The flags of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden share the Nordic cross.
A Nordic cross is a cross whose vertical bar is shifted toward the hoist, or flagpole side, rather than centered. The design is also called the Scandinavian cross and is the defining visual pattern of the five modern Nordic countries’ national flags.
The tradition begins with Denmark’s Dannebrog, whose cross design was established by the first half of the 13th century. Sweden later used a yellow cross on blue, while Norway, Iceland, and Finland adopted related cross flags in the modern era. Their colors and proportions differ, but the offset geometry remains recognizable.
The cross is commonly associated with Christianity, although each country gives its flag a distinct national history. Greenland is the notable exception among the Nordic countries and territories: its national flag does not use a Nordic cross. Similar designs also appear on regional and historical flags outside Scandinavia.