Flags & Their Meaning

Asia · adopted 2021

The current de facto national flag used by the Taliban government is a plain white field bearing the black shahada in Arabic script at the center. It replaced the previous black-red-green tricolour with state emblem after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

Europe · adopted 1992

A red field with a black double-headed eagle in the center, derived from the emblem associated with Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg in the 15th century. The modern state flag was readopted after the end of communist rule.

Africa · adopted 1962

The flag is vertically divided green and white with a red crescent and five-pointed star centered over the divide. It was adopted at independence from France in 1962 and draws on symbols long associated with Algeria’s nationalist movement.

Europe · adopted 1993

A vertical tricolour of blue, yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow stripe. The current constitutional form dates from Andorra’s 1993 constitution, though similar versions were used earlier.

Africa · adopted 1975

The flag has two horizontal bands of red and black with a yellow emblem in the center consisting of half a gear wheel, a machete, and a star. It was adopted at independence in 1975.

Americas · adopted 1967

A red field with an inverted isosceles triangle containing horizontal bands of black, blue, and white, with a rising yellow sun on the black band. Designed by artist Reginald Samuel, it was first adopted in 1967 and retained at independence in 1981.

Americas · adopted 1812

Three horizontal bands of light blue, white, and light blue, with the Sun of May centered on the white band in the state and civil national flag now generally used. The design originated in the independence era under Manuel Belgrano.

Asia · adopted 1990

A horizontal tricolour of red, blue, and orange. It revives the First Republic’s flag of 1918 and was adopted again shortly before independence from the Soviet Union.

Oceania · adopted 1954

A blue ensign with the Union Jack in the canton, a large white seven-pointed Commonwealth Star below it, and the white Southern Cross constellation on the fly. The design stems from a 1901 competition, but its current legal status dates from the Flags Act 1953, effective in 1954.

Europe · adopted 1945

A horizontal triband of red, white, and red. It is one of Europe’s oldest flag patterns, with origins traditionally traced to the Babenberg dynasty in the 13th century.

Asia · adopted 1991

A horizontal tricolour of blue, red, and green with a white crescent and eight-pointed star centered on the red band. It revives the flag first used by the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918.

Americas · adopted 1973

Three horizontal bands of aquamarine, gold, and aquamarine with a black equilateral triangle at the hoist. It was adopted on independence in 1973.

Asia · adopted 2002

A white band at the hoist and a red fly side divided by a serrated line with five white points. The current form with five points was standardized in 2002.

Asia · adopted 1972

A dark green field with a red disc slightly offset toward the hoist. The design was first adopted in 1972 after independence, based on the flag used during the liberation war but without the former golden map.

Americas · adopted 1966

A vertical triband of ultramarine, gold, and ultramarine with a black trident head centered in the gold band. It was adopted at independence in 1966.

Europe · adopted 2012

A red over green horizontal bicolour with a vertical white-and-red ornamental pattern at the hoist. The current design is a modified version of the 1951 Belarusian SSR flag, with the ornament revised in 2012.

Europe · adopted 1831

A vertical tricolour of black, yellow, and red. It was adopted after the Belgian Revolution, with colours derived from the coat of arms of the Duchy of Brabant.

Americas · adopted 1981

A royal blue field with narrow red stripes at the top and bottom and the national coat of arms in a white disc at the center. It was adopted on independence in 1981.

Africa · adopted 1990

A green vertical band at the hoist with yellow and red horizontal bands on the fly. It was first adopted in 1959, replaced during the Marxist period, and restored in 1990.

Asia · adopted 1969

The flag is divided diagonally from lower hoist to upper fly into yellow above and orange below, with a large white druk, or thunder dragon, centered along the division. The modern standardized form dates from 1969.

Americas · adopted 1851

A horizontal tricolour of red, yellow and green. The present arrangement was established in 1851, replacing earlier Bolivian flags used after independence.

Europe · adopted 1998

A blue field with a yellow right triangle and a vertical row of white five-pointed stars along the hypotenuse. It was imposed in 1998 by the international High Representative after local lawmakers failed to agree on a design.

Africa · adopted 1966

A light blue field crossed horizontally through the center by a black stripe with thin white fimbriations. It was adopted at independence in 1966.

Americas · adopted 1889

A green field with a large yellow diamond bearing a blue globe with 27 white stars and a white banner reading ORDEM E PROGRESSO. It was adopted shortly after Brazil became a republic in 1889, while preserving the imperial-era green and yellow field.

Asia · adopted 1959

A yellow field crossed diagonally by white and black bands, with the red national emblem centered. The basic flag long predates modern statehood, and the present emblem-bearing design dates from the 1959 constitution.

