List of national flags by design
A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a country. Flags come in many different 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.
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.
Uncommon flag shapes
Belgium: Aspect ratio of 13:15 El Salvador: Aspect ratio of 189:334 Monaco: Aspect ratio of 4:5 Nepal: The only national flag that is not rectangular, being made with 5 sides. Niger: Aspect ratio of 6:7 Qatar: The largest aspect ratio of any national flag, 11:28, making the flag's width 2.545 times larger than the height. Switzerland: Square-shaped Togo: Aspect ratio of 2:3.23607, the golden ratio Vatican: Square-shaped
Star(s)
Four-pointed
Aruba (a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Five-pointed
One five-pointed star in center
Burkina Faso Cameroon Ghana Myanmar Northern Mariana Islands Paraguay Senegal Somalia Somaliland (unrecognized state) Suriname Vietnam Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1943–1992)
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
North Korea Guinea-Bissau Republic of West Papua (Morning Star Flag) Cuba Djibouti East Timor Puerto Rico (US overseas commonwealth) South Sudan
Multiple five-pointed stars of equal size
Bosnia and Herzegovina (9, 2 are half stars) Comoros (4) Gagauzia (3) Honduras (5) Karakalpakstan (5) Kosovo (6) Vojvodina (3) Panama (2) Philippines (3) Federated States of Micronesia (4) Saint Kitts and Nevis (2) São Tomé and Príncipe (2) Singapore (5) Solomon Islands (5) Syria (2) Turkmenistan (5) Tuvalu (9) United States (varies, based on number of states, currently 50) Uzbekistan (12) Venezuela (8)
Circle of five-pointed stars
African Union (53 stars) Cape Verde (10 stars) Cook Islands (15 stars) (Associated state of New Zealand) Cook Islands (1973–1979) (15 stars, but yellow on green) Dominica (10 stars) European Union (12 stars) (an organization) Tajikistan (7 stars) United States (1777-1795) (13 stars)
Multiple five-pointed stars in different sizes
Brazil (27) Grenada (7) New Zealand (4) Niue (5 stars) (Overseas territory of New Zealand) Papua New Guinea (5) People's Republic of China (5) Samoa (5) Tokelau (4) (Overseas territory of New Zealand)
Hexagram
Many-pointed
One many-pointed star
Azerbaijan (8 points) Jordan (7 points) Malaysia (14 points) Marshall Islands (24 points) Nauru (12 points)
Multiple many-pointed stars
Southern Cross
The Southern Cross or Crux, a constellation visible in the Southern Hemisphere, is depicted on flags and coats of arms of various countries and sub-national entities. This star constellation is visible mostly in the southern hemisphere and it therefore symbolises the southern location of its users.
(The term Southern Cross can also refer to the blue saltire as used in various flags of the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War.)
Australia Brazil: the southern cross is reversed New Zealand Papua New Guinea Samoa Tokelau
Stars and stripes
Aruba Azerbaijan Cape Verde Chile Comoros Croatia Cuba Djibouti Gagauzia Guinea-Bissau Honduras Jordan North Korea Liberia Libya Malaysia Myanmar Nauru Philippines Puerto Rico Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Unrecognised São Tomé and Príncipe Singapore Slovenia Somaliland South Sudan Suriname Syria Tajikistan Republic of Texas Togo United States Uzbekistan Venezuela Republic of West Papua
Crescent
Facing fly
Algeria Azerbaijan Cocos Islands Comoros East Turkestan Karakalpakstan Libya Malaysia Maldives Northern Cyprus Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Singapore Tunisia Turkey
Circle
One circle in center
One circle on hoist
Bangladesh Greenland Khakassia North Korea Namibia New Caledonia Niue Sápmi Palau Portugal
One broken or implied circle
Afghanistan Cabo Verde Cook Islands Cook Islands (1973–1979) Dominica Eritrea European Union (an organisation) French Polynesia Francophonie Northern Mariana Islands
Triangle
Triangle(s) in centre
Antigua and Barbuda Bosnia and Herzegovina Israel (6 that make up the shape, 2 to draw it) Saint Lucia
Triangle(s) on hoist
Bahamas Chukotka Comoros Cuba Czech Republic Djibouti East Timor Eritrea Equatorial Guinea Guyana Jamaica Jordan Marquesas Islands Mozambique Philippines Puerto Rico (US overseas commonwealth) Palestine Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Unrecognized São Tomé and Príncipe Seychelles (1976–1977) South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tuva Tuvalu (1995–1997) Vanuatu Zabaykalsky Krai Zimbabwe
Triangle(s) on fly
American Samoa (US territory) Jamaica Seychelles (1976–1977)
Stripes
Horizontal
Two colors
Two equal horizontal stripes in two colors
Angola Benin Burkina Faso Czech Republic Djibouti Guinea-Bissau Haiti Indonesia Madagascar Monaco Philippines Poland Singapore San Marino Ukraine
Three equal horizontal stripes in two colors
