adopted. These may be divided into
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303:, it is common for the ensign to display additional information, like whether it is a civil, state or military flag.
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The world encyclopedia of flags : The definitive guide to international flags, banners, standards and ensigns
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fly the national flag as their ensign, although the ships of some agencies also fly an agency flag as a
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55:(rear) of the ship while in port. Depending on the ship's origin, it may sometimes be identical with a
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364:, an ensign is an ornament or sign, such as the crown, coronet, or mitre, borne above the
8:
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115:) is worn by government vessels of official government agencies or civilian equipped
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use different ensigns. These are strictly regulated and indicate if the vessel is a
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317:(if available) or mast amidships when the ship is under way, becoming known as a
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and transparent identification. All ships of the seagoing services of the
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are used when a warship goes into battle. The ensign differs from the
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In most countries, especially in Europe and the countries of the
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Vexillologists distinguish between three varieties of ensigns:
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30:
National civil ensign of New
Zealand flown from the stern of
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48:
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developed, was strongly influenced by either the
British
51:. It is the largest flag and is generally flown at the
23:
Maritime flag used for national identification of ships
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as currently used by UK civil aviation establishments
63:
of the ship when in a port. Jacks are more common on
1266:
16:
This article is about the flag. For other uses, see
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47:that is used for the national identification of a
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413:as currently used for British government vessels
1194:"Pimbley's Dictionary of Heraldry: E, Page Two"
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154:at the bow of a vessel if they are at the port.
429:as currently used for British civilian vessels
190:use just one flag as an ensign and also as a
1226:
89:
1249:
1253:The Option to Change the Flag of a Vessel
1144:Znamierowski. "Naval ensigns and flags".
1176:
1143:
344:(often light blue in color, such as the
25:
1285:
313:when in port, and may be shifted to a
150:, which is additionally flown from a
106:A state ensign or government ensign (
1152:
785:. The circled X represents the club
355:
13:
510:Royal New Zealand Air Force Ensign
14:
1314:
1262:
1235:. London, England: Hermes House.
1191:
1177:Znamierowski. "Air force flags".
852:Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
496:Royal Australian Air Force Ensign
332:With the creation of independent
251:ship under contract to carry mail
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599:Australian Civil Aviation Ensign
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1250:Kavussanos, Manolis G. (2014).
1179:The World Encyclopedia of Flags
1164:The World Encyclopedia of Flags
1146:The World Encyclopedia of Flags
524:Royal Canadian Air Force Ensign
88:is derived from the Latin word
1185:
1170:
1137:
1115:
327:
260:The national flags of several
97:
1:
1227:Znamierowski, Alfred (2002).
1108:
555:Royal New Zealand Navy Ensign
613:New Zealand Civil Air Ensign
74:
7:
1200:. About.com. Archived from
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306:Ensigns are usually at the
276:or the flag of the British
10:
1319:
1219:
722:Civil and Naval ensign of
375:
15:
1064:United States Coast Guard
783:Finnish yacht club ensign
656:New Zealand national flag
270:flag of the United States
204:United States Coast Guard
134:) is worn by a country's
627:Australian national Flag
283:
200:United States Government
194:, while lacking special
182:Some countries like the
866:Luxembourg Civil Ensign
301:Commonwealth of Nations
84:
895:Royal Netherlands Navy
848:Imperial Japanese Navy
478:Royal Air Force Ensign
346:Royal Air Force Ensign
90:
36:
642:Australian Red Ensign
569:Canadian Naval Ensign
538:Royal Australian Navy
393:as currently used by
29:
1162:. "Types of flags".
983:Naval Ensign of the
941:Royal Norwegian Navy
846:Naval ensign of the
1160:Alfred Znamierowski
1127:Oxford Dictionaries
970:Russian Navy Ensign
709:Indian Civil Ensign
666:) and State Ensign
664:Te haki o Aotearoa
336:and the growth in
278:East India Company
37:
1133:on July 27, 2012.
925:North Korean Navy
754:Royal Danish Navy
442:Government Ensign
350:civil air ensigns
342:air force ensigns
294:value-added taxes
268:, from which the
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1303:Maritime culture
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1198:Medieval History
1192:Snell, Melissa.
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1129:. Archived from
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1093:Distinctive mark
1078:Naval ensign of
1075:
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1033:Naval ensign of
1030:
1018:Naval ensign of
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985:Royal Saudi Navy
980:
966:
951:
936:
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843:
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804:Ensign of France
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629:and State Ensign
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584:Civil Air Ensign
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266:Grand Union Flag
208:distinctive mark
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1035:Royal Thai Navy
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834:Ensign of Italy
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319:steaming ensign
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257:, for example.
213:Countries like
202:except for the
117:auxiliary ships
100:
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24:
21:
12:
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5:
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1298:Types of flags
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163:(usage symbol
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128:(usage symbol
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81:Middle English
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69:merchant ships
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45:maritime flag
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1206:. Retrieved
1202:the original
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1187:
1178:
1172:
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1131:the original
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1117:
1005:yacht ensign
880:Myanmar Navy
817:Bundesmarine
738:Belgian Navy
678:New Zealand
663:
480:used by the
460:Civil Ensign
391:White Ensign
359:
331:
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318:
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262:Commonwealth
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227:South Africa
212:
181:
175:yacht ensign
161:civil ensign
126:naval ensign
108:usage symbol
101:
78:
40:
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955:Polish Navy
694:Indian Navy
411:Blue Ensign
328:Air ensigns
235:New Zealand
98:Vexillology
1287:Categories
1208:2014-06-15
1109:References
800:Civil and
680:Red Ensign
427:Red Ensign
395:Royal Navy
334:air forces
274:Red Ensign
1020:Sri Lanka
464:Gibraltar
446:Gibraltar
311:flagstaff
231:Australia
152:jackstaff
75:Etymology
1123:"Ensign"
1087:See also
1003:Spanish
850:and the
362:heraldry
140:war flag
91:insignia
67:than on
65:warships
1293:Ensigns
1256:. SSRN.
1220:Sources
1080:Vietnam
724:Albania
397:vessels
376:Gallery
253:, or a
243:warship
215:Ukraine
196:cantons
59:on the
33:Hikitia
1239:
1066:ensign
1051:Ensign
957:Ensign
927:Ensign
912:ensign
882:Ensign
819:Ensign
787:emblem
770:Ensign
740:Ensign
696:Ensign
541:Ensign
366:charge
348:) and
223:Russia
188:France
85:ensign
41:ensign
18:Ensign
832:Naval
802:Naval
660:MÄori
308:stern
290:taxes
284:Usage
255:yacht
239:Japan
219:Italy
138:as a
53:stern
43:is a
1237:ISBN
1103:Jack
582:The
425:The
409:The
389:The
370:arms
315:gaff
249:, a
245:, a
237:and
192:jack
186:and
148:jack
136:navy
79:The
57:jack
49:ship
462:of
444:of
368:or
360:In
61:bow
39:An
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229:,
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159:A
124:A
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71:.
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658:(
119:.
20:.
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