Europe · adopted 1991

A horizontal tricolour of white, green and red. The tricolour dates to the 19th century, and the current plain form without the socialist-era emblem was readopted in 1991.

Africa · adopted 1984

A horizontal bicolour of red over green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center. It was adopted in 1984 after the country changed its name from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso.

Africa · adopted 1982

A white saltire divides the flag into red upper and lower panels and green hoist and fly panels, with a white disk at the center containing three red stars outlined in green. The present star arrangement dates from 1982.

Asia · adopted 1993

A horizontal triband of blue, red and blue with a white depiction of Angkor Wat centered on the broad red band. The current design restores the traditional Cambodian flag used before later regime changes.

Africa · adopted 1975

A vertical tricolour of green, red and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band. The star was added in 1975 to replace an earlier version that had two stars.

Americas · adopted 1965

A red-white-red triband with a stylized red maple leaf centered on the white square. It was adopted in 1965 after the Great Canadian Flag Debate.

Africa · adopted 1992

A dark blue field crossed near the lower half by narrow horizontal white-red-white stripes, with a ring of ten yellow stars toward the hoist. It was adopted in 1992, replacing an earlier Pan-African design.

Africa · adopted 1958

Four horizontal stripes of blue, white, green and yellow are crossed at the center by a vertical red stripe, with a yellow five-pointed star in the upper hoist. Designed by Barthélemy Boganda, it was adopted in 1958 and retained after independence.

Africa · adopted 1959

A vertical tricolour of blue, yellow and red. It was adopted in 1959, shortly before independence from France.

Americas · adopted 1817

A horizontal bicolour of white over red with a blue canton bearing a single white five-pointed star. It was adopted during Chile’s independence era in 1817.

Asia · adopted 1949

A red field with one large yellow five-pointed star near the hoist and four smaller yellow stars in an arc to its right. It was adopted in 1949 with the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Americas · adopted 1861

A horizontal tricolour of yellow, blue and red, with the yellow band occupying the top half of the flag. The design descends from the flag created by Francisco de Miranda and was adopted in its present national form in 1861.

Africa · adopted 2002

Four horizontal stripes of yellow, white, red and blue with a green hoist triangle bearing a white crescent and four white stars. The current design was adopted in 2002 and incorporates all four traditional island colours.

Americas · adopted 1906

A horizontal pentaband of blue, white, red, white and blue, with the red band double width. The basic design dates from 1848 and was inspired by the French tricolour; the current national flag proportions were standardized in 1906.

Europe · adopted 1990

A horizontal tricolour of red, white and blue with the Croatian coat of arms centered. The current design was adopted in 1990 as Croatia moved away from socialist Yugoslav symbolism.

Americas · adopted 1902

Five horizontal stripes of blue and white with a red hoist triangle bearing a white five-pointed star. The design was created in the 19th century by Cuban independence supporters and became the national flag when Cuba formally became independent in 1902.

Europe · adopted 1960

A white flag bearing a copper-orange silhouette map of Cyprus above two crossed green olive branches. It was adopted at independence in 1960 as a deliberately neutral design intended to avoid favoring either the Greek or Turkish communities.

Europe · adopted 1993

Two horizontal bands of white over red with a blue isosceles triangle extending from the hoist. The design was originally adopted by Czechoslovakia in 1920 and was retained by the Czech Republic when it became independent in 1993.

Europe · adopted 1625

A red flag with a white Scandinavian cross extending to the edges, the vertical arm shifted toward the hoist. Known as the Dannebrog, it is the national flag of Denmark and one of the oldest continuously used national flags in the world.

Africa · adopted 1977

Two horizontal bands of light blue over light green with a white triangle at the hoist bearing a red five-pointed star. It was adopted on independence in 1977 from a design associated with the independence movement.

Americas · adopted 1990

A green flag with a centered cross of three narrow bands—yellow, black and white—overlaid by a red disc bearing a purple Sisserou parrot encircled by ten green stars. It was first adopted in 1978 and modified several times before the current version was standardized in 1990.

Americas · adopted 1908

A white cross dividing the flag into four rectangles—blue at the top and red at the bottom—with the national coat of arms at the center. The basic design dates from independence in 1844, while the current standardized arrangement is generally dated to 1908.

Africa · adopted 2006

A sky-blue flag crossed diagonally from lower hoist to upper fly by a red stripe fimbriated in yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star in the upper hoist. It restores a version of the design used from 1966 to 1971, replacing the Zaire-era green flag.

