NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Last modified: 2010-02-27 by zoltan horvath
Keywords: nato | otan | compass | international organization | isaf | shape | act |
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by Željko Heimer

Dark blue flag with a white emblem. The emblem consists of a compass rose (and lines reaching out from it). Dimensions: 2:3, 3:4 and 1:2.
Željko Heimer, 2 December 2003

• Significance of various dimensions
• Aircraft marking
• International Military Staff
• EU NAVFOR (EU Forces that operate against the Somali pirates)

See also:

• Military Commands
• Strategic Commands
• Operational Commands
• Component Commands
• Military missions
• Former military missions
• NATO Rapid Deployable Corps
• Other Staffs and Commands Responsible to SACEUR
• Military centers under subordination of ACT
• International Organizations
• Member states (with dates of joining):
  • Albania (2009)
  • Belgium (1949)
  • Bulgaria (2004)
  • Canada (1949)
  • Croatia (2009)
  • Czech Republic (1999)
  • Denmark (1949)
  • Estonia (2004)
  • France(1949)
  • Germany (1955)
  • Greece (1952)
  • Hungary (1999)
  • Iceland (1949)
  • Italy (1949)
  • Latvia (2004)
  • Lithuania (2004)
  • Luxembourg (1949)
  • Netherlands (1949)
  • Norway (1949)
  • Poland (1999)
  • Portugal (1949)
  • Romania (2004)
  • Slovakia (2004)
  • Slovenia (2004)
  • Spain (1982)
  • Turkey (1952)
  • United Kingdom (1949)
  • United States of America (1949)
• Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
• International Forces in Bosnia and Hercegovina

The NATO flag is 3:4, as described at the Nato Website.

I quote a portion of the above referenced web site:

The Official NATO-color code is Pantone Color Guide No 280

Dimensions
Length:	400
Width:	300
Star:	150
Diameter of circle	115
Space between points of star and start of white lines	10
Space between outer edge of flag and extremity of white lines	30

A short note on this subject appeared in Recueil de l'Office Généalogique et Héraldique de Belgique III, Editions Tradition et Vie, Brussels, MCMLIV (1954), 120 p. plus card. A note on p. 72 'Le drapeau et l'emblème de l'OTAN' (The flag and the emblem of NATO) written by A. de Selliers de Moranville said the card shows the NATO flag. According to this note, the shade of blue corresponds to French norm Pr X.08-002 (AFNOR) and to No. 218 of the British Colour Council. Nowadays NATO officially mentions Pantone 280.
Jan Mertens, 5 December 2003

My Observer's Book of Flags of 1959 says the dark blue represents the Atlantic Ocean, the compass rose indicates that NATO's work is directed towards world peace, and the white circle signifies unity.
Richard Mallett, 20 December 2006

by Željko Heimer

According to Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives, it is also used in proportion 2:3 and 1:2.

Aircraft Marking

by Željko Heimer 

The emblem, blue with the circle voided and the "voided" parts of the compass points made in white. In regard to the flag, the emblem is mirrored around a vertical axis. (This may depend of the side of the airplane? is there a front part of the emblem? I suppose the emblem is not obviously directed enough, so probably it is of no significance.)
Željko Heimer, 2 December 2003

International Military Staff

The good people at NATO sent me an image of the badge of the International Military Staff. I have converted it and cleaned it up here. The flag is primarily used at ceremonial occasions or during conferences and meetings.

Sean McKinniss, 22 April 2003

The International Military Staff (IMS) is the executive agency of the Military Committee. It provides staff support to the Military Committee and is responsible for the preparation of assessments, studies and other papers on NATO military matters. The IMS also ensures that decisions and policies on military matters are implemented by the appropriate NATO military bodies. The IMS provides the essential link between the political decision-making bodies of the Alliance and the NATO Strategic Military Commanders and their staffs.

EU NAVFOR (EU Forces that operate against the Somali pirates)

image located by Valentin Poposki, 26 August 2009

Source: http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/origins/images.cfm?articleid=27