Flag of Ascension Island
What the flag looks like
A Blue Ensign with the island's coat of arms in the fly: a shield of wavy blue and white stripes with a green chevron and three white terns, held by two green sea turtles, under a sailing ship.
What it means
The terns are the sooty terns, or "wideawakes", that nest on the island in huge numbers, the turtles are the green turtles that lay their eggs on its beaches, and the ship recalls its history as a stop for sailing ships.
How to remember it
Ascension's
Blue Ensign has two green sea turtles standing on their tails to hold up a shield of seabirds over the waves.
Fun facts
- Ascension used the Union Jack for official purposes until its own flag was first raised on 11 May 2013.
- Ascension has never had an indigenous population; its residents are workers and their families on fixed-term contracts.
Ascension Island at a glance
- Status
- Part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- Sovereign state
- United Kingdom
- Capital
- Georgetown
- Region
- Part of a British Overseas Territory
- Population
- 806
- Area
- 88 km²
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Saint Helena pound (£)
- Flag adopted
- 2013
Flags often confused with Ascension Island
- Saint Helena: Saint Helena and Ascension are both Blue Ensigns from the same territory with a shield in the fly. Saint Helena's shield shows a ship between cliffs under a wirebird; Ascension's has three white terns and is held by two green turtles.
- Tristan da Cunha: Ascension and Tristan da Cunha are both Blue Ensigns with a shield held by sea creatures. Ascension's supporters are green turtles with a ship above; Tristan's are red rock lobsters with a longboat and naval crown above.
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: South Georgia and Ascension are both Blue Ensigns whose shields are held up by animals. South Georgia's supporters are a fur seal and a penguin; Ascension's are two green sea turtles.