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The Union flag, popularly known as the ‘Union Jack’*, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is called the Union Flag because it symbolizes the administrative union of the countries of the United Kingdom. It is made up of the individual flags of three of the Kingdom’s countries all united under one Sovereign¹ – the countries of England, of Scotland and of Northern Ireland (since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom; Southern Ireland is an independent republic). As Wales was not a Kingdom but a Principality² it couldn’t be included on the flag.

* ‘Union Jack’ was officially accepted as an alternative name for the Union Flag by the Admiralty³ and parliament in the early 20^th century. The term ‘jack’⁴ refers to the flag that is flown from the bowsprit⁵ of a ship, often denoting⁶ nationality.

* Union Jack - государственный флаг Соединённого Королевства

¹ sovereign [′sÉvrın] – монарх, правитель

² principality [‚prınsı′pælıtı] - княжество

³ admiralty [′ædm(ə)rəltı] – адмиралтейство; военно-морское министерство (Великобритании до 1964 г.)

⁴ jack [dZæk] – мор. гюйс, флаг

⁵ bowsprit [′bəυ‚sprıt] – мор. бушприт

⁶ denote [dı′nəυt] – показывать, обозначать

The flags that appear on the Union Flag are the crosses of three patron¹ saints²:

This is England's Flag.

It is called the "St. Georges Flag".

The red cross of Saint George for England on the white ground.

This is Scotland's Flag.
It is called the "St. Andrews Flag".

The white diagonal cross of Saint Andrew for Scotland on the blue ground.

On the Union Flag, Northern Ireland is represented by the flag of St. Patrick.

The red diagonal cross of Saint Patrick for Ireland on the white ground.

This is Wales’s Flag.

The Welsh flag (the red dragon on the white and green ground) doesn’t appear on the Union Flag.

¹ patron [′peıtr(ə)n] - покровитель, патрон, заступник

² saint [seınt] - святой