Americas · adopted 1900

A horizontal tricolour of yellow, blue and red in the proportion 2:1:1, with the national coat of arms centered on the state flag. It derives from the banner of Gran Colombia, associated with Francisco de Miranda and later used across several northern South American states.

Africa · adopted 1984

Three equal horizontal bands of red, white and black with the golden Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band. The flag belongs to the Arab Liberation colours tradition and the current version was adopted in 1984.

Americas · adopted 1912

A horizontal triband of cobalt blue, white and cobalt blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band. It was adopted in 1912 and reflects the Central American federation colors derived from the former Federal Republic of Central America.

Africa · adopted 1979

A horizontal tricolour of green, white and red with a blue triangle at the hoist and the national coat of arms centered. The basic flag dates from independence in 1968, while the current version with the restored coat of arms has been used since 1979.

Africa · adopted 1995

A red isosceles triangle based at the hoist divides the flag into a green upper triangle and a blue lower triangle, with a gold olive wreath and upright branch in the hoist side of the red triangle. It is based on the flag of the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front and was slightly modified in 1995.

Europe · adopted 1918

A horizontal tricolour of blue, black and white. First used by the Estonian Students’ Society in the 1880s, it became the national flag during Estonia’s first independence in 1918 and was restored in 1990.

Africa · adopted 1968

A blue-red-blue horizontal flag, the broad central red band edged in yellow, with a black-and-white Nguni shield and two spears centered horizontally. It was adopted at independence in 1968 and is based on a royal military banner used earlier in the 20th century.

Africa · adopted 1996

A horizontal tricolour of green, yellow and red with a blue disc bearing a yellow pentagram and rays at the center. The pan-African color arrangement is much older, but the current emblematic version was adopted in 1996.

Oceania · adopted 1970

A light blue ensign with the Union Jack in the canton and the shield from Fiji’s coat of arms in the fly. It was adopted at independence in 1970 and retained after Fiji became a republic.

Europe · adopted 1918

A white flag with a blue Nordic cross extending to the edges, the vertical arm shifted toward the hoist. It was adopted shortly after Finland declared independence from Russia in 1917.

Europe · adopted 1794

A vertical tricolour of blue, white and red. It emerged during the French Revolution by combining the colors of Paris with the Bourbon white and has become one of the world’s most influential flag designs.

Africa · adopted 1960

A horizontal tricolour of green, yellow and blue in equal bands. It was adopted at independence in 1960, replacing an earlier colonial-era version that had a French tricolour in the canton.

Africa · adopted 1965

A horizontal tricolour of red, blue and green separated by two narrow white stripes. It was designed for independence from the United Kingdom and is not based on any former colonial flag.

Asia · adopted 2004

A white field bearing one large red Saint George’s cross that divides the flag into quarters, each quarter containing a smaller red Bolnur-Katskhuri cross. The design is based on medieval Georgian flag traditions and was restored as the national flag after the Rose Revolution.

Europe · adopted 1949

A horizontal tricolour of black, red and gold. The colours are linked to 19th-century German liberal and nationalist movements and were adopted for the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949.

Africa · adopted 1957

A horizontal tricolour of red, gold and green with a black five-pointed star centered in the gold band. It was adopted at independence and was the first flag of an independent sub-Saharan African country to use the Pan-African colours.

Europe · adopted 1978

Nine horizontal stripes of blue and white with a white cross on a blue canton. The design emerged during the Greek War of Independence and became the sole national flag in 1978.

Americas · adopted 1974

A flag framed by a red border with six yellow stars, enclosing four green and four yellow triangles radiating from a red central disk with one yellow star; a nutmeg symbol appears near the hoist. It was adopted on independence from the United Kingdom.

Americas · adopted 1871

A vertical triband of light blue, white and light blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band. The current basic design dates from the Liberal Reform of 1871, while the coat of arms was created the same year.

Africa · adopted 1958

A vertical tricolour of red, yellow and green. It was adopted at independence from France and uses the Pan-African colours in a different order from neighboring Mali and Senegal.

Africa · adopted 1973

A red vertical band at the hoist bearing a black five-pointed star, with horizontal yellow and green bands to the fly. The design closely follows the flag of the PAIGC independence movement and became the national flag at independence.

Americas · adopted 1966

A green field with a long yellow isosceles triangle edged in white and a shorter red triangle edged in black at the hoist, creating the ‘Golden Arrowhead’. It was adopted at independence with modifications by the College of Arms.

Americas · adopted 1986

A horizontal bicolour of blue over red with the national coat of arms centered on a white panel. The blue-and-red flag originated during the Haitian Revolution, and the current state flag was restored after the fall of the Duvalier regime.