Three unequal horizontal stripes in two colors
Curaçao Kazakhstan (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union) Kyrgyzstan (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union)
Three thin-and-thick horizontal stripes in two colors
Armenia (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union) Belize Cambodia Laos Guam Lebanon Mauritania Moldavia (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union) French Polynesia São Tomé and Príncipe Spain Transnistria Ingushetia
Three fimbriated thin-and-thick horizontal stripes in two colors
Eswatini (Swaziland) Kirghizia (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union) Kyrgyzstan (1991–1992) North Korea Suriname Turkmenistan (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union) Turkmenistan (1991–1992)
Three fimbriated thick-and-thin horizontal stripes in two colors
Botswana Uzbekistan (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union)
Many equal horizontal stripes in two colors
Catalonia (9) Cuba (5) Greece (9) British Indian Ocean Territory (6 wavy stripes) Liberia (11) Malaysia (14) Puerto Rico (5 stripes) (US overseas commonwealth) Seborga (18 stripes) Togo (5) Uruguay (9) United States (13, representing the 13 colonies) Republic of West Papua (13) (Morning Star Flag)
Many unequal horizontal stripes in two colors
Three colors
Three equal horizontal stripes in three colors
Afghanistan (1928) Afghanistan (1980–1987) Afghanistan (1987–1992) Afghanistan (1992) Afghanistan (1992–2001) Afghanistan (2001–2002) Armenia Republic of Artsakh Azerbaijan Bulgaria Biafra Bolivia Croatia Egypt Estonia Ethiopia Gabon Germany Germany (1867–1919, 1933–1935) Ghana Ghana (1962–1966) Equatorial Guinea Hungary India Iran Iraq Iraqi Kurdistan Jordan Kuwait Lithuania Luxembourg Malawi Myanmar New Caledonia Niger Netherlands Oman Paraguay Palestine Russian Federation Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Sudan Sudan (1956–1971) Sierra Leone Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Somaliland South Africa (1928–1994) Spain (1931–1939) Syria United Arab Emirates Upper Volta Venezuela Yemen Zanzibar Karakalpakstan Kenya Mozambique South Sudan Uzbekistan
Three unequal horizontal stripes in three colors
Afghanistan (1974–1978) Afghanistan (1978) Antigua and Barbuda Buryatia Chuvashia Mordovia Colombia Ecuador Gagauzia Khakassia Libya Lesotho Rwanda Sakha Republic Tajikistan Crimea Gambia
Four unequal horizontal stripes in three colors
Tajikistan (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union)
Four colors
Four equal horizontal stripes in four colors
Central African Republic Comoros Mauritius
Seven equal horizontal stripes in four colors
Seven unequal horizontal stripes in three colors
Five colors
Five equal horizontal stripes in five colors
China (1912–1928)
Vertical
Two unequal vertical stripes in two colors
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Constituent republic of the Soviet Union) Pakistan Portugal
Three equal vertical stripes in three colors
Flags based on the French tricolor
Acadia French Southern and Antarctic Lands Wallis and Futuna
Four unequal vertical stripes in four colors
South Moluccas Sápmi Zambia
Two crossing horizontal and vertical stripes
Others
Dominican Republic Georgia - Jerusalem cross United Kingdom - Saltire Dominica Malta Switzerland
One vertical stripe in center
Diagonal
Three diagonal stripes
Bonaire (Netherlands) Republic of the Congo Sealand Solomon Islands
Three fimbriated diagonal stripes
Democratic Republic of the Congo Namibia Saint Kitts and Nevis Tanzania Trinidad and Tobago Zanzibar (Tanzania)
Two crossing diagonal stripes
Cross
Nordic Cross
Nordic Cross in three colours
One cross in emblem
Marshall Islands Moldova Montenegro Portugal San Marino Serbia Slovakia Spain Vatican City
St. Andrew's Cross
Scotland (UK constituent country) United Kingdom
Cross of Burgundy
United Kingdom Spanish Empire
Upright and diagonal centred crosses
Naval Jack of Estonia Naval Jack of Bulgaria Naval Jack of Latvia Naval Ensign of Georgia (country) Basque Country Lord Howe Island North Macedonia United Kingdom Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801)
Union Jack
Australia Australia (1901–1903) Australia (1903–1908) Bermuda (1910–1999) Canada (1868–1921) Canada (1921–1957) Canada (1957–1965) Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801) Fiji New Zealand Newfoundland (1907–1949) South Africa (1928–1994) South Africa (1910–1928) Tuvalu Tuvalu (1976–1978) Tuvalu (1978–1996) United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland United States (1775–1777)
Additionally, the Union Jack features in many territorial and sub-national flags. These are often Red Ensigns (e.g.,
Divisions
Upper left divided from rest of flag
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.
