In 1931, six major colonies were given effective independence by the Statute of Westminster. Many others followed later, though after India and Pakistan attained dominion status in 1947 the clamour for independence by that name tended to the development of the Commonwealth not the suggestion of equality in the one Empire suggested by the title of "dominion", and so the later independent realms are not included here.
One dominion, Newfoundland, reverted effectively to colony status almost immediately following a financial collapse. Southern Rhodesia was treated as a dominion though not officially of that status.
Flag |
Date |
Use |
Description
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|
1903 - 1909 |
Commonwealth of Australia |
A blue ensign bearing the Commonwealth star of six points and the southern cross
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1909 - |
A blue ensign bearing the Commonwealth star of seven points and the southern cross
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1868 - 1921 |
Dominion of Canada |
A red ensign defaced with the coat of arms of the Dominion of Canada
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1921 - 1957 |
A red ensign defaced with the coat of arms of the Dominion of Canada
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1957 - 1965 |
A red ensign defaced with the coat of arms of the Dominion of Canada
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1922 - |
Irish Free State |
A tricolour of green, white and orange
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1907 - 1931 |
Newfoundland |
A red ensign bearing the emblem of Newfoundland
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|
1910 - |
New Zealand |
A blue ensign bearing the four principal stars of the southern cross voided gules
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|
1910 - 1912 |
Union of South Africa |
A red ensign defaced with the arms of South Africa
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1912 - 1928 |
A red ensign defaced with the arms of South Africa inside a white disc
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1928 - 1961 |
Variation of the Dutch prinsenvlagge with the white stripe defaced with the Union Flag, the Orange Free State Vierkleur and the Transvaal Vierkleur. This Republic of South Africa used this flag until 1994.
|
|
1923 - 1953 |
Southern Rhodesia |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Southern Rhodesia
|
Flag |
Date |
Use |
Description
|
|
1838–1967 |
Aden |
A blue ensign defaced with an Arab ship inside a disc
|
|
- 1967 |
Antigua and Barbuda |
A blue ensign defaced with the colonial coat of arms of Antigua
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|
1885–1958 |
Barbados |
A Blue Ensign with an emblem of Barbados
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1958–1966 |
Barbados |
A Blue Ensign with an emblem of Barbados
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1937–1948 |
Burma |
A blue ensign defaced with a peafowl inside a disc
|
|
1922–1961 |
The British Cameroons |
A blue ensign defaced with the words British Cameroon surrounded by bananas all inside a white disc
|
|
1815–1948 |
Ceylon |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Ceylon
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1922–1960 |
Cyprus |
A blue ensign defaced with two red lions
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1955–1965 |
Dominica |
A Blue Ensign with an emblem of Dominica
|
|
1965–1978 |
Dominica |
A Blue Ensign with an emblem of Dominica
|
|
1948–1999 |
Falkland Islands |
A Blue Ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of the Falkland Islands on a white disc
|
|
1875–1921 |
Gibraltar (Government Ensign) |
A Blue Ensign defaced with the badge of Gibraltar on a white disc
|
|
1932–1976 |
Gillbert and Ellice Islands |
A Blue Ensign defaced with the Arms of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands
|
|
1821–1957 |
Colony of the Gold Coast |
A blue ensign defaced with an elephant and the letters GC under the feet of the elephant all inside a disc
|
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1919–1954 |
British Guiana |
A blue ensign defaced with a sailing ship and the motto inside an oval
|
|
1807 – 1890 |
Heligoland |
The Heligoland triband with The Union Flag
|
|
1919–1981 |
British Honduras |
A blue ensign defaced with a the arms of British Honduras
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|
1870–1873 |
Hong Kong |
A blue ensign defaced with the letters HK and a royal crown in a white disc
|
|
1876–1910 |
Hong Kong |
A blue ensign defaced with the Colonial Badge of Hong Kong
|
|
1910–1941, 1945–1959 |
Hong Kong |
A blue ensign defaced with the Colonial Badge of Hong Kong
|
|
1959–1997 |
Hong Kong |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Hong Kong in a white disc
|
|
Late 1980s-1997 |
Unofficial merchant ensign of Hong Kong |
A red ensign defaced with the arms of Hong Kong in a white disc
|
|
1858–1947 |
British India |
A red ensign defaced with the shield of the Order of the Star of India
|
|
1858–1947 |
British Indian Blue Ensign |
A Blue ensign with the Star of India, used as the naval flag
|
|
1815–1864 |
Ionian Islands |
A blue ensign defaced with the shield of the symbol of Mark the Evangelist
|
|
1875–1906 |
Jamaica |
A British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of Jamaica within a white circle
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|
1906–1957 |
Jamaica |
A British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of Jamaica within a white circle
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|
1957–1962 |
Jamaica |
A British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of Jamaica within a white circle
|
|
1962 |
Jamaica |
A British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of Jamaica within a white circle
|
|
1920–1963 |
Kenya Colony |
A blue ensign defaced with a red rampant lion
|
|
1946–1948 |
The Federated Malay States |
The flag was striped horizontally with an overall 1:2 to ratio with white stripe at the top, red, yellow and black at the bottom. In the centre was a white oblong, with a horizontal major axis, and a Malayan tiger leaping, face to the left
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|
1802–1964 |
Malta |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Malta in a white disc
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|
1800–1960 |
Nigeria |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Nigeria
|
|
1882–1963 |
North Borneo |
A blue ensign defaced with the badge of North Borneo
|
|
1939–1953, 1963–1964 |
Northern Rhodesia |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Northern Rhodesia
|
|
1907–1953, 1963–1964 |
Nyasaland |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Nyasaland
|
|
1927–1948 |
British Mandate Palestine |
A red ensign defaced with the word Palestine inside a white disc, for use by ships registered in the territory. The Union Jack was used as the general land flag of the mandate.
|
|
1906–1949 |
Papua |
A blue ensign defaced with a crown and the word Papua underneath inside a white disc
|
|
1958–1983 |
St Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla |
A blue ensign defaced with the emblem of St Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla
|
|
1875–1939 |
Saint Lucia |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Saint Lucia
|
|
1939–1967 |
Saint Lucia |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Saint Lucia]]
|
|
-1979 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
|
1950–1960 |
British Somaliland |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of British Somaliland
|
|
1795–1910 |
Cape Colony |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Cape Colony
|
|
1900–1910 |
Orange River Colony |
A blue ensign defaced with a springbok antelope in a disc
|
|
1900–1910 |
Transvaal - "Vierkleur". |
The flag features three horizontal stripes of red, white, and blue (recalling the Dutch prinsenvlagge), with a vertical green stripe at the hoist, and was known as the Vierkleur (lit. four colours).
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|
1953–1963 |
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland |
A blue ensign defaced with the arms of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
|
|
1963–1980 |
Rhodesia |
A light blue ensign defaced with the arms of Southern Rhodesia
|
|
1874–1942 |
The British Straits Settlements |
A blue ensign defaced with a white disc containing three gold crown; separated with a red inverted pall.
|
|
1919–1961 |
Tanganyika |
A red ensign defaced with the head of a giraffe in a white disc
|
|
1889–1962 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
A blue ensign defaced with a circular badge depicting a ship arriving in front of a mountain
|
|
1976–1978 |
Tuvalu |
A blue ensign defaced with a circular badge with a hut and the motto of Tuvalu
|
|
1914–1962 |
Uganda |
A blue ensign defaced with a grey crowned crane inside a disc
|
|
1958–1962 |
The West Indies Federation |
Four equally-spaced narrow white stripes with a large orange-gold disc over the middle two lines in the centre of the flag, undulating horizontally across a blue field
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