Americas · adopted 1949

A horizontal triband of blue, white and blue with five blue stars arranged in an X pattern in the center. It derives from the flag of the former Federal Republic of Central America and was standardized in 1949.

Europe · adopted 1957

A horizontal tricolour of red, white and green. The colours were used in Hungarian national symbolism long before the modern flag and the current plain tricolour was adopted after the 1956 revolution.

Europe · adopted 1944

A blue field with a white-fimbriated red Nordic cross extending to the edges. The design was first adopted for Iceland as a sovereign kingdom in 1918 and continued when the republic was founded in 1944.

Asia · adopted 1947

A horizontal tricolour of deep saffron, white and India green with a navy-blue Ashoka Chakra of 24 spokes in the center. It was adopted shortly before independence, evolving from the flag of the Indian national movement.

Asia · adopted 1945

A simple horizontal bicolour of red over white. It was adopted at the proclamation of Indonesian independence and draws on colours long used in the archipelago, including by the Majapahit Empire.

Asia · adopted 1980

A horizontal tricolour of green, white and red with the red national emblem centered and the takbīr “Allāhu akbar” repeated 22 times along the borders of the white band. The current design was adopted after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Asia · adopted 2008

A horizontal tricolour of red, white and black with the green takbīr “Allāhu akbar” in Kufic script across the center. It belongs to the Arab Liberation colours tradition and the present version was adopted by removing three former stars.

Europe · adopted 1937

A vertical tricolour of green, white and orange. Introduced in the 19th century and inspired in part by the French tricolour, it was constitutionally recognized by Ireland in 1937.

Asia · adopted 1948

A white field with two horizontal blue stripes near the top and bottom and a blue Star of David in the center. It was adopted at the establishment of the State of Israel and is based on the design used by the Zionist movement.

Europe · adopted 1946

A vertical tricolour of green, white and red. It descends from the tricolour first adopted by the Cispadane Republic in 1797 and became the national flag of the Italian Republic in 1946.

Africa · adopted 1959

A vertical tricolour of orange, white and green. It was adopted shortly before independence from France and is deliberately similar in layout to the French tricolour, but with African colours.

Americas · adopted 1962

A gold saltire divides the flag into four triangles: green at the top and bottom, black at the hoist and fly. It was adopted on independence in 1962.

Asia · adopted 1999

A white field bearing a large red disc centered slightly toward the hoist, commonly called the Hinomaru. The design had long been used before being formally established by law in 1999.

Asia · adopted 1928

Three horizontal stripes of black, white, and green with a red triangle at the hoist containing a white seven-pointed star. It is based on the Arab Revolt flag and was adopted for Transjordan before later continuing as Jordan’s national flag.

Asia · adopted 1992

A light blue field with a golden sun above a soaring golden steppe eagle, and a vertical national ornamental pattern near the hoist. It was adopted after independence from the Soviet Union.

Africa · adopted 1963

Three horizontal stripes of black, red, and green separated by narrow white fimbriations, with a Maasai shield and crossed spears centered. It was adopted at independence and is based on the flag of the Kenya African National Union.

Oceania · adopted 1979

The upper half is red with a rising golden frigatebird above a golden sun, while the lower half has six wavy stripes alternating white and blue. It was adopted on independence, based on a colonial badge adapted after a public competition.

Asia · adopted 1961

Three horizontal stripes of green, white, and red with a black trapezoid at the hoist. It was adopted on independence and uses the Pan-Arab colours.

Asia · adopted 2023

A red field with a yellow sun bearing forty rays, containing a stylised tunduk, the crown of a traditional yurt. The flag was first adopted in 1992 and its current revised design was adopted in 2023.

Asia · adopted 1975

Three horizontal bands of red, blue, and red with a large white disc centered on the blue band. It became the national flag when the Lao People’s Democratic Republic was proclaimed in 1975, though the design itself dates from 1945.

Europe · adopted 1990

A dark carmine flag with a narrow white horizontal stripe between two broader carmine stripes. The design has medieval roots and was restored as the national flag in 1990 before independence was fully regained in 1991.

Asia · adopted 1943

A white horizontal band between two narrower red bands, with a green cedar tree centered on the white band. It was adopted at independence from France in 1943.

Africa · adopted 2006

Three horizontal stripes of blue, white, and green with a black Basotho hat centered on the white stripe. It was adopted in 2006 to mark the 40th anniversary of independence.

Africa · adopted 1847

Eleven horizontal red and white stripes with a blue canton bearing a single white star. It was adopted when Liberia declared independence in 1847 and was designed by a committee of women in Monrovia.

