A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a country. Flags come in many shapes and designs, which often represent something about the country or people that the flag represents. Common design elements of flags include shapes such as stars, stripes, and crosses, layout elements such as including a canton (a rectangle with a distinct design, such as another national flag), and the overall shape of a flag, such as the aspect ratio of a rectangular flag (whether the flag is square or rectangle, and how wide it is) or the choice of a non-rectangular flag. Sometimes these flags are used to represent languages.
Many countries with shared history, culture, ethnicity, or religion have similarities in their flags that represent this connection. Sets of flags in this list within the same category may represent countries' shared connections, or the design similarity may be a coincidence.
Circle
[edit]One circle in center
[edit]Belize
Brazil
Burundi
Ethiopia
Grenada
India
Japan
Kazakhstan
South Korea
Laos
Niger
North Macedonia
Paraguay
Tunisia
Uganda
One circle on hoist
[edit]Bangladesh
Greenland (autonomous territory of Denmark)
North Korea
Namibia
New Caledonia (French overseas collectivity)
Palau
Portugal
Rwanda
One broken or implied circle
[edit]Afghanistan (2013–2021)
Cabo Verde
Cook Islands (associated state of New Zealand)
Dominica
Eritrea
Europe (various organisations)
French Polynesia (overseas territory of France)
Northern Mariana Islands (unincorporated territory of US)
Coat of arms
[edit]Afghanistan (2013–2021)
Andorra
Austria (civil flag is without the arms)
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia (civil flag is without the arms)
Costa Rica (civil flag is without the arms)
Croatia
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
El Salvador
Fiji
French Polynesia
Germany (civil flag is without the arms)
Guam
Guatemala
Haiti
Jersey
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Nicaragua
Paraguay
Poland (civil flag is without the arms)
Portugal
Peru (civil flag is without the arms)
San Marino (civil flag is without the arms)
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sint Maarten
United States Virgin Islands
Venezuela (civil flag is without the arms)
Vatican City
Crescent
[edit]Facing up
[edit]Facing fly
[edit]Algeria
Azerbaijan
Bangsamoro (autonomous region in the Philippines)
Comoros
Karakalpakstan (autonomous republic of Uzbekistan)
Libya
Malaysia
Maldives
Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey)
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (partially recognized)
Singapore
Tunisia
Turkey
Uzbekistan
Facing diagonally
[edit]Cross
[edit]Upright centred cross
[edit]Dominica — Gamma cross
Dominican Republic — Greek cross
Georgia — Jerusalem cross
Switzerland — Greek cross
Saint George's Cross
[edit]England (UK constituent country)
Guernsey (UK crown dependency)
Northern Ireland (UK constituent country)
Malta
Kingdom of Great Britain
United Kingdom
Nordic Cross
[edit]Nordic Cross in two colors
[edit]Denmark
Finland
Kalmar Union (1397–1523)
Scania (province of Sweden)
Sweden
Nordic Cross in three colors
[edit]Åland (autonomous region of Finland)
Faroe Islands (autonomous territory of Denmark)
Iceland
Norway
Diagonal cross
[edit]Burundi
Jamaica
Seychelles (1976–1977)
St. Andrew's Cross
[edit]Jersey (UK crown dependency)
Scotland (UK constituent country)
United Kingdom
Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801)
Upright and diagonal centred crosses
[edit]Basque Country (autonomous community of Spain)
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801)
One cross in emblem
[edit]Fiji
Greece
Malta
Marshall Islands
Moldova
Montenegro
Montserrat (UK overseas territory)
Portugal
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Spain
Tonga
Vatican City
Union Jack
[edit]Historically
[edit]Canada (1868–1921)
Canada (1921–1957)
Canada (1957–1965)
Kingdom of Hawaiʻi (19th century)
South Africa (1928–1994)
United States (1776–1777)
Additionally, the Union Jack features in many territorial and sub-national flags. These are often Red Ensigns (e.g., Bermuda) or Blue Ensigns (e.g.,
New South Wales and
Anguilla). A small number have backgrounds of other colors (e.g.
British Antarctic Territory and
Niue) or a unique pattern in the field (e.g.
British Indian Ocean Territory and
Hawaii). A small number put the Union Jack somewhere other than the canton (e.g.
British Columbia). Unofficial flags, such as
Ross Dependency also use it.
