Flag of England
What the flag looks like
A white field with a red cross reaching to the edges, the Cross of St George.
What it means
The red cross on white is the emblem of St George, England's patron saint, and was in use as an English symbol by the late Middle Ages.
How to remember it
England
is the plain red cross on white: add four little crosses and you get Georgia
, lay a gold cross over it and you get Guernsey
.
Fun facts
- The red St George's cross forms the upright cross at the center of the Union Jack.
- Genoa and Milan also use a red cross on white as their flag.
England at a glance
- Status
- Country of the United Kingdom
- Part of
- United Kingdom
- Capital
- London
- Region
- Country of the United Kingdom
- Population
- 56 million
- Area
- 132,932 km²
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- British pound (£)
- Flag adopted
- 1552
Flags often confused with England
- Guernsey: England and Guernsey are both a red St George's cross on white. England's flag is plain; Guernsey lays a smaller gold cross over the red one.
- Georgia: England and Georgia are both a large red cross on white. England's flag is plain; Georgia adds four small red crosses in the corners.
- Alderney: England and Alderney both have the red cross of St George on white. England's is plain; Alderney adds a green disc with a gold lion at the center.
- Sark: England and Sark both have the red cross of St George on white. England's is plain; Sark adds a red canton with two gold lions.
- Sardinia: England and Sardinia both have a red cross on white. England's flag is plain; Sardinia adds a black Moor's head in each quarter.