Africa · adopted 2011

Three horizontal stripes of red, black, and green, with the black stripe double width and bearing a white crescent and five-pointed star. It restores the flag originally adopted at independence in 1951 and was readopted after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Europe · adopted 1937

Two horizontal stripes of blue and red with a gold crown in the upper hoist. The crown was added in 1937 after Liechtenstein discovered at the 1936 Olympics that its previous flag was identical to Haiti’s.

Europe · adopted 2004

A horizontal tricolour of yellow, green, and red. The modern flag was restored in 1989 and its current legal specifications, including proportion, were set in 2004.

Europe · adopted 1993

A horizontal tricolour of red, white, and light blue. It derives from the colours of the House of Luxembourg and was formally regulated in its modern form in 1993.

Africa · adopted 1958

A white vertical band at the hoist with horizontal red and green bands on the fly. It was adopted in 1958, just before independence from France.

Africa · adopted 2012

A horizontal tricolour of black, red and green with a red rising sun centered in the black stripe. It restores the independence-era design first adopted in 1964 after a short-lived 2010 redesign.

Asia · adopted 1963

Fourteen alternating red and white horizontal stripes with a dark blue canton bearing a yellow crescent and 14-point star. The design originated for the Federation of Malaya in 1950 and was retained when Malaysia was formed in 1963.

Asia · adopted 1965

A red field with a green rectangle at the center bearing a white crescent. The present national flag dates from independence in 1965, continuing earlier Maldivian designs in simplified form.

Africa · adopted 1961

A vertical tricolour of green, yellow and red in the Pan-African colours. It replaced an earlier version that had a human figure in the hoist stripe.

Europe · adopted 1964

A vertical bicolour of white and red with a representation of the George Cross edged in red in the upper hoist corner. The current flag was adopted at independence in 1964.

Oceania · adopted 1979

A dark blue field crossed by two diverging orange and white stripes rising from the lower hoist to the upper fly, with a large white star in the canton. It was adopted when self-government began in 1979 and retained at independence.

Africa · adopted 2017

A green field with a gold upward-pointing crescent and five-pointed star, plus narrow red horizontal bands at the top and bottom. The red bands were added in 2017 to the long-used green-and-gold design.

Africa · adopted 1968

Four equal horizontal stripes of red, blue, yellow and green. It was adopted on independence in 1968.

Americas · adopted 1968

A vertical tricolour of green, white and red with the national coat of arms centered in the white stripe: an eagle devouring a serpent while perched on a cactus above a lake. The current form was officially adopted in 1968, continuing a long tricolour tradition from the 19th century.

Oceania · adopted 1979

A light blue field with four white five-pointed stars arranged in a diamond pattern. It was adopted in 1979 for the Federated States of Micronesia.

Europe · adopted 1990

A vertical tricolour of blue, yellow and red with the national coat of arms centered on the yellow stripe. It was adopted in 1990 as Moldova moved away from Soviet symbols.

Europe · adopted 1881

A simple horizontal bicolour of red over white. The colours derive from the heraldic colours of the House of Grimaldi.

Asia · adopted 1992

A vertical triband of red, blue and red with the yellow Soyombo symbol centered on the hoist stripe. The current version dates from 1992, when the socialist star above the Soyombo was removed.

Europe · adopted 2004

A red field with a gold border and the national coat of arms in the center. It was adopted in 2004, before Montenegro restored full independence in 2006.

Africa · adopted 1915

A red field charged with a green interlaced five-pointed star at the center. The plain red flag long predates the modern version; the green star was added in 1915.

Africa · adopted 1983

Three horizontal stripes of green, black and yellow separated by thin white fimbriations, with a red triangle at the hoist bearing a yellow star charged with a book, hoe and AK-47 rifle. The current design was adopted in 1983.

Asia · adopted 2010

A horizontal tricolour of yellow, green and red with a large white five-pointed star centered over the stripes. It was adopted in 2010 as part of a broader constitutional transition.

Africa · adopted 1990

A blue-over-red-over-green diagonal triband separated by narrow white stripes, with a golden sun in the upper hoist. It was adopted at independence in 1990.

Oceania · adopted 1968

A dark blue field with a narrow horizontal gold stripe slightly below the center and a white 12-pointed star beneath it at the hoist side. It was adopted on independence in 1968.

Asia · adopted 1962

A unique double-pennon flag consisting of two joined crimson triangular shapes with a blue border, bearing a white crescent moon and a white stylized sun. The current form was standardized in the 1962 constitution, though the basic design is much older.

Europe · adopted 1937

A horizontal tricolour of red, white and blue. It evolved from the earlier orange-white-blue Prince’s Flag, with red becoming established by the 17th century and formally confirmed by royal decree in 1937.