Living organism
[edit]Human and body parts
[edit]Belize
Malta
Herm
Argentina
Ecuador
Uruguay
Brunei
Abkhazia (partially recognized)
Isle of Man (UK crown dependency)
Animal
[edit]Bird
[edit]Ascension Island (UK overseas territory) — sea gulls and turtles
Bolivia — condor and llama
Christmas Island (external territory of Australia) — golden bosun
Dominica — sisserou parrot
Ecuador — condor
Fiji — White pelican and yellow lion
Guatemala — quetzal
Kiribati — frigatebird
Papua New Guinea — raggiana bird-of-paradise
Saint Helena (UK overseas territory) — Saint Helena plover
Sint Maarten (constituent country of the Netherlands) — pelican
Uganda — grey crowned crane
Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe Bird
Eagle
[edit]Albania — double-headed eagle
Austria (state version) — eagle
Egypt — Eagle of Saladin
Germany (state version) — eagle
Kazakhstan — steppe eagle
Mexico — eagle and snake
Moldova — eagle and aurochs
Montenegro — double-headed eagle and lion
Poland (state version) — eagle
Serbia — double-headed eagle
United States Virgin Islands (US overseas territory) — eagle
Zambia — African fish eagle
Livestock
[edit]Andorra — two cows
Bolivia — condor and llama
Croatia — leopard, goat and marten
Falkland Islands (UK overseas territory) — sheep
Malta — St. George on a horse, fighting a dragon.
Moldova — eagle and aurochs
Venezuela — horse
Lion
[edit]Fiji — pelican, yellow lion
Jersey (self-governing dependency of the UK) — lion
Montenegro — double-headed eagle, lion
Spain — lion
Sri Lanka — golden lion
Tasmania (Australian state) — lion
Historically
Plants
[edit]Bolivia — palm, laurel and olive branches
Canada — maple leaf
Cyprus — olive branches
Grenada — clove of nutmeg
Eritrea — olive branch
Equatorial Guinea — silk-cotton tree
Fiji — sugarcane, coconut palm, banana
Haiti — royal palm tree
Hong Kong (special administrative region in China) — Hong Kong orchid
Lebanon — Lebanon cedar
Macao (special administrative region in China) — lotus flower
Mexico — cactus
Sri Lanka — leaves of bodhi tree
Vanuatu — leaves of namele tree
Historically
Republic of the Congo — palm leaves
Myanmar (1974–2010) — rice plant
Guadeloupe (overseas department of France)
Quebec (province of Canada)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992–1998)
Saint-Barthélemy (overseas collectivity of France)
Serbia
Spain
Objects
[edit]Astronomical
[edit]Sun
[edit]Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Bangladesh
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Ecuador
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kyrgyzstan
Malawi
Marshall Islands
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Niger
Philippines
Rwanda
Uruguay
Moon
[edit]Weaponry
[edit]Angola — machete
Barbados — (trident-head)
Bangsamoro — kris (autonomous region of the Philippines)
Bolivia — cannon, rifles and axe
Eswatini — spears and shield
Guatemala — rifles
Haiti — cannon
Kenya — spears and Maasai shield
Mozambique — AK-47 with a bayonet and axe
Oman — swords and Khanjar
Saudi Arabia — sword
Sri Lanka — sword
Venezuela — sword, sabre and three lances
Ships
[edit]Belize
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Falkland Islands (UK overseas territory)
French Polynesia (overseas collectivity of France)
Machine, tool, or instrument
[edit]Angola — half-gear and machete
Austria (state version) — broken chain, hammer and sickle (non-communist)
Belize — axes, saw
East Germany (1959–1990) – hammer, compass
Gibraltar (UK overseas territory) — key
India — Ashoka Chakra or wheel of Dharma
Mozambique — hoe
Myanmar (1974–2010) — gear
Portugal — armillary sphere
Soviet Union (1917–1991) — hammer and sickle
Transnistria — hammer and sickle
Map
[edit]Bangladesh (1971)
Antarctica
Christmas Island (external territory of Australia)
Cyprus
Kosovo (partly recognized)
Building
[edit]Afghanistan (2013–2021) — mosque
Bolivia — church (Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus)
Cambodia — Angkor Wat
Gibraltar (UK overseas territory) — castle
Kyrgyzstan (sun with the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt)
Portugal — seven castles
San Marino — three castles
