The flag of Malta (il-bandiera ta' Malta) is a bicolour, with white in the hoist and red in the fly. A representation of the George Cross, awarded to Malta by George VI in 1942, is carried, edged with red, in the canton of the white stripe. The flag was first recognized in May of 1952. It is the only national flag to feature English-language text ("For Gallantry" on the George Cross). It is one of two national flags, alongside Belize, to depict a human.

The constitution of Malta also states that the white side must be on the hoist pole while the red side must be "in the fly".

Tradition states that the colours of the flag were given to Malta by Roger I of Sicily in 1091. Roger's fleet landed in Malta on the completion of the Norman conquest of Sicily. It is said that local Christians offered to fight by Roger's side against the Arab defenders. In order to recognize the locals fighting on his side from the defenders, Roger reportedly tore off part of his chequered red-and-white flag. However, this story has been debunked as a 19th-century myth, possibly even earlier due to Mdina, Malta's old capital, associating its colours with Roger's in the late Middle Ages.

The white and red standard was reportedly used by Maltese insurgents during a rebellion against French occupation in September 1798. Wikipedia