Oceania · adopted 1902

A blue ensign with the Union Jack in the canton and four red stars with white borders at fly representing the Southern Cross. It was adopted as New Zealand’s national flag in 1902 after use on government vessels.

Americas · adopted 1971

A horizontal triband of blue, white and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white stripe. The design follows the old Federal Republic of Central America colours and was standardized in law in 1971.

Africa · adopted 1959

A horizontal tricolour of orange, white and green with an orange disc centered in the white band. It was adopted shortly before independence from France.

Africa · adopted 1960

A vertical triband of green, white and green designed by Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi. It was adopted at independence in 1960.

Asia · adopted 1948

A broad red central band bordered by narrow white stripes and wider blue stripes at the top and bottom, with a red star in a white disc near the hoist. It was adopted when the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was established in 1948.

Europe · adopted 1995

A red field with a stylized yellow sun at the center, its eight broad rays extending to the edges. It was adopted in 1995 to replace the earlier Vergina Sun flag.

Europe · adopted 1821

A red field with an indigo-blue Scandinavian cross outlined in white, the cross shifted toward the hoist. It was adopted by parliament in 1821, though full unrestricted use came later in the 19th century.

Asia · adopted 1995

A white-red-green horizontal tricolour with a vertical red band at the hoist bearing the national emblem in white. The basic modern flag dates from 1970, with the current form standardized in 1995.

Asia · adopted 1947

A dark green field with a white vertical stripe at the hoist and a white crescent and five-pointed star in the green area. It was adopted just before independence in 1947 and was based on the flag of the All-India Muslim League.

Oceania · adopted 1981

A light blue field with a large golden-yellow disk slightly offset toward the hoist. It was adopted in 1981 during self-government and retained after independence.

Americas · adopted 1925

Quartered white-red-blue-white, with a blue star in the upper hoist white quarter and a red star in the lower fly white quarter. The design dates from 1903, and its constitutional adoption was confirmed in 1925.

Oceania · adopted 1971

Diagonally divided from upper hoist to lower fly into black and red, with the Southern Cross in white on the black half and a yellow bird-of-paradise on the red half. It was adopted in 1971 ahead of independence.

Americas · adopted 1842

A horizontal tricolour of red, white and blue, distinctive because it bears different emblems on the obverse and reverse. The current basic design was established in 1842, with later standardizations of the coats of arms.

Americas · adopted 1950

A vertical triband of red, white and red. The state flag and war flag include the coat of arms, but the civil national flag is plain and was fixed in its current form in 1950.

Asia · adopted 1898

A horizontal bicolour of blue over red with a white equilateral triangle at the hoist containing a golden sun and three golden stars. The design was first adopted in 1898; the shades of blue and red have been modified in later specifications.

Europe · adopted 1919

A horizontal bicolour of white over red. It was adopted after Poland regained independence in 1918 and formally established in 1919.

Europe · adopted 1911

A vertical bicolour of dark green at the hoist and red at fly, with the national coat of arms centered over the color boundary on a yellow armillary sphere. It was adopted in 1911 after the republican revolution.

Asia · adopted 1971

A maroon field at fly separated from a white hoist band by a serrated line of nine white points. It was adopted in connection with independence in 1971, continuing an older regional flag form.

Africa · adopted 1991

A diagonal tricolour divided from the lower hoist to the upper fly into green, yellow and red. It was first adopted at independence in 1959, replaced during the Marxist period, and restored in 1991.

Europe · adopted 1989

A vertical tricolour of blue, yellow and red. It continues the Romanian tricolour used since the 19th century, with the communist-era coat of arms removed during the 1989 revolution.

Europe · adopted 1991

A horizontal tricolour of white, blue and red. It derives from the flag introduced under Tsar Peter the Great and was restored as Russia’s national flag after the Soviet period.

Africa · adopted 2001

A horizontal flag with a sky-blue upper band over narrower yellow and green bands, with a golden sun in the upper fly. It replaced the previous tricolour after the 1994 genocide and the country’s political renewal.

Americas · adopted 1983

A diagonal design divided by a black band edged in yellow from the lower hoist to the upper fly, with green above and red below, and two white stars on the black band. It was adopted at independence from the United Kingdom.

Americas · adopted 1979

A light blue field bearing a central emblem of a white-edged black isosceles triangle in front of a smaller yellow triangle. The design, by Saint Lucian artist Dunstan St Omer, was adopted at independence.

Americas · adopted 1985

A vertical triband of blue, gold and green, with three green diamonds arranged in a V on the gold band. It is a simplified version of the independence flag, revised in 1985.