Sint Maarten (constituent country of the Netherlands) — courthouse
Spain — castle
Book
[edit]Headgear
[edit]Free City of Danzig (1920–1939) — King's Crown
Lesotho — Mokorotlo
Liechtenstein — Crown
Montenegro — Crown
Seborga (unrecognized micronation) — Crown
Serbia — Crown
Spain — Crown
Vatican City — Papal tiara
Other symbols
[edit]Mongolia — Soyombo symbol
Rwanda — Letter R, 1962–2001
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — Three diamonds in a V pattern
South Korea — Taegeuk and four black trigrams
Zaire — Hand holding Leading Torch, 1971–1997
Star
[edit]Five-pointed star
[edit]One five-pointed star in center
[edit]Algeria
Angola
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Ethiopia
Ghana
Libya
Mauritania
Morocco
Myanmar
Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey)
Pakistan
Paraguay
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (partially recognized)
Senegal
Somalia
Somaliland (unrecognized)
Suriname
Tunisia
Turkey
Vietnam
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1946–1992)
One five-pointed star on hoist
[edit]Catalonia (autonomous community of Spain)
Central African Republic
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
East Timor
Guinea-Bissau
Mozambique
North Korea
Puerto Rico (unincorporated territory of US)
South Sudan
West Papua (partially recognized)
Zimbabwe
One five-pointed star on canton
[edit]Many equal five-pointed stars
[edit]Abkhazia (partially recognized) (7)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (7 full stars and 2 half-stars)
Comoros (4)
Costa Rica (State Flag) (7)
Federated States of Micronesia (4)
Honduras (5)
Hong Kong (5)
Kosovo (partially recognized) (6)
Panama (2)
Philippines (3)
Saint Kitts and Nevis (2)
São Tomé and Príncipe (2)
Singapore (5)
Solomon Islands (5)
Syria (2)
Tajikistan (7)
Turkmenistan (5)
Tuvalu (9)
United States (50)
Uzbekistan (12)
Venezuela (8)
Many equal five-pointed stars in circle pattern
[edit]Cape Verde (10)
Cook Islands (associated state of New Zealand) (15)
Dominica (10)
European Union (international organisation) (12)
Many unequal five-pointed stars
[edit]Brazil (27)
Grenada (7)
New Zealand (4)
Niue (associated state of New Zealand) (5)
Papua New Guinea (5)
People's Republic of China (5)
Samoa (5)
Macau (special administrative region of China) (5)
Six-pointed star
[edit]One six-pointed star
[edit]Many equal six-pointed stars
[edit]Burundi (3)
Equatorial Guinea (6)
Slovenia (3)
Many-pointed star
[edit]One many-pointed star
[edit]Jordan (7)
Malaysia (14)
Marshall Islands (24)
Namibia (12)
Nauru (12)
Azerbaijan (8)
Many many-pointed stars
[edit]Australia (one 5-pointed star, five 7-pointed stars)
Stars and stripes
[edit]Stars and alternating stripes
[edit]Catalonia (autonomous community of Spain)
Cuba
Liberia
Malaysia
Puerto Rico (unincorporated territory of US)
Togo
United States
West Papua (partially recognized)
Stars and varying stripes
[edit]Aruba
Azerbaijan
Cape Verde
Chile
Comoros
Croatia
Djibouti
Gagauzia
Ghana
Guinea-Bissau
Honduras
Jordan
North Korea
Libya
Myanmar
Nauru
Philippines
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (partially recognized)
São Tomé and Príncipe
Singapore
Slovenia
Somaliland (unrecognized)
South Sudan
Suriname
Syria
Tajikistan
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Stars in southern cross pattern
[edit]Australia
Christmas Island (external territory of Australia)
Brazil
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Text
[edit]Country name
[edit]Costa Rica (state flag)
Egypt – the text reads "Jumhūriyyat Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah" in Arabic meaning "Arab Republic of Egypt".
Guam (unincorporated territory of US)
Mayotte (overseas department of France)
Nicaragua
Paraguay
Venezuela (state flag)
Motto
[edit]Afghanistan (under an unrecognized government) – the Shahada (an Islamic creed meaning "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet") written in the Thuluth script.
Andorra – "VIRTVS VNITA FORTIOR", Classical Latin for "United virtue is stronger".
Belize – "Sub Umbra Floreo", meaning "Under the Shade I Flourish" in Latin.
Brazil – "Ordem e Progresso", meaning "Order and Progress" in Portuguese.
