Flag of Brittany
Locally Breizh
What the flag looks like
Nine horizontal stripes, five black alternating with four white, and a white canton scattered with black ermine spots.
What it means
The five black stripes stand for the traditionally Gallo-speaking dioceses of Upper Brittany and the four white ones for the Breton-speaking dioceses of Lower Brittany; the ermine comes from the arms of the Duchy of Brittany.
How to remember it
Brittany
is Uruguay's
nine-stripe layout in black and white, with ermine tails in the corner instead of a sun.
Fun facts
- The Gwenn-ha-du, Breton for "white and black", was designed by Morvan Marchal in 1923; it has no official status but is flown widely, including on many town halls.
- It is also flown in Loire-Atlantique, around Nantes, which belonged to historic Brittany but lies outside today's region.
Brittany at a glance
- Status
- Region of France
- Sovereign state
- France
- Flag status
- Traditional regional flag, not official
- Capital
- Rennes
- Region
- Region of France
- Population
- 3.4 million
- Area
- 27,208 km²
- Languages
- French, Breton, Gallo
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Flag adopted
- 1923
Flags often confused with Brittany
- Uruguay: Brittany and Uruguay both have nine horizontal stripes and a white canton. Uruguay's stripes are white and blue with a gold sun; Brittany's are black and white with black ermine spots.
- United States: Brittany and the United States both have horizontal stripes with a decorated canton. The US flag is red, white and blue with 13 stripes and stars; Brittany is black and white with nine stripes and ermine spots.