Flag of Sweden

From TheBestLinks.com

Flag ratio: 5:8

The merchant flag of Sweden (1844-1905), with the Sweden-Norway union badge.

Swedish union flag 1844-1905

The flag of Sweden dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to be inspired by the Coats of Arms of Sweden, which feature three yellow crowns on a blue background, and modelled on the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. King John III took the form of the current Swedish flag into use in 1569. Prior to this, a similar flag appeared in the Coat of Arms of John's duchy, which is today southwest Finland.

According to Swedish law 1982:269, the dimensions of the flag are 10/16 (height/width), the inner blue fields having 4/5 and the outer blue fields 4/9 (height/width). The yellow cross has a thickness equivalent to half the height of an individual blue field.
According to Swedish law 1983:826, the colours used are established through the NCS color system to be: Yellow - NCS 0580-Y10R, blue - NCS 4055-R95B.

When used from a standalone flagpole, the size of the flag is recommended to have a width equalling a fourth of the height of the pole. When used from a flagpole extending from a building the flag is recommended to have a width equalling a third of the height (length) of the pole.