The tradition of flying the flag at half-mast began in the 17th century. According to some sources, the flag is lowered to make room for an "invisible flag of death" flying above.[2] However, there is disagreement about where on a flagpole a flag should be when it is at half-mast. It is often recommended that a flag at half-mast be lowered only as much as the hoist, or width, of the flag.[3][4] British flag protocol is that a flag should be flown no less than two-thirds of the way up the flagpole, with at least the height of the flag between the top of the flag and the top of the pole.[5] It is common for the phrase to be taken literally and for a flag to be flown only halfway up a flagpole,[6] although some authorities deprecate that practice.[4]
When hoisting a flag that is to be displayed at half-mast, it should be raised to the finial of the pole for an instant, then lowered to half-mast. Likewise, when the flag is lowered at the end of the day, it should be hoisted to the finial for an instant, and then lowered.[6]
The flag of Australia is flown half-mast in Australia:
In Australia and other Commonwealth countries, merchant ships "dip" their ensigns to half-mast when passing an RAN vessel or a ship from the navy of any allied country.
Bangladesh[edit]
The flag of Bangladesh flew at half-mast on the national mourning day 15 August, the day in which Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was murdered with some of his family members by a group of military officers. The national flag is also kept half hoisted on 21 February which is recognised as International Mother's Language Day to pay homage to the martyrs of the Bengali language movement in 1952, which took place to establish Bangla as the state language of the then East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh).
Cambodia[edit]
The flag of Cambodia flew at half mast upon the death of King-Father Norodom Sihanouk for seven days, from 15 to 22 October 2012.
The National Flag Law provides for a number of situations on which the flag should be flown at half-mast, and authorizes the State Council to make such executive orders:
Cuba[edit]
In Cuba, flags were flown at half-mast in 2013 after the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.[25]
Denmark[edit]
Dannebrog is nationally flown at half-mast in Denmark as a sign of mourning (for instance, upon the death of a current or former monarch of Denmark or of any member of the Danish royal family). It is performed by raising the flag briefly to the top of the mast and lowering it approximately one-third of the length of the flagpole. This tradition dates back to 1743, when Christian VI ordered in the naval's ceremonial regulations that instead of using black flags with white crosses for mourning, they should use the Dannebrog in half-mast as a sign of mourning.[26] (This applied also for Norway as both kingdoms were united by that time).
Finland[edit]
In Finland, the official term for flying a flag at half-mast is known as suruliputus (mourning by flag(ging)). It is performed by raising the flag briefly to the top of the mast and lowering it approximately one-third of the length of the flagpole, placing the lower hoist corner at half-mast. On wall-mounted and roof-top flagpoles the middle of the flag should fly at the middle of the flagpole. When removing the flag from half-mast, it is briefly hoisted to the finial before lowering.
Traditionally, private residences and apartment houses fly the national flag at half-mast on the day of the death of a resident, when the flag is displayed at half-mast until sunset or 21:00, whichever comes first. Flags are also flown at half-mast on the day of the burial, with the exception that the flag is to be hoisted to the finial after the inhumation takes place.
Flags are also to be flown at half-mast by government agencies and embassies across the World on the days of national mourning, and "the entire nation is asked to join in." Such days are the deaths of former or current Finnish presidents, as well as significant catastrophic events such as the aftermath of 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, 2011 Norway attacks and significant national events such as the 2004 Konginkangas bus disaster and school shootings of Jokela, Kauhajoki, and Viertola.
Historically, flags were flown at half-mast on the Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers which takes place on the third Sunday of May. Originally, flag was raised to the finial in the morning, displayed at half-mast from 10:00 to 14:00, and again raised to the finial for the rest of the day. In 1995, the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the tradition of flying the flag at half-mast was discontinued and flag is displayed at the finial in a usual manner.
France[edit]
The French flag is flown half mast on any day of mourning by order of the government (for example after the Charlie Hebdo attack on 7 January 2015, the Paris attacks on 13 November 2015, and the Nice attack on 14 July 2016). Other countries have also flown the French flag at half mast because of this too. (Australia's Sydney Harbour Bridge flew the French flag at half mast because of the Paris attacks on 13 November 2015).
Some occurrences of the French flag being flown half mast have been controversial, especially after the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005[27] but also in a lesser measure at the time following the death of Joseph Stalin in March 1953.[28]
The flag of Germany and the flags of its federal states are flown at half-mast:
Greece[edit]
According to Law 851/1978, the only day specified on which the Greek flag is flown at half-mast is Good Friday. Also, on other national and public mourning days.
Similar rules as in China apply for Hong Kong. (See Flag of Hong Kong for details.) Prior to the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, the rules for flying the flag at half-mast were the same as the British ones.
The flag of Indonesia is flown half-mast for:
The national flag of Indonesia may also be flown at half-mast on:
The flag of Iran is flown at half-mast on the death of a national figure or mourning days.
