List of national flags by design explained
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
One circle in center
One circle on hoist
- (autonomous territory of Denmark)
- (French overseas collectivity)
One broken or implied circle
- (2013–2021)
- (associated state of New Zealand)
- (overseas territory of France)
- (unincorporated territory of US)
Coat of arms
See also: Coat of arms.
- (2013–2021)
- (civil flag is without the arms)
- (civil flag is without the arms)
- (civil flag is without the arms)
- (civil flag is without the arms)
- (civil flag is without the arms)
- (civil flag is without the arms)
- (civil flag is without the arms)
- (civil flag is without the arms)
Crescent
See also: Star and crescent.
Facing up
Facing fly
- (autonomous region in the Philippines)
- (autonomous republic of Uzbekistan)
- (recognized only by Turkey)
- (partially recognized)
Facing diagonally
Cross
Upright centred cross
See also: Christian cross variants.
- — Gamma cross
- — Greek cross
Saint George's Cross
- (UK constituent country)
- (UK crown dependency)
- (UK constituent country)
Nordic Cross
Nordic Cross in two colors
Nordic Cross in three colors
- (autonomous region of Finland)
- (autonomous territory of Denmark)
Diagonal cross
See main article: Saltire.
St. Andrew's Cross
- (UK crown dependency)
- (UK constituent country)
Upright and diagonal centred crosses
- (autonomous community of Spain)
One cross in emblem
Union Jack
See also: British ensign and Flags of the British Empire.
Historically
- (1868–1921)
- (1921–1957)
- (1957–1965)
- (19th century)
- (1928 - 1994)
- (1776 - 1777)
Additionally, the Union Jack features in many territorial and sub-national flags. These are often Red Ensigns (e.g.,) or Blue Ensigns (e.g., and). A small number have backgrounds of other colors (e.g. and) or a unique pattern in the field (e.g. and). A small number put the Union Jack somewhere other than the canton (e.g.). Unofficial flags, such as also use it.
Living organism
Human and body parts
Animal
Bird
Eagle
Livestock
Lion
- — pelican, yellow lion
- (self-governing dependency of the UK) — lion
- — double-headed eagle, lion
- — lion
- — golden lion
- (Australian state) — lion
Historically
Plants
Historically
- (overseas department of France)
- (province of Canada)
- (1992–1998)
- (overseas collectivity of France)
Objects
Astronomical
Sun
Moon
Weaponry
Ships
-
- (overseas collectivity of France)
Machine, tool, or instrument
Map
- (1971)
- (external territory of Australia)
- (partly recognized)
Building
- (2013–2021) — mosque
- — church (Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus)
- — Angkor Wat
- (UK overseas territory) — castle
- (sun with the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt)
- — seven castles
- — three castles
- (constituent country of the Netherlands) — courthouse
- — castle
Book
Headgear
Other symbols
- — Soyombo symbol
- — Letter R, 1962–2001
- — Three diamonds in a V pattern
- — Taegeuk and four black trigrams
- — Hand holding Leading Torch, 1971–1997
Star
Five-pointed star
See also: Five-pointed star.
One five-pointed star in center
- (recognized only by Turkey)
- (partially recognized)
- (unrecognized)
One five-pointed star on hoist
- (autonomous community of Spain)
- (unincorporated territory of US)
- (partially recognized)
One five-pointed star on canton
See also: Canton (flag).
Many equal five-pointed stars
- (partially recognized) (7)
- (7 full stars and 2 half-stars)
- (4)
- (State Flag) (7)
- (4)
- (5)
- (5)
- (partially recognized) (6)
- (2)
- (3)
- (2)
- (2)
- (5)
- (5)
- (2)
- (7)
- (5)
- (9)
- (50)
- (12)
- (8)
Many equal five-pointed stars in circle pattern
- (10)
- (associated state of New Zealand) (15)
- (10)
- (international organisation) (12)
Many unequal five-pointed stars
- (27)
- (7)
- (4)
- (associated state of New Zealand) (5)
- (5)
- (5)
- (5)
- (special administrative region of China) (5)
Six-pointed star
One six-pointed star
Many equal six-pointed stars
Many-pointed star
One many-pointed star
- (7)
- (14)
- (24)
- (12)
- (12)
- (8)
Many many-pointed stars
- (one 5-pointed star, five 7-pointed stars)
Stars and stripes
Stars and alternating stripes
- (autonomous community of Spain)
- (unincorporated territory of US)
- (partially recognized)
Stars and varying stripes
Stars in southern cross pattern
- (external territory of Australia)
Text
See main article: List of inscribed flags.
Country name
- (state flag)
- – the text reads "Jumhūriyyat Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah" in Arabic meaning "Arab Republic of Egypt".
