what does this symbol mean?

World flags

The national flags of the world, continent by continent: what each one shows, what its colours and emblem stand for in the country’s own laws, and how to tell it from the flags that look like it.

African flags 55 symbols

The national flags of Africa: what each one shows, what its colours and emblem stand for in the country’s own laws, and how to tell it from the flags that look like it.

Asian flags 47 symbols

The national flags of Asia and the Middle East: what each one shows, what its colours and emblem stand for in the country’s own laws, and how to tell it from the flags that look like it.

European flags 45 symbols

The national flags of Europe: what each one shows, what its colours, crosses and arms stand for in the country’s own laws, and how to tell it from the flags that look like it.

North and Central American flags 23 symbols

The national flags of North America, Central America and the Caribbean: what each one shows, what its colours and emblem stand for in the country’s own laws, and how to tell it from the flags that look like it.

South American flags 12 symbols

The national flags of South America: what each one shows, what its colours, sun and stars stand for in the country’s own laws, and how to tell it from the flags that look like it.

Flags of Oceania 2 symbols

The national flags of Oceania: what each one shows, what its stars and colours stand for in the country’s own laws, and how to tell it from the flags that look like it.

Flags of territories and home nations 4 symbols

The flags of places that are part of a larger country: England, Scotland and Wales within the United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico in the United States. What each one shows and stands for, and how it relates to the national flag.

Flags of partially recognised states 2 symbols

The flags of states that govern their own territory but that many countries do not recognise: what each flag shows and what it stands for, with the state’s status in plain words.

About world flags

The national flags of the world, gathered by continent: Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Europe, North and Central America, South America and Oceania. Each page is one country’s flag: what it shows, what its colours and emblem stand for in that country’s own flag law or constitution, and, where the law gives them no meaning, who gives the usual one. Every flag is drawn in the proportions its law sets, so Mexico’s, seven units long for every four high, is drawn longer than Italy’s.

Each continent lists the member states of the United Nations and the states with observer status there. Flags of places that are part of a larger country, such as England, Scotland, Wales and Puerto Rico, are in their own collection, flags of territories and home nations, and Taiwan and Kosovo, which govern their own territory but which many countries do not recognise, are in flags of partially recognised states.

Flags that look alike

Many flags share their colours. What tells them apart is usually the order of the colours, which way the stripes run, or an emblem.

Green, white and red in upright bands, green by the pole, is Italy’s flag when it is plain and Mexico’s when the white band carries the eagle on the cactus. Green, white and orange, green by the pole, is Ireland’s; Côte d’Ivoire’s constitution lists the same three colours the other way round, orange first.

Red, white and blue in horizontal stripes, red at the top, is the Dutch flag. The Élysée says France made its naval flag of 1790 vertical to tell it apart from the Dutch one, which is why France’s bands run up and down.

Yellow, blue and red, with yellow on top and taking half the flag, is Colombia’s when plain and Ecuador’s when it carries the national arms. Venezuela’s three stripes are equal, with an arc of eight white stars in the blue.

White over red is Poland’s; red over white is Indonesia’s or Monaco’s. Blue over yellow, with nothing else on it, is Ukraine’s.

Horizontal blue and white stripes come from the flag of the Central American federation of 1823: El Salvador’s carries its coat of arms in the white, and Honduras’s five blue stars. Guatemala’s blue and white stripes run from top to bottom.

New Zealand’s flag and Australia’s are both blue with the Union Jack in the top corner and the Southern Cross on the fly. New Zealand’s four stars are red with white borders; Australia’s are white, and it has a large seven-pointed star under the Union Jack.

