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U.S. Army howitzers render a 21-gun salute in honor of South African president Nelson Mandela during a state visit by him to the U.S. capital of Washington, D.C. in 1994. 21-gun salutes are often rendered in honor of prominent or important people, such as heads of state.

A 21-gun salute is the most commonly recognized of the customary gun salutes that are performed by the firing of cannons or artillery as a military honor. As naval customs evolved, 21 guns came to be fired for heads of state, or in exceptional circumstances for heads of government, with the number decreasing with the rank of the recipient of the honor. While the 21-gun salute is the most commonly recognized, the number of rounds fired in any given salute will vary depending on the conditions. Circumstances affecting these variations include the particular occasion and, in the case of military and state funerals, the branch of service, and rank (or office) of the person to whom honors are being rendered.

History

The custom stems from naval tradition in the sixteenth century,^[1] when a warship would show its peaceful intent by firing its cannons harmlessly out to sea until its ammunition was depleted.^[2] Since cannons then required a considerable time to reload, the ship was effectively disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent.^[3] In the earliest days, seven guns was the recognized British national salute. In those days, gunpowder made from sodium nitrate was easier to keep on dry land than at sea. The early regulations stated that although a ship would fire only seven guns, the forts ashore would fire three shots to each one shot afloat, hence the number 21.^[4]

Odd numbers were chosen, as even numbers indicated a death.^[3]

By country

Canada

The prime minister, heads of foreign missions, foreign heads of government, and the Vice President of the United States are entitled to a 19-gun salute.^[5]

A 17-gun salute is given to the Canadian Minister of National Defence when visiting a saluting station (limited to once a year), as well as foreign ministers of defence.^[5]

Before they were abolished in 1968 by the Trudeau government, royal salutes were fired in Ottawa, the provincial capitals, and Montreal and Vancouver also on the Queen's Accession Day (6 February), the Queen's actual birthday (21 April), the Queen's Coronation Day (2 June), the Birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh (10 June), and the Birthday of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (4 August).^[6]

China

21-gun salutes are fired when welcoming heads of state to China, e.g. presidents, monarchs, governors-general. 19-gun salutes are fired when welcoming heads of government to China, e.g. prime ministers, chancellors, etc.

12-gun salutes are fired in three-volley form every year during commemorations of the repatriation of Chinese People's Volunteers soldiers from South Korea.

The number of gun salutes fired at military parades depends on how many years of a specific event it is commemorating. For example, a 100-gun salute was fired at the CPC Centenary service in 2021.

Denmark

The day after the birth of Princess Benedikte in 1944 which took place during Nazi Germany's Occupation of Denmark, members of the Danish resistance group Holger Danske performed a salute of 21 bombs in the Ørstedsparken public park in central Copenhagen as a reference to the traditional 21-gun salute performed at the occasion of royal births.^[7]

Egypt

A 21-gun salute was used during the Parade of the Pharaohs (also called the Golden Parade) on April 3, 2021, when the mummies of Ancient Egyptian pharaohs were transferred to their new museum in Giza. Most of the mummies belonged to the New Kingdom period, which ruled Egypt between 1539 BC to 1075 BC.^[8] A 21-gun salute was used during the funeral of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in February 2020.^[9] A 21 gun salute was used after President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was sworn in on 8 June 2014.^[10] A final 21-gun salute was also fired to honor King Farouk prior to his embarking on the yacht Mahrousa that brought him to exile in Italy in 1952. ^[11]

France

The 21-gun salute is accorded to the French president, forming part of his "military honors" (honneurs militaires). The salute is given during the inauguration ceremony (by two 75mm guns) and during naval visits. These honors are extended to foreign heads of state during state visits.

