Adopted on 1906, this flag consists of a blue base with a yellow Scandinavian cross. The vertical stripe of the cross is off centre toward the left. The yellow and blue colours originate from the Swedish Coat of Arms, while the design is said to be based on the flag of Denmark. The cross, found on most Scandinavian flags, represents Sweden’s link to other Scandinavian countries.

The oldest recorded images of a yellow cross on blue cloth date back to the 16th century and therefore makes the Swedish flag one of the oldest flags in the world.  According to Swedish protocol once the flag becomes unsuitable for flying, it should be burnt and not used for any other purpose.