Equatorial Guinea – "Unidad, Paz, Justicia", meaning "Unity, Peace, Justice" in Spanish
Iran – the Takbir ("Allahu akbar", which means "God is [the] greatest") written in the Kufic script 11 times.
Iraq – the Takbir written in the Kufic script.
San Marino – "LIBERTAS", Latin for "Freedom".
Saudi Arabia – the Shahada (an Islamic creed meaning "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet") written in the Thuluth script.
Somaliland – the Shahada
Spain – "PLVS VLTRA", Latin for "Further beyond".
Country name and motto
[edit]Afghanistan (2013–2021) – the lowest line of text reads Afghanistan in the Pashto alphabet, and the calligraphic text at the top is the Shahada with the Takbir written beneath it.
Brunei – the line of text on the crescent reads "Always render service with God's guidance", while the lower line reads Brunei Darussalam, both in the Jawi script.
El Salvador – the name of the country encircles the coat of arms, which features the motto "Dios, Unión, Libertad" (Spanish for "God, Unity, Freedom") inside.
Dominican Republic – the motto "Dios, Patria, Libertad" (meaning "God, Homeland, Freedom" in Spanish) can be read above the coat of arms at the center, below is the name of the country.
Other texts
[edit]California – the name of the short lived and unrecognized state "California Republic", which preceded California's admission into the Union.
Dominican Republic – the Bible is opened to the Gospel of John, chapter 8, verse 32, which reads “Y la verdad los hará libres”, which translates to “And the truth shall set you free” from Spanish.
Guatemala – "Libertad 15 de septiembre de 1821", a combination of the Spanish word for "Freedom" and the date of independence of the former Federal Republic of Central America from Spain.
Haiti – "L'union fait la force" (meaning "Union makes strength" in French), which is different from the country's official motto "Liberté, égalité, fraternité".
Malta – "For Gallantry" can be read at the George Cross carried in the canton.
Square and Rectangle
[edit]Bordering stripe
[edit]Upper left quarter
[edit]Historically
[edit]Georgia (1918–1921)
Georgian SSR (1951–1990) (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union)
Georgia (1990–2004)
Myanmar (1974–2010)
Vertical stripe on hoist
[edit]Belarus
Benin
Guinea-Bissau
Madagascar
Oman
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia (1744–1818; 1822–1913, hoist at right)
South African Republic (1852–1902)
Republic of Texas (1839–1845)
United Arab Emirates
Valencia (autonomous community of Spain)
West Papua (partially recognized)
Four parts
[edit]Two equal squares and two equal rectangles meeting on hoist
[edit]Åland (autonomous region of Finland)
Denmark
Faroe Islands (autonomous territory of Denmark)
Finland
Iceland
Kalmar Union (1397–1523)
Norway
Scania (province of Sweden)
Sweden
Four equal rectangles meeting at center
[edit]England (UK constituent country)
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Guernsey (UK crown dependency)
Panama
Triangle
[edit]Triangle(s) in center
[edit]Antigua and Barbuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Israel (6 making shape, 2 to draw it)
Saint Lucia
Triangle(s) on hoist
[edit]Bahamas
Catalonia (autonomous community of Spain)
Comoros
Cuba
Czech Republic
Djibouti
East Timor
Eritrea
Equatorial Guinea
Guyana
Jamaica
Jordan
Mozambique
Martinique (overseas department of France)
Palestine
Philippines
Puerto Rico (unincorporated territory of US)
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (partially recognized)
São Tomé and Príncipe
Sint Maarten (constituent country of the Netherlands)
South Africa
South Sudan
Sudan
Tigray (national regional state of Ethiopia)
Tuva (republic of Russia)
Vanuatu
Zimbabwe
Triangles meeting at center
[edit]Basque Country (autonomous community of Spain)
Burundi
Grenada
Jamaica
Jersey (UK crown dependency)
North Macedonia
Scotland (UK constituent country)
Seychelles (1976–1977)
United Kingdom
Diagonal stripes
[edit]Two diagonal stripes
[edit]Bhutan
Christmas Island (external territory of Australia)
Papua New Guinea
