Akrotirithe flag of the UK is used
Albaniared with a black two-headed eagle in the center
Algeriatwo equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; ared, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over thetwo-color boundary; the crescent, star, and color green aretraditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)
American Samoablue, with a white triangle edged in red that isbased on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown andwhite American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carryingtwo traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
Andorrathree equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, andred with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; thecoat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags ofChad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in thecenter, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem
Angolatwo equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with acentered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within halfa cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)
Anguillablue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer halfof the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in aninterlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavywater below
Antigua and Barbudared, with an inverted isosceles triangle basedon the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontalbands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow risingsun in the black band
Argentinathree equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white,and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sunwith a human face known as the Sun of May
Armeniathree equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange
Arubablue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across thelower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in theupper hoist-side corner
Ashmore and Cartier Islandsthe flag of Australia is used
Australiablue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-sidequadrant known as the Commonwealth Star, representing the federationof the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point foreach of the six original states and one representing all ofAustralia's internal and external territories; the remaining half isa representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white withone small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars
Austriathree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
Azerbaijanthree equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, andgreen; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered inred band
Bahamas, Thethree equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold,and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoistside
Bahrainred, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states,with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side;the five points represent the five pillars of Islam
Baker Islandthe flag of the US is used
Bangladeshgreen with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side ofcenter; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieveindependence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, andsecondarily, the traditional color of Islam
Barbadosthree equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, andblue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; thetrident head represents independence and a break with the past (thecolonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
Bassas da Indiathe flag of France is used
Belarusred horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-halfthe width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist sidebears Belarusian national ornamention in red
Belgiumthree equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow,and red; the design was based on the flag of France
Belizeblue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottomedges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; thecoat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of amahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish inthe Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a greengarland
Benintwo equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom)with a vertical green band on the hoist side
Bermudared, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield witha red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the shipSea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of theflag
Bhutandivided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; theupper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centeredalong the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facingaway from the hoist side
Boliviathree equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and greenwith the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to theflag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered inthe yellow band
Bosnia and Herzegovinaa wide medium blue vertical band on the flyside with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the topof the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with sevenfull five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottomalong the hypotenuse of the triangle
Botswanalight blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe inthe center
Bouvet Islandthe flag of Norway is used
Brazilgreen with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing ablue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for eachstate and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as thenight sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band withthe motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)
British Indian Ocean Territory white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
British Virgin Islandsblue, with the flag of the UK in the upperhoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered inthe outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flankedon either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scrollbearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
Bruneiyellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost doublewidth) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the nationalemblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes aswallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturnedcrescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands
Bulgariathree equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, andred; note - the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of thewhite stripe, has been removed
Burkina Fasotwo equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green witha yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popularpan-African colors of Ethiopia
Burmared with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side cornerbearing, 14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheelcontaining a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 7administrative divisions and 7 states
Burundidivided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top andbottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a whitedisk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed starsoutlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,two stars below)
Cambodiathree horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width),and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Watoutlined in black in the center of the red band; only national flagto incorporate a building in its design
Cameroonthree equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, andyellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band;uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Canadatwo vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width),with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf iscentered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are redand white
Cape Verdethree horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width),white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and lightblue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on thehoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lowerblue bands
Cayman Islandsblue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer halfof the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle abovea shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and ascroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THESEAS
Central African Republicfour equal horizontal bands of blue (top),white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; thereis a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band
Chadthree equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, andred; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags ofAndorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of armscentered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France
Chiletwo equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is ablue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side endof the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in thecenter representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizesthe sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for theblood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by theUS flag
Chinared with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smalleryellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward themiddle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner
Christmas Islandthe flag of Australia is used; note - in early1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for anisland flag, however, the winning design has never been formallyadopted as the official flag of the territory
Clipperton Islandthe flag of France is used
Cocos (Keeling) Islandsthe flag of Australia is used
Colombiathree horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue,and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bearsthe Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center
Comorosfour equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, andblue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centeredwithin the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facingthe hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in aline between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands andthe four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity ofFrance, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and colorgreen are traditional symbols of Islam
Congo, Democratic Republic of thelight blue with a large yellowfive-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of sixsmall yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side
