Flags of the U.S. states and territories


The flags of the U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia exhibit a variety of regional influences and local histories, as well as different styles and design principles. Nonetheless, the majority of the states' flags share the same design pattern consisting of the state seal superimposed on a monochrome background, commonly a shade of blue.
The most recently adopted state flag is the Flag of Utah, which was updated on February 16, 2011 to fix incorrectly located text. The most recently adopted territorial flag is that of the Northern Mariana Islands, and was adopted on July 1, 1985. Mississippi has not had an official state flag since retiring its former flag on June 30, 2020.

History

Modern U.S. state flags as contemporarily understood date from the turn of the 20th century, when states wanted to have distinctive symbols at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. Most U.S. state flags were designed and adopted between 1893 and World War I.
According to a 2001 survey by the North American Vexillological Association, New Mexico has the best-designed flag of any U.S. state, U.S. territory, or Canadian province, while Georgia's state flag was rated the worst design.

Current state flags

Current federal district flag

This is the current flag of the District of Columbia.

Current territory flags

These are the current official flags of the five permanently-inhabited territories of the United States. Dates in parenthesis denote when the territory's current flag was adopted by its respective political body.

Current state ensigns

Maine and Massachusetts have ensigns for use at sea.

Historical state and territory flags

Former state flags

Former territory flags

American Civil War

Texas Revolution

Other

Native American flags

can be considered first-order administrative divisions. Although reservations are on state land, the laws of the state do not necessarily apply on tribal land. Below are the flags of the most prominent Native American reservations, among which are the largest reservations by population and area:

Unofficial flags

The U.S. national flag is the official flag for all islands, atolls, and reefs composing the United States Minor Outlying Islands. However, unofficial flags are sometimes used to represent four of the insular areas in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands:

Historical unofficial flags

This is the former unofficial flag of Palmyra Atoll.