One vertical stripe on hoist
Belarus Benin Chechnya Guinea-Bissau Khakassia Madagascar Oman Texas Morning Star flag (Republic of West Papua, 1961–62) United Arab Emirates South African Republic (1852-1902)
Four equal rectangles meeting at center
See also #Cross section
Dominica Dominican Republic England (UK constituent country) Panama
Four equal triangles meeting at center
Burundi Grenada Jamaica Seychelles (1976–1977)
- St. Andrew's Cross
Scotland (UK constituent country) United Kingdom
- Cross of Burgundy
Other symbols and pictures
Sun
Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Bangladesh Bolivia Costa Rica Ecuador El Salvador Greenland Iraqi Kurdistan Japan Kazakhstan Kiribati Kyrgyzstan Malawi Namibia Nepal Nicaragua Niger North Macedonia Rwanda Philippines Republic of China (Taiwan) Sakha Republic Uruguay Zaire
Animal
Bird
Christmas Island — bird Dominica — sisserou parrot Guatemala — bird Kiribati — frigatebird Fiji — White pelican and yellow lion Papua New Guinea — raggiana bird-of-paradise Saint Helena — bird Sint Maarten — bird Uganda — grey crowned crane Zambia — bird Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe Bird Ecuador — condor
Eagle
Albania — double-headed eagle American Samoa — eagle Egypt — Eagle of Saladin Kazakhstan — steppe eagle Mexico — eagle, snake Moldova — eagle, cow Montenegro — double-headed eagle, lion United States Virgin Islands — eagle Serbia — double-headed eagle
Livestock
Dragon
Lion
Human
Belize — Homo sapiens Montserrat — Homo sapiens Virgin Islands (UK) — Homo sapiens
Coat of arms
Afghanistan Anguilla Belize Bermuda Brunei Canada (1868–1928) Canada (1921–1957) Canada (1957–1965) Cayman Islands Croatia Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt Equatorial Guinea El Salvador Falkland Islands Fiji Guam Guatemala Haiti Mexico Moldova Montenegro Nicaragua Paraguay Portugal San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain
Weaponry
Agricultural and industrial tools
Angola — half-gear and machete Mozambique — hoe Myanmar (1974–2010) — gear Soviet Union (1917–1991) — hammer and sickle Transnistria — hammer and sickle (non-communist)
Plants
Canada — maple leaf Cyprus — olive branches Grenada — clove of nutmeg Eritrea — olive branch Lebanon — Lebanon cedar Macao — lotus flower Myanmar (1974–2010) — rice plant
Map
Bangladesh (1971) Antarctica African Union Christmas Island Cyprus Kosovo Tuvalu: the flag of Tuvalu on the fly has 10 yellow five-pointed stars that are representing the islands and atolls of the country
Other symbols
Cambodia — Angkor Wat Danzig (1920-1939) (King's Crown) Dominican Republic (Bible) India (Ashoka Chakra) Iran (Emblem of Iran) Mongolia (Soyombo) Kyrgyzstan (sun with a crown of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt) Lesotho (mokorotlo) Mozambique — book Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (diamonds in a V pattern) South Korea (Taegeuk and four black trigrams) Zaire (Hand holding Leanding Torch)
Text
Country name
Country name and motto
Afghanistan – 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
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. Spain – "PLVS VLTRA", Latin for "Further beyond".
Other texts
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 date 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
Australia British Columbia Canada (1868–1921) Canada (1921–1957) Canada (1957–1965) Cook Islands Fiji Falkland Islands Hawaii Manitoba New Zealand Niue Ontario South Africa (1928–1994) Tuvalu United States (1776–1777)