Congo, Republic of thedivided diagonally from the lower hoist sideby a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and thelower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors ofEthiopia
Cook Islandsblue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one forevery island) centered in the outer half of the flag
Coral Sea Islandsthe flag of Australia is used
Costa Ricafive horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (doublewidth), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white ellipticaldisk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms alight blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and justbelow it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with thewords, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA
Cote d'Ivoirethree equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side),white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longerand has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange;also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side),white, and red; design was based on the flag of France
Croatiared, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat ofarms (red and white checkered)
Cubafive equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom)alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on thehoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; designinfluenced by the US flag
Cypruswhite with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (thename Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above twogreen crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branchessymbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greekand Turkish communitiesnote: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has ahorizontal red stripe at the top and bottom between which is a redcrescent and red star on a white field
Czech Republictwo equal horizontal bands of white (top) and redwith a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical tothe flag of the former Czechoslovakia)
Denmarkred with a white cross that extends to the edges of theflag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side,and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) wassubsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland,Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
Dhekeliathe flag of the UK is used
Djiboutitwo equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and lightgreen with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist sidebearing a red five-pointed star in the center
Dominicagreen, with a centered cross of three equal bands - thevertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and thehorizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed inthe center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrotencircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
Dominican Republica centered white cross that extends to the edgesdivides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoistside) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; asmall coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch(left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross;above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA,LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICADOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon
East Timorred, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoistside) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead thatextends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in thecenter of the black triangle
Ecuadorthree horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue,and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of theflag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does notbear a coat of arms
Egyptthree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist sidewith a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing thename of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design isbased on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plusan Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the whiteband, and Yemen, which has a plain white band
El Salvadorthree equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, andblue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; thecoat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the wordsREPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flagof Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in thewhite band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICADE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similarto the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an Xpattern centered in the white band
Equatorial Guineathree equal horizontal bands of green (top),white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoistside and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat ofarms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland andfive offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cottontree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ,JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)
Eritreared isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividingthe flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, thelower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch iscentered on the hoist side of the red triangle
Estoniapre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - threeequal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
Ethiopiathree equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, andred with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating fromthe angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on thethree bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa,and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by otherAfrican countries upon independence that they became known as thepan-African colors
Europa Islandthe flag of France is used
European Unionon a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arrangedin a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; thenumber of stars is fixed
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
Faroe Islandswhite with a red cross outlined in blue extending tothe edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shiftedtoward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Fijilight blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of theflag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quarteredby the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palmtree, bananas, and a white dove
Finlandwhite with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag;the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in thestyle of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Francethree equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, andred; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), theorigin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; thedesign and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags,including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire,Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all Frenchdependent areas
French Guianathe flag of France is used
French Polynesiatwo narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide whiteband; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wavepattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on theupper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wavepattern; the French flag is used for official occasions
French Southern and Antarctic Landsthe flag of France is used
Gabonthree equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
Gambia, Thethree equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue withwhite edges, and green
Georgiawhite rectangle, in its central portion a red crossconnecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four cornersis a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appearsto date back to the 14th century
Germanythree equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold
Ghanathree equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and greenwith a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flagof Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band
Gibraltartwo horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and redwith a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band;hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band
Glorioso Islandsthe flag of France is used
Greecenine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white;there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing awhite cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the establishedreligion of the country
Greenlandtwo equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with alarge disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half ofthe disk is red, the bottom half is white
Grenadaa rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (topand bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with ared border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointedstars with three centered in the top red border, three centered inthe bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at thecenter of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on thehoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producerof nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the sevenadministrative divisions
Guadeloupethe flag of France is used
Guamterritorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on allfour sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipsecontaining a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm treewith the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is thenational flag
Guatemalathree equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side),white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the whiteband; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (thenational bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DESEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain)all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossedswords and framed by a wreath
Guernseywhite with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint ofEngland) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armedcross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross
Guineathree equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, andgreen; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Guinea-Bissautwo equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and greenwith a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a blackfive-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popularpan-African colors of Ethiopia
