Foundation

Scotland

Scotland is one of the four nations of the United Kingdom. Its primary visual foundation is The Saltire — also known as St Andrew's Cross — a white diagonal cross on a blue field, widely used across civic identity, sport, tourism, culture and Scottish representation.

This page collects the primary Scottish asset with practical notes on naming, specification, context, common use and common mistakes.

Primary asset — The Saltire

The Saltire Also known as: St Andrew's Cross

The Saltire is the commonly used name for the flag of Scotland. St Andrew's Cross is the formal heraldic name — both are correct and widely used. The flag represents Scotland specifically and should not stand in for British or UK identity.

Blue   #005EB8
White   #FFFFFF

Specification and construction

Asset nameThe Saltire
Formal nameSt Andrew's Cross
RepresentsScotland
Ratio3:5 (height to width) — most commonly manufactured proportion. The Scottish Flag Trust gives 4:5.Needs verification — no single authoritative statutory source
Blue Pantone 300 C  ·  #005EB8
RGB 0, 94, 184  ·  CMYK 99, 50, 0, 0
White #FFFFFF  ·  No Pantone specification
Saltire width1/5 of flag heightNeeds verification
ConstructionWhite diagonal cross (saltire) on a blue field. The cross runs fully corner to corner.
Statutory basisThe blue was the subject of a Scottish Parliament committee recommendation in 2003 (Pantone 300 C). No single statutory instrument formally specifies the full design.
The blue of the Saltire was the subject of a Scottish Parliament Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee recommendation in 2003, which specified Pantone 300 C. This is distinctly lighter and brighter than the navy (Pantone 280 C) used in the Union Flag — a distinction that matters and is frequently overlooked. The Scottish Flag Trust documents a 4:5 proportion; 3:5 is the more commonly manufactured proportion. Both are noted here.

Meaning and context

The Saltire is one of the oldest national flags in the world. According to tradition, a vision of a white saltire on a blue sky appeared to the Pictish king Óengus before the Battle of Athelstaneford in 832 AD, inspiring him to adopt the cross as a symbol of Scotland. The historical basis for this story has not been verified, but the association of St Andrew with Scotland is well established from at least the early medieval period.

The flag represents Scotland specifically. It should not be used as a generic substitute for the Union Flag where British or UK identity is intended, nor should it be treated as a generic Celtic or Northern European design cue. It belongs to Scotland.

The Saltire's component from the Union Flag (the white diagonal cross on blue) is easily confused when the flag is seen partially or at a distance. In context, the Saltire is unambiguous, but poor reproductions — particularly with incorrect blues — can undermine its distinctiveness.

Common usage

Civic representation

Flown by the Scottish Government, local councils and civic buildings. The primary official flag of Scotland.

Scottish sport

Used by Scotland national teams in football, rugby, golf and other sports where Scotland competes separately.

Tourism

Central to Scottish tourism identity and destination marketing — domestic and international.

Cultural events

St Andrew's Day (30 November), Burns Night, Highland Games and other Scottish cultural events.

Exports and Scottish-made

Used on Scottish products to signal Scottish origin or provenance — whisky, food, crafts and manufactured goods.

International contexts

Used by Scottish organisations operating internationally to identify specifically Scottish rather than UK or British identity.

Common mistakes

Wrong flag

Using the Union Flag when Scotland is specifically meant. For Scottish sport, Scottish civic occasions or Scottish-specific representation, the Saltire is the appropriate flag.

Colour

Using inconsistent blues without checking against the Pantone 300 C specification. Navy or mid-blue reproductions look like different flags and undermine recognition. The Saltire blue (Pantone 300 C) is noticeably brighter than the Union Flag navy (Pantone 280 C).

Proportions

Stretching or squashing the flag. The diagonal cross should run precisely corner to corner — proportional distortion is immediately obvious.

Cropping

Cropping the flag so the saltire arms are uneven. The diagonal cross works as a complete, full-field symbol. Partial crops lose its character.

Confusion

Confusing the Saltire with other diagonal-cross flags (such as those of Jamaica or Burgundy). In context the Saltire is distinctive, but the blue-white combination should be used precisely to maintain that distinctiveness.

Cultural scope

Treating the Saltire as a generic Celtic or Northern European styling cue. It belongs specifically to Scotland. Using it decoratively to evoke "Celtic" identity without Scottish context is a misuse.

Provenance and source notes

Primary source The Flag Institute — flaginstitute.org
Blue specification Pantone 300 C — recommended by Scottish Parliament Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, 2003. Also referenced in Scottish Flag Trust Flag Code.
Ratio 3:5 (commonly manufactured) / 4:5 (Scottish Flag Trust). Both documented here. Needs verification — no single statutory source
Statutory basis No single statutory instrument. The 2003 committee recommendation is the closest to an official colour specification.
SVG status Constructed from published specifications. The flag itself is not subject to copyright. This rendering is released under Open Government Licence v3.0
Last reviewed May 2026

Downloads and references

Downloads

SVG
PNG Coming soon
PDF Coming soon

SVG uses 3:5 proportions with Pantone 300 C blue (#005EB8), consistent with the 2003 Scottish Parliament committee recommendation.

References