Ireland[edit]
The flag of Ireland is flown at half-mast on the death of a national or international figure, that is, former and current presidents or Taoiseach, on all prominent government buildings equipped with a flag pole. The death of a prominent local figure can also be marked locally by the flag being flown at half-mast. When the national flag is flown at half mast, no other flag should be half-masted. When a balcony in Berkeley, California, collapsed, killing six Irish people, flags were flown at half mast above all state buildings.
In 2016, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, the Irish national flag over the General Post Office in Dublin was lowered to half mast. On Easter Monday 1916, as the rising began, Patrick Pearse stood outside the Post Office and read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic.
The flag of Israel is flown at half-mast in Israel:
Italy[edit]
The flag of Italy was flown at half-mast after the 2013 Sardinia floods on 22 November 2013.
Japan[edit]
The flag of Japan is flown at half-mast upon the death of the emperor of Japan,[41] other members of the imperial family, or a current or former prime minister, and also following national disasters such as the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. In addition to the tradition of half-staff, the national flag topped by black cloth may be flown to designate mourning.[42]
The flag of Malaysia (Malay: Jalur Gemilang) is flown at half-mast all over the country:
As a mark of respect to the passengers and crew who were on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and their family members, some states had their states flag flown at half-mast.[43] Similarly, as a mark of respect to the passengers and crew who were on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and their family members, the national flag was flown at half-mast for three days and also on the national day of mourning, 22 August 2014.[44] The 2015 Sabah earthquake had a mourning day and the flag half-mast on 8 June 2015.
The flag of the Netherlands is nationally flown at half-mast:
The royal standard and other flags of the Dutch royal family are never flown at half-mast. Instead, a black pennon may be affixed to the flag in times of mourning.[48][49]
For both government and public buildings, the flag of New Zealand is flown at half-mast for the following people:[50]
In addition, it can also be flown at half-mast at the request of the minister for arts, culture and heritage. Examples of this are for the deaths of prominent New Zealanders (e.g. Sir Edmund Hillary[51] and Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, the Maori Queen[52]), and for national tragedies (e.g. the Pike River Mine disaster)
According to the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, the position is always referred to as half-mast. The flag should be at least its own height from the top of the flagpole, though the actual position will depend on the size of the flag and the length of the flagpole.[50]
Northern Cyprus[edit]
The flag of Northern Cyprus is flown at half-mast throughout the country every 10 November in memory of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founding father of the Republic of Turkey who died on 10 November 1938. At other times, the premiership may issue an order for the flag to be flown at half-mast.[53] Notable dates of half-mast in Northern Cyprus include 7 November 2006 due to the death of Bülent Ecevit, prime minister of Turkey at the time of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus,[54] 14–20 January 2012 due to the death of Rauf Denktaş, founding president of Northern Cyprus,[55] 15–16 May 2014 due to the Soma mine disaster, 22–24 July 2014 due to the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, 11–13 October 2015 due to the 2015 Ankara bombings, 29 June 2016 due to the 2016 Atatürk Airport attack,[56] 11 December 2016 due to the December 2016 Istanbul bombings, [57] 6-12 February 2023 due to 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes,[58] and 19-21 October 2023 due to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion.[59]
The flag of Pakistan is routinely flown at half-mast on following days:
Any other day notified by the government. For example, on the death of Saudi king King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, the flag was flown at half-mast for seven days (the flag of Saudi Arabia was not at half-mast because the flag contains the Shahada). Upon the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the flag was ordered to be flown at half-mast for three days. On the death of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, the flag was ordered by Sindh Chief Minister Qasim Ali Shah to be flown at half-mast for two days (17 and 18 January) to express solidarity with the bereaved community. In 2014, the prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, announced a three-day mourning period from 16 December, including flying the flag at half-mast nationwide and at all embassies and high commissions of Pakistan, for the attack on Army Public School in Peshawar.[61]
On 2 September 2021, the prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, ordered that the flag be flown at half mast to mourn the death of Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani[62]
The flag of Russia is flown at half-mast and (or) topped by black ribbon:
All the regional flags and the departmental ensigns are flown at half-mast on national or regional mourning days as well as the national flag. Firms and non-governmental organizations, embassies and representatives of international organizations often join the mourning. National or regional mourning usually lasts for one day.
The flag of Singapore is flown at half-mast in Singapore following the deaths of an "important personage"[99] (such as state leaders) and during periods of national mourning. Examples include:
South Africa[edit]
The flag of South Africa is flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning when ordered by the president of South Africa. Upon the official announcement of the death of the current or former president, the flag should be flown at half-mast for ten days. The flag should be flown at half-mast for seven days following the death of the deputy president, the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, the speaker of the National Assembly or the chief justice.[103] For example, the flag was flown at half-mast from 6 to 15 December 2013 during the national mourning period for Nelson Mandela.[104]
The flag was flown at half-mast during the week of national mourning following the Marikana massacre in August 2012.[105]
South Korea[edit]
The flag of South Korea (Taegeukgi) is flown at half-mast on Hyeonchungil (Korean Memorial Day) and on days a state funeral is held.
