WThroughout most of the history of Poland, the banner of Poland was one of the main symbols of the Polish State, normally reserved for use by the head of state. Although its design changed with time, it was generally a heraldic banner, i.e., one based directly on the national coat of arms: a crowned White Eagle on a red field. The banner should not be confused with the flag of Poland, a white and red horizontal bicolor, officially adopted in 1919.
WThe flag of Poland consists of two horizontal stripes of equal width, the upper one white and the lower one red. The two colors are defined in the Polish constitution as the national colours. A variant of the flag with the national coat of arms in the middle of the white fess is legally reserved for official use abroad and at sea. A similar flag with the addition of a white eagle is used as the naval ensign of Poland.
WA variety of Polish flags are defined in current Polish national law, either through an act of parliament or a ministerial ordinance. Apart from the national flag, these are mostly military flags, used by one or all branches of the Polish Armed Forces, especially the Polish Navy. Other flags are flown by vessels of non-military uniformed services.
WThe flag of Kashubia is the flag used to represent Kashubians. It usually cotains either two black and yellow stripes or a black griffin with a crown on a yellow background.
WThe flag of Silesia and Lower Silesia is a bicolor of silver and gold.
WThe flag of the Duchy of Teschen was established in 2016 through the initiative of regional history enthusiasts in cooperation with the prominent Polish heraldic and vexillologist Alfred Znamierowski. The flag refers to the coat of arms and the historic banners of the Duchy of Teschen. The modern flag is an expression of respect for the history and tradition of the Duchy of Teschen, and also part of the different identities of the present inhabitants of the Cieszyn Silesia towards Lower and Upper Silesia.
WThe flag of Upper Silesia is a bicolor of gold and blue.
WJack of the President of the Republic of Poland – Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland is a jack flag used in the Polish Armed Forces to mark the presence and pay respect to the President of the Republic of Poland who is also ex officio the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The jack is raised on Polish Navy ships when the president is officially on board, as well as on land, if the president is present. The design of the jack is based directly on the pre-war Banner of the Republic of Poland which used to be part of presidential insignia.