The Flag of Scotland, (Scottish Gaelic: Bratach na h-Alba, Scots: Banner o Scotland), also known as St Andrew's Cross or the Saltire, is the national flag of Scotland
The heraldic term for an X-shaped cross is a 'saltire', from the old French word saultoir or salteur (itself derived from the Latin saltatorium), a word for both a type of stile constructed from two cross pieces and a type of cross-shaped stirrup-cord
In heraldic language, it may be blazoned azure, a saltire argent. The tincture of the Saltire can appear as either silver (argent) or white, however the term azure does not refer to a particular shade of blue
The flag proportions are not fixed, however the Lord Lyon King of Arms states that 5:4 is suitable.[1] (Flag manufacturers themselves may adopt alternative ratios, including 1:2 or 2:3).[
The Scottish Government has ruled that the Saltire should, where possible, fly on all its buildings every day from 8am until Sunset
In Scotland, planning permission to fly the Saltire from a flagpole is required,therefore it can not be flown at any time by any individual, company, local authority, hospital or school without first obtaining planning permission (in practice this is not enforced). This is not the case in England & Wales where the Saltire can be flown without planning permission first being obtained.
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