Antarctica(ata)

Flag of Antarctica (according to wikipedia/wikipedia/1/1)

Description

A flag of Antarctica is a flag or flag design that represents the continent of Antarctica. As a condominium with no single governing body, it does not have an official flag of its own. As of 2018, the True South design is in use by many national Antarctic programs, research stations, and other Antarctic groups. However, Graham Bartram's proposal is still used by most emoji platforms as the design for the "Flag for Antarctica" emoji. Several other designs have also been proposed to represent the continent, though they are rarely if ever used.

Other flags were and are used to represent Antarctic organizations, expeditions, and territorial claims, but they do not represent the continent.

Proposals

Since the 1970s, there have been many designs proposed as a flag for Antarctica. Very few have ever been manufactured, and only True South has received much use.

True South proposal

The True South proposal was designed by Evan Townsend in 2018. The flag has the following meaning:

Horizontal stripes of navy and white represent the long days and nights at Antarctica's extreme latitude. In the center, a lone white peak erupts from a field of snow and ice, echoing those of the bergs, mountains, and pressure ridges that define the Antarctic horizon. The long shadow it casts forms the unmistakable shape of a compass arrow pointed south, an homage to the continent's legacy of exploration. Together, the two center shapes create a diamond, symbolizing the hope that Antarctica will continue to be a center of peace, discovery, and cooperation for generations to come.

The flag is named after geographic South, or "true South", which differs from magnetic south.

The flag has quickly gained popularity since its introduction. It has been adopted by some National Antarctic Programs, Antarctic nonprofits, and expedition teams; flown at several research stations across Antarctica; and is used in the 2022 marker for the geographic South Pole.