India

During the British Raj, India developed a formal hierarchical system of gun salutes. At the time of Indian independence in 1947, the hierarchy of salutes within British India stood as follows:^[12]

Number of guns	Recipients
101 (Imperial Salute)	The King-Emperor of India
31 (Royal Salute)	The Queen-Empress and the Members of the Royal Family The Viceroy and Governor-General of India
21	Heads of state Foreign sovereigns and members of their families
19	Heads of government Governor-General of Portuguese India Ambassadors Commander-in-Chief, India (holding the rank of Field Marshal)
17	Governors of the Bombay, Madras and Bengal Presidencies Governors of Indian Provinces Governor of French India Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary Commander-in-Chief, India (holding the rank of General) Admirals, Generals and Air Chief Marshals
15	Lieutenant-Governors of Indian Provinces Plenipotentiaries and Envoys Ministers Resident Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Fleet Flag Officer Commanding Royal Indian Navy (rank of Vice-Admiral) Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Forces in India (rank of Air Marshal) Army Commanders with the rank of Lieutenant-General Vice-Admirals, Lieutenant-Generals and Air Marshals
13	Chief Commissioners of Indian Provinces Residents (1st Class) Residents (2nd Class) Flag Officer Commanding Royal Indian Navy (rank of Rear-Admiral) Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Forces in India (rank of Air Vice-Marshal) Major Generals commanding Districts Rear-Admirals, Major-Generals and Air Vice-Marshals
11	Political Agents Consuls-General Chargés d'Affaires Brigade Commanders (including Major-Generals if commanding a Brigade) Commodores, Brigadiers and Air Commodores
9	Governor of Daman; Governor of Diu (Portuguese India)

Prior to Indian independence in 1947, the Viceroy of India received a unique viceregal salute of 31 guns. After 1947, the 31-gun salute was retained for honouring the Governor-General of India (1947–1950).^[13]

In addition, 118 out of the roughly 565 princely states were classified as "salute states". The rulers of salute states were granted gun salutes ranging from 9 guns to 21 guns. This system continued till 1971 when privileges and Privy Purses of ex-rulers were abolished by the Government of India.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, the 21-gun salute is done during state visits of foreign heads of state visiting Indonesia.^[14]

The modified 17-gun salute is executed during the commemoration of the precise seconds of the proclamation of the independence of Indonesia on the 17 of August^[15] at 10:00 near the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. It is also done in other cities in Indonesia during the independence day commemoration ceremonies. See the 17-gun salute in Indonesia here: Indonesian Independence Day 17-gun salute

Israel

In Israel the practice of gun salute has been eliminated due to the country having "suffered many terror attacks".^[16]

Singapore

A 21-gun salute is carried out for National Day Parades in Singapore by the Singapore Artillery during the presidential inspection of parade contingents.^[17]

In a rare occurrence, the 21-gun salute was given to the former Prime Minister and founding leader Lee Kuan Yew during his state funeral.^[18]^[19]

Sri Lanka

Traditionally, the Sri Lanka Navy accords a 25-gun salute to the nation on the National day, which is 4 February each year. The salute is fired from the ceremonial naval gun battery at Colombo Lighthouse - a tradition inherited from prior British influence. It began with HMCyS Vijaya of the Royal Ceylon Navy, the first warship of the navy according a 25-gun salute on 4 February 1951 with its single 4-inch gun.^[20]

Sweden

The number of rounds fired in a salute depends on the place and occasion. The so called royal salute is 21 rounds.

Number of guns	Recipients
21	Nation Head of State Royalty
19	Prime minister Reichsmarschall Minister of Foreign Affairs Speaker of the Parliament Swedish Ambassador Minister of Defence Commander in Chief
17	Admiral General Envoyé extraordinaire
15	Vice admiral Chief of Navy Chargé d’affaires en pied
13	Rear admiral Chargé d’affaires ad interim
11	Rear admiral (lower half), one-star flag officer Consul-general
9	Captain
7	Consul
5	Vice-consul

Authorized saluting stations are:

United Kingdom

The number of rounds fired in a salute depends on the place and occasion. The basic salute is 21 rounds. In Hyde Park and Green Park an extra 20 rounds are added because they are Royal Parks. At the Tower of London 62 rounds are fired on royal anniversaries (the basic 21, plus a further 20 because the Tower is a Royal Palace and Fortress, plus another 21 'for the City of London') and 41 on other occasions. The Tower of London probably holds the record for the most rounds fired in a single salute – 124 were fired when the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday (62 rounds) coincided with the Saturday designated as the Queen's official birthday (also 62 rounds).^[21]