Oceania · adopted 1949

A red field with a blue canton containing five white stars of the Southern Cross. First used while Samoa was under New Zealand administration, it remained in use at independence in 1962.

Europe · adopted 2011

A horizontal bicolour of white over light blue with the national coat of arms centred. The basic bicolour is traditional, while the current standardized form with the present arms dates from 2011.

Africa · adopted 1975

A green flag with two narrow horizontal yellow stripes and a broad red triangle at the hoist, with two black five-pointed stars centered on the green field. It was adopted at independence in 1975.

Asia · adopted 1973

A green field bearing the Islamic declaration of faith in white above a horizontal white sword. The modern standardized design was established in 1973 and must always be displayed correctly because of the sacred inscription.

Africa · adopted 1960

A vertical tricolour of green, yellow and red with a green five-pointed star in the centre of the yellow band. It was adopted when Senegal became independent from France.

Europe · adopted 2004

A horizontal tricolour of red, blue and white with the lesser coat of arms set slightly toward the hoist. It continues the Serbian Pan-Slavic colour order and was adopted for the modern republic in 2004.

Africa · adopted 1996

Five oblique bands of blue, yellow, red, white and green radiate from the lower hoist corner. The design was adopted after a political change in 1996 and is among the world’s most distinctive national flags.

Africa · adopted 1961

A horizontal tricolour of green, white and blue. It was adopted at independence from the United Kingdom in 1961.

Asia · adopted 1959

A horizontal bicolour of red over white with a white crescent and five white stars in the upper hoist. It was adopted in 1959 for self-government and retained after full independence.

Europe · adopted 1992

A horizontal tricolour of white, blue and red with the national coat of arms near the hoist. It uses Pan-Slavic colours and was adopted shortly before Slovakia became independent in 1993.

Europe · adopted 1991

A horizontal tricolour of white, blue and red with the coat of arms at the upper hoist. It was adopted when Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.

Oceania · adopted 1977

A diagonal bicolour of blue and green separated by a narrow yellow stripe, with five white stars in the blue upper hoist triangle. It was adopted shortly before independence in 1978.

Africa · adopted 1954

A light blue field with a large white five-pointed star in the centre. Designed before independence, it became the national flag when Somalia was formed in 1960.

Africa · adopted 1994

A horizontally based multicolour flag with a green Y-shape outlined in white, separating red and blue bands with a black triangle edged in yellow at the hoist. It was created for South Africa’s 1994 democratic transition.

Asia · adopted 1949

A white field with a red-and-blue taeguk in the centre and four groups of black trigrams around it. Based on older Korean symbols, it was formally adopted by the Republic of Korea in 1949.

Africa · adopted 2011

A horizontal tricolour of black, red, and green separated by narrow white fimbriations, with a blue triangle at the hoist bearing a gold five-pointed star. It was adopted at independence in 2011, continuing the flag used by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army.

Europe · adopted 1981

A horizontal triband of red, yellow, and red in proportions 1:2:1, with the national coat of arms offset toward the hoist on the yellow band. The basic red-yellow-red pattern was introduced for Spanish naval use in the 18th century and later became the national flag.

Asia · adopted 1972

A maroon field bearing a gold lion holding a sword, with four gold bo leaves in the corners, and at the hoist two vertical stripes of green and orange, all within a yellow border. It evolved from the traditional royal banner of Kandy and was modified after independence to include the minority communities.

Africa · adopted 1970

A horizontal tricolour of red, white, and black with a green triangle at the hoist. It was adopted in 1970 and follows the Arab Liberation flag pattern used by several Arab states.

Americas · adopted 1975

A flag of five horizontal bands, green-white-red-white-green in proportions 2:1:4:1:2, with a large yellow five-pointed star centered on the red band. It was adopted at independence in 1975.

Europe · adopted 1906

A blue field with a yellow Scandinavian cross extending to the edges, the vertical arm shifted toward the hoist. The design belongs to the Nordic cross family and has been associated with Sweden for centuries before its legal adoption in 1906.

Europe · adopted 1889

A square red flag with a bold white upright Greek cross in the center, whose arms are equal and do not reach the edges. It derives from old Swiss military signs and was formally defined in the 19th century.

Asia · adopted 1980

A horizontal tricolour of red, white, and black with two green five-pointed stars centered in the white band. It was adopted in 1980, reviving the Arab Liberation colours and echoing the former flag of the United Arab Republic.

Asia · adopted 1992

A horizontal tricolour of red, white, and green in proportions 2:3:2, with a gold crown beneath an arc of seven gold stars in the center. It was adopted shortly after independence in 1992.

