List of national flags by design

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.

Flags of uncommon shapes

* Most common aspect ratio is 2:3, followed by 1:2.

  •  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. Bordering aspect ratio of ~ 5:6
  •  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 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]

Star

One five-pointed star in center

See also the list of flags featuring crescents, below, many of which include a five-pointed star in the crescent.

One five-pointed star on hoist

One five-pointed star on canton
National flag of Chile

Multiple five-pointed stars of equal size

Circle of five-pointed stars

Multiple five-pointed stars in different sizes
National flag of People's Republic of China

Six-pointed
National flag of Israel

One many-pointed star
National seal of the Marshall Islands

Multiple many-pointed stars
National flag of Azerbaijan
  •  Australia (one 5-pointed star, five 7-pointed)

Southern Cross

Stars and stripes
National flag of the United States
flag of Cape Verde
flag of Gagauzia

Crescents

Facing up
National flag of Nepal

Facing fly
National flag of Turkey

Facing diagonally
National flag of Pakistan

Circle

One circle in center
National flag of Brazil
National flag of India
National flag of Japan
Flag of South Korea

One circle on hoist
National flag of Bangladesh

One broken or implied circle
National flag of Eritrea

Triangle

Triangle(s) in centre
National flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Triangle(s) on hoist
National flag of the Cuba
National flag of the Czech Republic
National flag of the Philippines
National flag of Puerto Rico
See also: Chevron (insignia)

Different triangles
National flag of the United Kingdom

Horizontal stripes in two colors

Equal
National flag of Indonesia
National flag of the Philippines
National flag of Poland
National flag of Ukraine

Unequal

Thin and thick
Flag of Republic of Vietnam

Equal
National flag of Argentina

Thin-and-thick
National flag of Cambodia
National flag of Spain

Fimbriated thin-and-thick
National flag of North Korea
See also: Fimbriation

Many equal horizontal stripes
National flag of Greece
Flag Number of stripes Status
 Abkhazia 7 (unrecognized)
 Cuba 5
 Greece 9
 Liberia 11
 Malaysia 14
 Puerto Rico 5 (unincorporated territory of the United States)
 Seborga 18 (micronation)
 Togo 5
 Uruguay 9
 United States 13
 Republic of West Papua 13 (unrecognized) (Morning Star Flag)

Horizontal stripes in three colors

Equal
Flag of Egypt
Flag of Kenya
National flag of Germany
Flag of Iran
National flag of Russia

    Unequal
    Flag of the Gambia

    Five unequal horizontal stripes
    Flag of Costa Rica
    Flag of Cape Verde

    Horizontal stripes in more colors

    Four equal horizontal stripes in four colors

    Five equal horizontal stripes in five colors

    Vertical stripes in two colors

    Two equal vertical stripes in two colors
    National flag of Algeria

    Two unequal vertical stripes in two colors
    National flag of Pakistan

    Two unequal serrated vertical stripes in two colors
    National flag of Bahrain

    Three equal vertical stripes
    National flag of Guatemala
    National flag of Nigeria

    Three unequal vertical stripes
    National flag of Canada
    Further information: Canadian pale

    Vertical stripes in three colors

    Three equal vertical stripes
    Further information: Tricolour (flag)
    National flag of France
    National flag of Ireland
    National flag of Mexico

    Three unequal vertical stripes

    Cross flags

    Nordic Cross flag
    See also: Nordic cross flag

    Saint George's Cross
    See also: Saint George's Cross

    Diagonal stripes

    Two diagonal stripes
    National flag of Papua New Guinea

    Three fimbriated diagonal stripes
    National flag of Tanzania

    Many radiating diagonal stripes
    National flag of the Marshall Islands

    Pall
    National flag of South Africa

    Cross

    Upright centred cross
    National flag of the Dominican Republic

    Saint George's Cross
    National flag of England

    Nordic Cross
    Further information: Nordic Cross

    Nordic Cross in two colors
    National flag of Finland

    Nordic Cross in three colors
    National flag of Iceland

    One cross in emblem
    National flag of Slovakia

    Diagonal cross
    Main article: Saltire
    National flag of Jamaica

    St. Andrew's Cross

    Upright and diagonal centred crosses
    National flag of the United Kingdom

    Union Jack
    See also: British ensign and Flags of the British Empire
    National flag of Australia
    National flag of Fiji
    flag of Bermuda
    flag of the UK
    flag of South Africa (1928–1994)
    National flag of Canada 1957–1965

    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.

    Historically

    Divisions

    Upper left divided from rest of flag
    Main article: Canton (flag)
    National flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan)
    National flag of the United States

    A canton in a flag is a rectangular area at the top hoist corner of a flag, occupying up to a quarter of the flag's area. The canton of a flag may be a flag in its own right. For instance, British ensigns have the Union Jack as their canton, as do their derivatives such as the national flags of Australia and New Zealand. Following the practice of British ensigns, a canton sometimes contains a symbol of national unity such as the blue field and white stars of the U.S. flag. In these cases, the canton may be called simply the union.

    The U.S. flag's canton derives from the British use of the Union Jack in the canton of its possessions (including, historically, the early United States). Subsequently, many New World nations (and other later countries and regions, such as Liberia or Malaysia) that were inspired by the U.S. incorporated elements likewise inspired by the U.S. flag. As a result, many extant uses of a prominent canton derive either from British territorial history, or U.S. influence and inspiration.

    Historically

    One vertical stripe on hoist
    National flag of Benin

    Four equal rectangles meeting at center

    See also #Cross section

    National flag of the Dominican Republic

    Four equal triangles meeting at center
    National flag of Jamaica
    St. Andrew's Cross
    Cross of Burgundy

    Other symbols and pictures

    Sun
    National flag of Bangladesh
    National flag of Japan

    Moon
    See also #Crescents

    Human and body parts

    Animal
    National flag of Albania

    Bird
    Eagle

    Livestock

    Lion
    National flag of Spain

    Historically

    Coat of arms
    See also: Coat of arms

    Weaponry
    National flag of Haiti

    Ships

    Agricultural and industrial tools
    National flag of the Soviet Union (1955-1991), bright red used in 1980.

    Plants
    National flag of Canada

    Fleur-de-lis

    Map
    National flag of Cyprus

    Building

    Square
    National flag of Switzerland

    Other symbols
    National flag of India
    National flag of South Korea

    Text
    Main article: List of inscribed flags

    Country name
    National flag of Paraguay

    Country name and motto
    National flag of the Dominican Republic
    •  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.

    Motto
    National flag of Brazil
    •  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".

    Other texts
    National flag of Malta
    •  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.

    Flags of another state

    Historically

    See also

    References
    1. "letter to the German nunciature (2010-05-27)" (PDF) (in German). Retrieved 2021-09-26.
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