Sources

  1. Ley sobre el Escudo, la Bandera y el Himno Nacionales (Cámara de Diputados), Ley sobre el Escudo, la Bandera y el Himno Nacionales, Diario Oficial de la Federación, 8 February 1984, consolidated text with reforms to 21 July 2025, arts. 2–3, Cámara de Diputados del H. Congreso de la Unión, header; arts. 2, 3, 10 and transitional art. 3
  2. Constitution of Italy (Constitute Project), Constitution of the Italian Republic, 1947 (rev. 2020), art. 12, English translation, Constitute Project, art. 12
  3. Bandera de Guatemala: día, significado de los colores y del escudo (Prensa Libre), Ingrid Reyes, Prensa Libre, 13 August 2025, Prensa Libre, article text
  4. Lo que no sabías sobre la bandera de Guatemala: ¿por qué tiene un quetzal y dos rifles? (La Hora), Jaylenne Zeceña, La Hora, 29 June 2025, La Hora (Guatemala), article text
  5. Ley de Símbolos Patrios (El Salvador, Decreto 115 de 1972), Ley de Símbolos Patrios, Decreto Legislativo n.º 115, 14 September 1972, with reforms, Centro de Documentación Judicial, Corte Suprema de Justicia de El Salvador, art. 5
  6. En acto solemne el TSC rindió tributo a la Bandera Nacional en su día (Tribunal Superior de Cuentas), Tribunal Superior de Cuentas de Honduras, news item, 1 September 2024, quoting Decreto 29-49, Tribunal Superior de Cuentas (Honduras), Azul turquesa
  7. Símbolos patrios de Nicaragua (Academia de Geografía e Historia de Nicaragua), Academia de Geografía e Historia de Nicaragua, “Símbolos patrios de Nicaragua” (2022), Academia de Geografía e Historia de Nicaragua, Banderas
  8. Ley 12 de 1984, por la cual se adoptan los símbolos patrios de la República de Colombia, Ley 12 de 1984 (29 February 1984), Gestor Normativo, Departamento Administrativo de la Función Pública (Colombia), Arts. 1–2; date
  9. Decreto Legislativo relativo a las Armas de la República y Pabellón Nacional (Ecuador, 1900), Decreto Legislativo, 31 October 1900, Registro Oficial nº 1272; text from Decretos y leyes sancionados en el año 1900 (Archivo del Poder Legislativo, Quito, 1901), transcribed on Wikisource, Congreso de la República del Ecuador (Wikisource transcription), Arts. 2, 3 and 6
  10. Ley de Bandera Nacional, Himno Nacional y Escudo de Armas de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, Ley de Bandera Nacional, Himno Nacional y Escudo de Armas (2006), Justia Venezuela, Justia Venezuela, Art. 3
  11. Ireland 1937 (rev. 2019) Constitution, Constitution of Ireland, Article 7, Constitute Project, Article 7
  12. Côte d'Ivoire 2016 Constitution, Constitution of Côte d’Ivoire (2016), Article 48, Constitute Project, Article 48
  13. Le drapeau français, Présidence de la République, “Les symboles”, updated 14 December 2022, Présidence de la République (Élysée), Introduction; “Un peu d’histoire”
  14. Koningin Wilhelmina bepaalt de kleuren van de Nederlandse vlag op 19 februari 1937, MAX Vandaag (Omroep MAX), February 2022, Omroep MAX, Whole article
  15. Ustawa z dnia 31 stycznia 1980 r. o godle, barwach i hymnie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej oraz o pieczęciach państwowych (consolidated text, Dz.U. 2025 poz. 299), Act of 31 January 1980 on the arms, colours and anthem of the Republic of Poland and on state seals; consolidated text, Dziennik Ustaw 2025 item 299, Sejm of the Republic of Poland (Dziennik Ustaw, via api.sejm.gov.pl), Art. 4, 6, 6a; annexes 2 and 3
  16. Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 24 Tahun 2009, Law No. 24 of 2009 on the National Flag, Language, Emblem and Anthem, Article 4(1), Hukumonline, Pasal 4 ayat (1)
  17. Constitution of Ukraine, 1996, Constitution of Ukraine of 28 June 1996 (rev. 2019), Article 20 (English translation), Constitute Project, Article 20
  18. Flags Act 1953, Flags Act 1953 (No. 1, 1954), compilation C2008C00376, ss. 3, 4 and 8 and Schedule 1, Federal Register of Legislation (Australian Government), ss. 3, 4, 8; Schedule 1, clauses 1–2, Tables A and B
  19. Flags Act 1953 (Cth) – Documenting a Democracy, Museum of Australian Democracy, Documenting a Democracy: Flags Act 1953 (Cth), Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, Summary and details
  20. Aussie Parliament accidentally raises two NZ flags when commemorating its own, 1News, 4 September 2026, 1News (TVNZ), Article text
  21. FALQs: New Zealand’s Flag Referendums, Kelly Buchanan, “FALQs: New Zealand’s Flag Referendums”, In Custodia Legis, 30 March 2016, Law Library of Congress, Questions 1–5
  22. Constitution of the Principality of Monaco, 1962, Constitution of 17 December 1962 (rev. 2002), Article 7 (English translation), Constitute Project, Article 7

Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed October 13, 2026. How we research