Africa · adopted 1964

A diagonal design divided by a broad black band edged in yellow running from the lower hoist to the upper fly, with a green upper triangle and a blue lower triangle. It was adopted in 1964 after the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.

Asia · adopted 1917

A horizontal striped flag of red, white, blue, white, and red, with the central blue band twice the width of each of the others. It was adopted in 1917 during the reign of King Vajiravudh and is known as the Trairanga, or 'tricolour'.

Asia · adopted 2002

A red field with a black isosceles triangle based on the hoist overlaid on a larger yellow triangle, and a white five-pointed star centered in the black triangle. It was adopted when Timor-Leste restored independence in 2002, based on the 1975 flag.

Africa · adopted 1960

A flag of five horizontal stripes alternating green and yellow, with a red canton containing a white five-pointed star. It was adopted at independence in 1960 and was designed by artist Paul Ahyi.

Oceania · adopted 1875

A red field with a white canton bearing a red Greek cross. It was adopted in 1875 and forms part of Tonga’s constitution, which states that it can never be altered.

Americas · adopted 1962

A red field with a black diagonal band from the upper hoist to the lower fly, edged in white. It was adopted at independence in 1962.

Africa · adopted 1999

A red field with a centered white disk bearing a red crescent surrounding a red five-pointed star. The basic design dates from the 19th century, while the current legal specifications were set in 1999.

Asia · adopted 1936

A red field bearing a white crescent and a white five-pointed star slightly to the fly of center. The modern legal form was standardized in 1936, though the basic Ottoman-derived design is much older.

Asia · adopted 2001

A green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist containing five carpet guls above two crossed olive branches, and a white crescent with five white stars in the upper fly. The current version, with five stars and updated details, dates from 2001.

Oceania · adopted 1997

A light blue ensign-style flag with the Union Jack in the canton and nine yellow stars in the fly. The current nine-star version was restored in 1997 after a brief change in the 1990s.

Africa · adopted 1962

Six equal horizontal stripes of black, yellow and red repeated twice, with a white disc at the centre bearing a grey crowned crane facing the hoist. The design was adopted at independence in 1962.

Europe · adopted 1992

A horizontal bicolour of blue over yellow. The modern national flag was officially adopted by independent Ukraine in 1992, drawing on much older Ukrainian colour traditions.

Asia · adopted 1971

A vertical red band at the hoist with three horizontal stripes of green, white and black. It was adopted when the United Arab Emirates was founded in 1971 and uses the Pan-Arab colours.

Europe · adopted 1801

The Union Flag combines the crosses of Saint George, Saint Andrew and Saint Patrick in a single design of red, white and blue. The present form dates from 1801, after the union with Ireland.

Americas · adopted 1960

Thirteen horizontal red and white stripes with a blue canton bearing 50 white stars. The current 50-star version took effect in 1960 after Hawaii became the 50th state.

Americas · adopted 1830

Nine alternating horizontal white and blue stripes with a white canton bearing the Sun of May. The current arrangement was established in 1830, replacing an earlier version with more stripes.

Asia · adopted 1991

Three horizontal stripes of blue, white and green separated by thin red fimbriations, with a white crescent and 12 white stars in the canton. It was adopted shortly after independence in 1991.

Oceania · adopted 1980

Two horizontal bands of red over green divided by a black isosceles triangle at the hoist, edged in yellow, with a yellow Y-shape and a boar’s tusk enclosing two crossed namele leaves. It was adopted at independence in 1980.

Europe · adopted 1929

A square flag divided vertically into yellow and white, with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal tiara centred in the white half. It was adopted when Vatican City State was created in 1929.

Americas · adopted 2006

A horizontal tricolour of yellow, blue and red with eight white stars in an arc on the blue band; the state flag also bears the coat of arms in the upper hoist. The current national design with eight stars dates from 2006.

Asia · adopted 1955

A red field with a large five-pointed yellow star in the centre. The design originated in the revolutionary period and was adopted for North Vietnam in 1955 before becoming the flag of reunified Vietnam in 1976.

Asia · adopted 1990

A horizontal tricolour of red, white and black. It was adopted in 1990 on the unification of North Yemen and South Yemen and follows the Pan-Arab colour tradition.

Africa · adopted 1996

A green field with three vertical stripes of red, black and orange at the fly and an orange African fish eagle above them. The present version dates from 1996, when the shade of green was changed from the 1964 design.

Africa · adopted 1980

Seven equal horizontal stripes of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow and green, with a white triangle at the hoist bearing a red five-pointed star and the Zimbabwe Bird. It was adopted at independence in 1980.