In 2022, the Taegeukgi was half-masted to mourn the victims of the Seoul Halloween crowd crush.
Sri Lanka[edit]
The flag of Sri Lanka is nationally flown at half-mast on a national day of mourning.
The flag of Sweden is nationally flown at half-mast in Sweden. Examples include:
United Arab Emirates[edit]
The flag of the United Arab Emirates is flown at half mast on 30 November (Martyrs' Day) of every year from 08:00 to 11:30. The flag is also flown at half mast by decree of the president of the United Arab Emirates usually for three days. Each of the seven emirs has the right to order flags to be flown at half mast in his emirate.
The Royal Standard, the flag of the British monarch, is never flown at half-mast, because there is always a sovereign on the throne.[111] It flew at half-mast for several hours from the death of Edward VII until George V discovered the error.[112]
There was some controversy in the United Kingdom in 1997 following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, over the fact that no flag was flown at half-mast at Buckingham Palace. Customarily the only flag to fly from Buckingham Palace had been the Royal Standard when the sovereign was in residence at the palace; otherwise, no flag would fly. In response to public outcry,[113] Queen Elizabeth II ordered a break with protocol, replacing the Royal Standard with the Union Flag at half mast as soon as she left the palace to attend the princess's funeral at Westminster Abbey. The Royal Standard was again flown (at full hoist) on her return to the palace. Since then, the Union Flag flies from the palace when the monarch is not in residence, and has flown at half mast upon the deaths of members of the royal family, such as Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother in 2002, Prince Philip in 2021 and Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and at other times of national mourning such as following the terrorist bombings in London on 7 July 2005, and upon the death of the former prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 2013.
In the United Kingdom, the correct way to fly the flag at half-mast is two-thirds between the bottom and top of the flagstaff, with at least the width of the flag between the top of the flag and the top of the pole according to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, which decides the flying, on command of the sovereign. The flag may be flown on a government building at half-mast on the following days:
On a wall-mounted flagpole that is angled at 45° or more from vertical, flags should not be flown at half mast; a flag should either be removed entirely or a black ribbon, known as a mourning cravat, should be attached to the top of the flag.
According to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the correct term is half mast.[114]
If a flag-flying day coincides with a day of half-mast flying (including that for the death of a member of the royal family), the flag is flown at full-mast unless a specific command is received from the sovereign.
If more than one flag is flown on a half-mast day, they must all be flown at half-mast, or not flown at all. The flag of a foreign nation must never be flown at half-mast on UK soil unless that country has declared mourning.[115]
On 8 September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 while at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.[116] In accordance with the protocol implemented after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Union Flag at Buckingham Palace was lowered to half mast.[117]
United Nations[edit]
At the United Nations offices in New York and Geneva, the flag of the United Nations flies at half-mast on the day after the death of a head of state or a head of government of a member state, but generally not during the funeral.[118] Other occasions are at the secretary-general's discretion. Other offices may follow local practice. To honor the memory of Dag Hammarskjöld the UN issued postage stamps showing its flag at half-mast.
In the United States, the usual government term for non-nautical use is half-staff. While the term half-mast is commonly used in place of half-staff, U.S. law and post-WW-I military tradition indicate that half-mast is reserved to usage aboard a ship, where flags are typically flown from masts, and at naval ships ashore.[119][120]
In the United States, the president can issue an executive order for the flag of the United States to be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States government and others, as a mark of respect to their memory. When such an order is issued, all government buildings, offices, public schools, and military bases are to fly their flags at half-staff. Under the United States Flag Code (), the flags of states, cities, localities, and pennants of societies should not be placed above the flag of the United States; therefore, all other flags also fly at half-staff when the U.S. flag has been ordered to fly at half-staff. However, this law is only advisory and cannot be enforced.[121]
Governors of U.S. states and territories are authorized by federal law to order all U.S. and state flags in their jurisdiction flown at half-staff as a mark of respect for a former or current state official who has died, or for a member of the armed forces who has died in active duty. The governor's authority to issue the order is more restricted than the president's, and does not include discretion to issue the order for state residents who do not meet the criteria stated.[122]
Under and established traditions by presidential proclamations, the flag of the United States is to be flown at half-staff on rare occasions, in the following circumstances:[123]
Federal law includes a congressional request that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day (15 May), unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. Presidential proclamations also call for the flag to be flown at half-staff on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (7 December),[128]
On 16 October 2001, President George W. Bush approved legislation requiring the United States flag to be lowered to half-staff on all Federal buildings to commemorate firefighters who had been killed. Pub. L. 107–51 (text) (PDF) requires this action to occur annually in conjunction with observance of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.[129] The date of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service is traditionally the first Sunday in October. It is held at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland.[130]
was modified with new legislation signed into effect on 29 June 2007, by President George W. Bush, requiring any federal facility within a region, which proclaims half-staff to honor a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who died on active duty, to follow the half-staff proclamation.[131]
Zimbabwe[edit]
The flag of Zimbabwe is flown at half-mast at the conferment of National Hero Status to the deceased.