Guyanagreen, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoistside) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow,black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white borderbetween the yellow and the green
Haititwo equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with acentered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains apalm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearingthe motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
Heard Island and McDonald Islandsthe flag of Australia is used
Holy See (Vatican City)two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side)and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal mitercentered in the white band
Hondurasthree equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and bluewith five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centeredin the white band; the stars represent the members of the formerFederal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of ElSalvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the wordsREPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the whiteband; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features atriangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top andAMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
Hong Kongred with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower inthe center
Howland Islandthe flag of the US is used
Hungarythree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green
Icelandblue with a red cross outlined in white extending to theedges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to thehoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Indiathree equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange)(top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel)centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which hasa small orange disk centered in the white band
Indonesiatwo equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similarto the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag ofPoland, which is white (top) and red
Iranthree equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red;the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah inthe shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered inthe white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script isrepeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11times along the top edge of the red band
Iraqthree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blackwith three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered inthe white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in greenArabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar tothe left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during thePersian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria, which has twostars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and thatof Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the whiteband; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors
Irelandthree equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, andorange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter andhas the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colorsof green (hoist side), white, and red
Israelwhite with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known asthe Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equalhorizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
Italythree equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, andred; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green(hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of theCote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),white, and greennote: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in1797
Jamaicadiagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles -green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
Jan Mayenthe flag of Norway is used
Japanwhite with a large red disk (representing the sun withoutrays) in the center
Jarvis Islandthe flag of the US is used
Jerseywhite with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners ofthe flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a redshield with the three lions of England in yellow
Johnston Atollthe flag of the US is used
Jordanthree equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing theAbbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, andgreen, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangleon the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, andbearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the sevenverses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the sevenpoints on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, nationalspirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design isbased on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I
Juan de Nova Islandthe flag of France is used
Kazakhstansky blue background representing the endless sky and agold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in thecenter; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold
Kenyathree equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green;the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield coveringcrossed spears is superimposed at the center
Kingman Reefthe flag of the US is used
Kiribatithe upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flyingover a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with threehorizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean
Korea, Norththree horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triplewidth), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist sideof the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star
Korea, Southwhite with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in thecenter; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching(Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field
Kuwaitthree equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and redwith a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which datesto 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I
Kyrgyzstanred field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 raysrepresenting the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays runcounterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of thesun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylizedrepresentation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt
Laosthree horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), andred with a large white disk centered in the blue band
Latviathree horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width),and maroon
Lebanonthree horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white(middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar treecentered in the white band
Lesothodivided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; theupper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shieldwith crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue bandwith a green triangle in the corner
Liberia11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a bluesquare in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on theUS flag
Libyaplain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (thestate religion)
Liechtensteintwo equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red witha gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band
Lithuaniathree equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, andred
Luxembourgthree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, andlight blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses adarker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France
Macaulight green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge andwater in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: onelarge in center of arc and four smaller
Macedoniaa yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to theedges of the red field
Madagascartwo equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with avertical white band of the same width on hoist side
Malawithree equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and greenwith a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
Malaysia14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating withwhite (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-sidecorner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; thecrescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the designwas based on the flag of the US
Maldivesred with a large green rectangle in the center bearing avertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on thehoist side of the flag
Malithree equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, andred; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Maltatwo equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in theupper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,edged in red
Man, Isle ofred with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), inthe center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at theknee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides ofthe flag, a two-sided emblem is used
Marshall Islandsblue with two stripes radiating from the lowerhoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white starwith four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above thetwo stripes
Martiniquea light blue background is divided into four quadrants bya white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; theflag of France is used for official occasions
Mauritaniagreen with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow,horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; thecrescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
Mauritiusfour equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow,and green
Mayottethe flag of France is used
Mexicothree equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, andred; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake inits beak) is centered in the white band
Micronesia, Federated States oflight blue with four whitefive-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamondpattern
Midway Islandsthe flag of the US is used
Moldovasame color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands ofblue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of aRoman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talonscarrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in itsright talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breastis a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized oxhead, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow
Monacotwo equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar tothe flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland whichis white (top) and red
Mongoliathree equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, andred; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the nationalemblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometricrepresentation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yangsymbol)
Montserratblue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outerhalf of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing besidea yellow harp with her arm around a black cross
Moroccored with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) knownas Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red andgreen are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of redis more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persiangulf; design dates to 1912
Mozambiquethree equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, andyellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; theblack band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellowfive-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in blacksuperimposed on an open white book
Namibiaa large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upperleft section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lowerright section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that iscontrasted by two narrow white-edge borders
Naurublue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across thecenter and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on thehoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation tothe Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12original tribes of Nauru
Navassa Islandthe flag of the US is used
Nepalred with a blue border around the unique shape of twooverlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears awhite stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white12-pointed sun
Netherlandsthree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, andblue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blueand is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originatingwith WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16thcentury
Netherlands Antilleswhite, with a horizontal blue stripe in thecenter superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; fivewhite, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in thecenter of the blue band; the five stars represent the five mainislands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
New Caledoniathe flag of France is used
New Zealandblue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered inthe outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Crossconstellation
Nicaraguathree equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, andblue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; thecoat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DENICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar tothe flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled bythe words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered inthe white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has fiveblue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
Nigerthree equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and greenwith a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in thewhite band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spokedwheel centered in the white band
Nigeriathree equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, andgreen
Niueyellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars -a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on eacharm of the bold red cross
Norfolk Islandthree vertical bands of green (hoist side), white,and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered inthe slightly wider white band
Northern Mariana Islandsblue, with a white, five-pointed starsuperimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditionalfoundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by awreath
Norwayred with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to theedges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to thehoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Omanthree horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal widthwith a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the nationalemblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossedswords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of thevertical band
Pakistangreen with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role ofreligious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent andstar are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and colorgreen are traditional symbols of Islam
Palaulight blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon)shifted slightly to the hoist side
Palmyra Atollthe flag of the US is used
Panamadivided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants arewhite (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center andplain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) andwhite with a red five-pointed star in the center
Papua New Guineadivided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner;the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradisecentered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointedstars of the Southern Cross constellation centered
Paraguaythree equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and bluewith an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that theemblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at theleft) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed starwithin a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY,all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bearsthe seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Libertyand the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the wordsREPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
Peruthree equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and redwith the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of armsfeatures a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source ofquinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, allframed by a green wreath
Philippinestwo equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representingpeace and justice) and red (representing courage); a whiteequilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality;the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primaryrays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that soughtindependence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains asmall, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three majorgeographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flownupside down with the red band at the top
Pitcairn Islandsblue with the flag of the UK in the upperhoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centeredon the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green,and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
Polandtwo equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar tothe flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
Portugaltwo vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) andred (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on thedividing line
Puerto Ricofive equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoistside bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; designinitially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag,with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed
Qatarmaroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) onthe hoist side
Reunionthe flag of France is used
Romaniathree equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, andred; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in theyellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, alsoresembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova
Russiathree equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
Rwandathree horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width),yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly endof the blue band
Saint Helenablue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half ofthe flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-mastedsailing ship
Saint Kitts and Nevisdivided diagonally from the lower hoist sideby a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; theblack band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, thelower triangle is red
Saint Luciablue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a blackarrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border
Saint Pierre and Miquelona yellow sailing ship facing the hoistside rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines underthe ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into threeparts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonalcross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividingthe rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a whitebackground with an ermine pattern; the third part has a redbackground with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, oneabove the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement bycolonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; theflag of France is used for official occasions
Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesthree vertical bands of blue (hoistside), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears threegreen diamonds arranged in a V pattern
Samoared with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrantbearing five white five-pointed stars representing the SouthernCross constellation
San Marinotwo equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light bluewith the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coatof arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flankedby a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the wordLIBERTAS (Liberty)
Sao Tome and Principethree horizontal bands of green (top), yellow(double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placedside by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isoscelestriangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-Africancolors of Ethiopia
Saudi Arabiagreen, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with theShahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as"There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above awhite horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); designdates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated withthe Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932
