When the U.S. flag is displayed with flags from other countries? What is the proper procedure for the size requirements? Should they all be of the same size or close to the same size?

[american_flag_uk]

yes the same or as close to the same size as possible so that one country doesnt stand out from the rest place flags on seperate poles of equal heigh ith the US flag on its own right and the other countries flags next to it in ABC order

[Peter Ansoff]

in ABC order

The order can get tricky at times, because of the way that countries style their names. For example, I believe that Tanzania is officially the "United Republic of Tanzania" and comes under "U." On the other hand, Mexico is officially the "United Mexican States," but is commonly listed under "M." The USA and the UK follow the Tanzanian pattern and come under "U" (they could, just as logically, be under "A" and "G," respectively).

There are some countries whose English names start with different letters from their actual names in their native languages. Greece and Germany are two well-known examples ("H" and "D", respectively). In the USA and at the UN, the English version is nomally used for alphabetical order purposes. There are a couple of exceptions, however. The Ivory Coast decided some time ago that the official version if its name would be the French version "Cote d'Ivoire," and it's ranked with the "C" flags rather than the "I"s.

I believe (based on study from *many* years ago!), that the Organization of American States orders its members' names in Spanish alphabetical order. The USA therefore comes under "E" for Estados Unidos de América.

Peter Ansoff

[american_flag_uk]

wow weird peter!!! well i learn something new just about everytime i read of of your posts!!

[CultureGeek]

Originally Posted by Peter Ansoff

in ABC order

I believe (based on study from *many* years ago!), that the Organization of American States orders its members' names in Spanish alphabetical order. The USA therefore comes under "E" for Estados Unidos de América.

Your Spanish is correct and that is certainly true of Mexico, which is Estados Unidos de Mexico.

Here's another oddity for you: in Spanish, Estados Unidos de America is abbreviated as EEUU and I don't know why. Enjoy!

[NAVA1974]

When Richard Nixon visited China in the 1970's both national flags were displayed in the meeting hall. The problem the Chinese had was that the proportions of the two flags are very different, the PRC flag being 2x3 and the Stars and Stripes being 1 x 1.9, or nearly twice as long as it is wide. If they displayed both with the same measurement along the hoist the USA flag would be much longer. Conversely if they made both flags the same length the PRC flag would overwhelm the American flag. Their solution? They made both flags to cover the same area. The Russians did the same thing at the dinner shown here:

[Peter Ansoff]

that is certainly true of Mexico, which is Estados Unidos de Mexico

Yes, however, I believe that Mexico is listed under "M" in the OAS as well as the UN.

I've noticed that Europeans often refer to the "USA" even when the actual abbreviation is different in their languages. (E.g., French = Etats-Unis d'Amerique, German = Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika.) In Russian, however, we're the "СШA" (S "Sha" A) for Соединенные Штаты Америки.


Peter Ansoff

My question is, we are flying four flags at a german owned steel mill site in Mobile, al. / What is the proper placement of the flags. Looking from the roadway at the flag left front is American flag, front right is the gernan flag, second row is the Alabama flag to the left and fourth flag is the company flag. Is this proper, Im not sure. HELP

[american_flag_uk]

if those 4 flagpoles are in 2 rows in a kind of square shape then yep id say that descript is correct