Three fimbriated diagonal stripes
[edit]Many radiating diagonal stripes
[edit]Guyana (6)
Eritrea (3)
Marshall Islands (4)
Seychelles (5)
Pall
[edit]Horizontal stripes in two colors
[edit]Two horizontal stripes
[edit]Equal
[edit]Angola
Benin
Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Djibouti
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Indonesia
Liechtenstein
Madagascar
Monaco
Philippines
Poland
Singapore
Sint Maarten
San Marino
Ukraine
Wales (UK constituent country)
Unequal
[edit]Belarus
Byelorussia (1951–1991)
Gibraltar (UK overseas territory)
Ukraine (1950–1992)
Three horizontal stripes
[edit]Equal
[edit]Thin-and-thick
[edit]Belize
Cambodia
French Polynesia (overseas collectivity of France)
Guam (unincorporated territory of US)
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Mauritania
São Tomé and Príncipe
Spain
Transnistria (unrecognized)
Fimbriated thin-and-thick
[edit]Many horizontal stripes
[edit]Equal
[edit]Abkhazia (partially recognized) (7)
Catalonia (autonomous community of Spain) (9)
Cuba (5)
Greece (9)
Liberia (11)
Malaysia (14)
Puerto Rico (unincorporated territory of US) (5)
Seborga (unrecognized micronation) (18)
Togo (5)
United States (13)
Uruguay (9)
West Papua (partially recognized) (13)
Unequal
[edit]Aruba (5)
South Vietnam (1949–1975) (7)
Horizontal stripes in three colors
[edit]Three horizontal stripes
[edit]Equal
[edit]Armenia
Republic of Artsakh (unrecognized, 1992–2023)
Azerbaijan
Bangsamoro (autonomous region in the Philippines)
Bolivia
Bulgaria
Croatia
Egypt
Estonia
Ethiopia
Gabon
Germany
Ghana
Equatorial Guinea
Hungary
India
Iran
Iraq
Iraqi Kurdistan (autonomous region in Iraq)
Jordan
Kuwait
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malawi
Mozambique
Myanmar
Netherlands
New Caledonia (overseas collectivity of France)
Niger
Oman
Palestine
Paraguay
Russian Federation
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (partially recognized)
Sierra Leone
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Somaliland (unrecognized)
South Ossetia (partially recognized)
Sudan
Syria
United Arab Emirates
Venezuela
Yemen
Zanzibar (semi-autonomous region in Tanzania)
Fimbriated equal
[edit]Unequal
[edit]Afghanistan (1974–1978)
Antigua and Barbuda
Colombia
Crimea (disputed)
Ecuador
Gambia
Lesotho
Libya
Rwanda
Tajikistan
Five horizontal stripes
[edit]Unequal
[edit]Horizontal stripes in many colors
[edit]Four equal horizontal stripes in four colors
[edit]Five equal horizontal stripes in five colors
[edit]Republic of China (1912–1928) (Taiwan)
Vertical stripes in two colors
[edit]Two equal vertical stripes
[edit]Two unequal vertical stripes
[edit]Russian SFSR (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union)
Pakistan
Portugal
Two unequal serrated vertical stripes
[edit]Three equal vertical stripes
[edit]Three unequal vertical stripes
[edit]Canada
Norfolk Island (Australian external territory)
Vertical stripes in three colors
[edit]Three equal vertical stripes
[edit]Afghanistan (2013–2021)
Belgium
Cameroon
Chad
France
Guinea
Ireland
Italy
Ivory Coast
Mali
Mexico
Moldova
Romania
Rwanda (1962–2001)
Senegal
Three unequal vertical stripes
[edit]Unique aspect ratio
[edit]Most common aspect ratio is 2:3, followed by 1:2.
The following flags have a distinctive aspect ratio:
Belgium: Aspect ratio of 13:15
El Salvador: Aspect ratio of 189:335
Monaco: Aspect ratio of 4:5
Nepal: The only national flag that is not rectangular, being made with 5 sides, and the only one that is higher than wide. Bordering aspect ratio of ~ 6:5
Niger: Aspect ratio of 6:7
Qatar: The largest aspect ratio of any national flag, the flag's width 2.545 times as large as the height. Aspect ratio of 11:28
Switzerland: (Square-shaped) Aspect ratio of 1:1
Togo: The golden ratio which is roughly around 1.618035 ; Aspect ratio of 2:3.23607 or ~ 8:13
Vatican City: Undefined. The aspect ratio is usually defined around 1:1. However, it is not exactly 1:1.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "letter to the German nunciature (2010-05-27)" (PDF) (in German). Retrieved 2021-09-26.