On 10 April 2021, a 41-gun salute was fired to mark the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with the timing changed from 1 round every 10 seconds to 1 round every minute, resulting in a total duration of 41 minutes for the salute.^[22]

When Queen Elizabeth II died, a 96-gun salute was fired to represent the years of her life.^[23]^[24]

Authorized military saluting stations are:^[25]

in England:

in Scotland:

in Wales:

Cardiff

in Northern Ireland:

Hillsborough Castle

Salutes are also fired in Gibraltar.^[26]

United States

The practice of firing one gun for each state in the union was not officially authorized until 1810, when the United States Department of War declared the number of rounds fired in the "National Salute" to be equivalent to the number of states, which at the time was 17. The tradition continued until 1841 when it was reduced from 26 to 21.^[27]

In 1842, the United States declared the 21-gun salute as its "Presidential Salute". While the "National Salute" had been formally established as the 21-gun salute, the current tradition holds the salute on Independence Day to be a 50 rounds—one round for each state in the union. This 'Salute to the Nation' is fired at noon on 4 July, on U.S. military installations. The U.S. Navy recognizes Presidents' Day and Memorial Day with a 21-gun salute at 1200.^[28]

In April 1914, during the Mexican Revolution, the Tampico Affair occurred, and escalated as a result of a twenty-one gun salute (or more specifically, the lack of one). Nine unarmed U.S. sailors were arrested in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, for entering an off-limit area at a fuel loading station. Despite them being released, the U.S. Naval commander demanded an apology and a twenty-one gun salute. The apology was provided, but not the salute, giving President Woodrow Wilson reason to order the U.S. occupation of the port of Veracruz.^[29]

The gun salutes fired in the United States are as follows:^[30]

Number of guns	Recipients
21	The President of the United States, former Presidents and Presidents-elect. Foreign heads of state, heads of government and reigning monarchs.
19	Vice President of the United States, Speaker of the House of Representatives, President pro tempore of the Senate, Chief Justice of the United States, Members of the President's Cabinet. Governors of a U.S. state, the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations. General of the Army, Fleet Admiral or General of the Air Force and Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and others whose credentials are at least equivalent to those of an ambassador.
17	Governor-General or Governor of a Territory, Commonwealth, or Possession of the United States or an area under U.S. administration, Committee of Congress, Assistant Secretaries of Defense, General Counsel of the Department of Defense, Under Secretaries of the Army, Navy, or Air Force. Admiral, General.
15	Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. Vice Admiral, Lieutenant General.
13	Minister Resident; Rear Admiral (RADM), Major General
11	Chargé d'Affaires, Consul general, Consul, or Vice Consul when in charge of a consulate-general. Brigadier general; Rear Admiral (lower half) (RDML)
7	Consuls accredited to the U.S. Vice-consuls when in charge of a consulate.
5	Vice-consuls and consular agents.

Deaths of presidents

A U.S. presidential death also involves 21-gun salutes and other military traditions. On the day after the death of the president, a former president or president-elect—unless this day falls on a Sunday or holiday, in which case the honor will be rendered the following day—the commanders of Army installations with the necessary personnel and material traditionally order that one gun be fired every half-hour, beginning at reveille and ending at retreat.

On the day of burial, a 21-minute gun salute traditionally is fired starting at noon at all military installations with the necessary personnel and material. Guns will be fired at one-minute intervals. Also on the day of burial, those installations will fire a 50-gun salute—one round for each state—at five-second intervals immediately following lowering of the flag.

Media

Six shots from a 21-gun salute on 4 December 2005 celebrating the birth of the new Norwegian Prince, Sverre Magnus, the previous day
A 21-gun salute for 2009 Coronation Day of King Rama IX at Sanam Luang, Bangkok, Thailand, 5 May 2009
Instrumental performance of the Russian national anthem at the 2010 Moscow Victory Day Parade in Moscow's Red Square, resplendent with a 21-gun salute
A 21-gun salute in honour of Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda in her royal cremation ceremony, 9 April 2012