- (unincorporated territory of US)
- (overseas department of France)
Motto
- (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.
- – "VIRTVS VNITA FORTIOR", Classical Latin for "United virtue is stronger".
- – "Sub Umbra Floreo", meaning "Under the Shade I Flourish" in Latin.
- – "Ordem e Progresso", meaning "Order and Progress" in Portuguese.
- – "Unidad, Paz, Justicia", meaning "Unity, Peace, Justice" in Spanish
- – the Takbir ("Allahu akbar", which means "God is [the] greatest") written in the Kufic script 11 times.
- – the Takbir written in the Kufic script.
- – "LIBERTAS", Latin for "Freedom".
- – the Shahada (an Islamic creed meaning "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet") written in the Thuluth script.
- – the Shahada
- – "PLVS VLTRA", Latin for "Further beyond".
Country name and motto
- (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.
- – 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.
- – the name of the country encircles the coat of arms, which features the motto "Dios, Unión, Libertad" (Spanish for "God, Unity, Freedom") inside.
- – 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
- – the name of the short lived and unrecognized state "California Republic", which preceded California's admission into the Union.
- – 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.
- – "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.
- – "L'union fait la force" (meaning "Union makes strength" in French), which is different from the country's official motto "Liberté, égalité, fraternité".
- – "For Gallantry" can be read at the George Cross carried in the canton.
Quadrilateral
Bordering stripe
See also: Bordure.
Upper left quarter
See also: Canton (flag).
Historically
- (1918–1921)
- (1951–1990) (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union)
- (1990–2004)
- (1974–2010)
Vertical stripe on hoist
See also: Side (heraldry).
- (1744 - 1818; 1822 - 1913, hoist at right)
- (1852 - 1902)
- (1839 - 1845)
- (autonomous community of Spain)
- (partially recognized)
Four parts
Two equal squares and two equal rectangles meeting on hoist
- (autonomous region of Finland)
- (autonomous territory of Denmark)
- (province of Sweden)
Four equal rectangles meeting at center
See also: Christian cross variants.
Triangle
Triangle(s) in center
- (6 making shape, 2 to draw it)
Triangle(s) on hoist
See also: Pile (heraldry).
- (autonomous community of Spain)
- (overseas department of France)
- (unincorporated territory of US)
- (partially recognized)
- (constituent country of the Netherlands)
- (national regional state of Ethiopia)
- (republic of Russia)
Triangles meeting at center
See also: Saltire.
- (autonomous community of Spain)
- (1976–1977)
Diagonal stripes
Two diagonal stripes
- (external territory of Australia)
Three fimbriated diagonal stripes
See also: Bend (heraldry).
Many radiating diagonal stripes
Pall
See also: Pall (heraldry).
Horizontal stripes in two colors
Two horizontal stripes
Equal
Unequal
-
- (UK overseas territory)
- (1950–1992)
Three horizontal stripes
Equal
Thin-and-thick
- (overseas collectivity of France)
- (unincorporated territory of US)
Fimbriated thin-and-thick
See also: Fimbriation.
Many horizontal stripes
Equal
- (partially recognized) (7)
- (autonomous community of Spain) (9)
- (5)
- (9)
- (11)
- (14)
- (unincorporated territory of US) (5)
- (unrecognized micronation) (18)
- (5)
- (13)
- (9)
- (partially recognized) (13)
Unequal
Horizontal stripes in three colors
Three horizontal stripes
Equal
- (unrecognized, 1992–2023)
- (autonomous region in the Philippines)
- (autonomous region in Iraq)
- (overseas collectivity of France)
- (partially recognized)
- (unrecognized)
- (partially recognized)
- (semi-autonomous region in Tanzania)
Fimbriated equal
See also: Fimbriation.
Unequal
Five horizontal stripes
Unequal
Horizontal stripes in many colors
Four equal horizontal stripes in four colors
Five equal horizontal stripes in five colors
Vertical stripes in two colors
Two unequal vertical stripes
- (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union)
Two unequal serrated vertical stripes
Three equal vertical stripes
Three unequal vertical stripes
- (Australian external territory)
Vertical stripes in three colors
Three equal vertical stripes
Three unequal vertical stripes
Unique aspect ratio
Most common aspect ratio is 2:3, followed by 1:2.
The following flags have a distinctive aspect ratio:
Aspect ratio of 13:15
Aspect ratio of 189:335
Aspect ratio of 4:5
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
Aspect ratio of 6:7
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
(Square-shaped) Aspect ratio of 1:1
The golden ratio which is roughly around 1.618035 ; Aspect ratio of 2:3.23607 or ~ 8:13
Undefined. The aspect ratio is usually defined around 1:1. However, it is not exactly 1:1.[1]
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: letter to the German nunciature (2010-05-27). 2021-09-26. de.