Senegalthree equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow,and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellowband; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Serbia and Montenegrothree equal horizontal bands of blue (top),white, and red
Seychellesfive oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red,white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
Sierra Leonethree equal horizontal bands of light green (top),white, and light blue
Singaporetwo equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; nearthe hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent(closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing fivewhite five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
Slovakiathree equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and redsuperimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoistside; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue
Sloveniathree equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red,with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav,Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at thecenter; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas andrivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in aninverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of theCounts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14thand early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoistside of the flag centered in the white and blue bands
Solomon Islandsdivided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from thelower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is bluewith five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; thelower triangle is green
Somalialight blue with a large white five-pointed star in thecenter; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN
South Africatwo equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blueseparated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y,the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Yembraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms areseparated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands areseparated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islandsblue, with the flag ofthe UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia andthe South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer halfof the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lioncentered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and apenguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and belowit on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let theLion Protect its Own Land)
Spainthree horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width),and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of theyellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by thePillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar andCeuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar
Sri Lankayellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel hastwo equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the otherpanel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding asword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellowfield appears as a border around the entire flag and extends betweenthe two panels
Sudanthree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blackwith a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
Surinamefive horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white,red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is alarge, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band
Svalbardthe flag of Norway is used
Swazilandthree horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width),and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red bandis a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staffdecorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
Swedenblue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of theflag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side inthe style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
Switzerlandred square with a bold, equilateral white cross in thecenter that does not extend to the edges of the flag
Syriathree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black,colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small greenfive-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two starsrepresented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar tothe flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which hasthree green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal linecentered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a goldEagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current designdates to 1980
Taiwanred with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side cornerbearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
Tajikistanthree horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe ofwhite, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold,five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe
Tanzaniadivided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from thelower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is greenand the lower triangle is blue
Thailandfive horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (doublewidth), white, and red
Togofive equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom)alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a redsquare in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-Africancolors of Ethiopia
Tokelauthe flag of New Zealand is used
Tongared with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upperhoist-side corner
Trinidad and Tobagored with a white-edged black diagonal band fromthe upper hoist side to the lower fly side
Tromelin Islandthe flag of France is used
Tunisiared with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescentnearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star aretraditional symbols of Islam
Turkeyred with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion istoward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered justoutside the crescent opening
Turkmenistangreen field with a vertical red stripe near the hoistside, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs)stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olivebranches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white starsappear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of thered stripe
Turks and Caicos Islandsblue, with the flag of the UK in the upperhoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outerhalf of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell,lobster, and cactus
Tuvalulight blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-sidequadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the countrywith nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands
Ugandasix equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red,black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the centerand depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing thehoist side
Ukrainetwo equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellowrepresent grainfields under a blue sky
United Arab Emiratesthree equal horizontal bands of green (top),white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
United Kingdomblue field with the red cross of Saint George (patronsaint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal redcross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which issuperimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patronsaint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonlycalled the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the BlueEnsign) have been the basis for a number of other flags includingother Commonwealth countries and their constituent states orprovinces, as well as British overseas territories
United States13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upperhoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed starsarranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top andbottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars representthe 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for anumber of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, andPuerto Rico
Uruguaynine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom)alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upperhoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known asthe Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy
Uzbekistanthree equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, andgreen separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant
Vanuatutwo equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with ablack isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated bya black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the twopoints of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossednamele leaves, all in yellow
Venezuelathree equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, andred with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band andan arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band
Vietnamred with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center
Virgin Islandswhite, with a modified US coat of arms in the centerbetween the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows ayellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrowsin the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and whitestripes below a blue panel
Wake Islandthe flag of the US is used
Wallis and Futunaa large white modified Maltese cross - shifted alittle off center toward the fly and slightly downward - on a redbackground; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is inthe upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for officialoccasions
Yementhree equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars and of Iraqwhich has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in ahorizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flagof Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band
Zambiagreen with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoistside), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outeredge of the flag
Zimbabweseven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black,red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged inblack with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe birdrepresenting the long history of the country is superimposed on ared five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, whichsymbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineralwealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black standsfor the native people