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How many countries are there in the world?

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How many countries are there in the world?

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195!!!

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Being an important symbol of the sovereign state, the national flags describe in their colors and design the history and the present day of the countries. The most famous of them have become the widely known symbols and country brands, recognized in every corner of the world. The most recognized are the flags of the USA and United Kingdom with their very symbolic and unique design, followed by the Canadian Maple Leaf.

In the bestsellers list are the flags of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Germany, France, China, Brazil, and India.

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National flags of all 197 independent countries of the world represented in alphabetical order. Always up-to-date information.

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Flags have been used by countries for thousands of years with ancient designs stemming from Greek, Iranian, and Egyptian design origins.  The first types of flags were called "vexilloids", which is derived from a Latin word meaning "guide".

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Tracing the exact origins of any flag from around the world can be difficult as many of them do not have concrete histories. Several of the oldest flags have histories that are based on legends, which may not be historically accurate.

Additionally, flags often undergo several changes and its rare for a country's flag to look the same as it did when it was first used. Despite these challenges, we have compiled a list that best represents what are widely believed to be the world's oldest flags.
Note that while many of the flags on this list have legendary origins, we chose not to use these dates as they have been widely disputed and lack concrete historical evidence to back up these claims. Otherwise, the order of the flags on this list would be much different.
10. Japan

Like many of the oldest flags, the Japanese flag's origin is shrouded in myths and legends. The Japanese consider 660 BCE to be the country's founding date and they believe that the first Emperor of Japan was a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. Due to this (legendary) history, the sun symbol has always been important in Japan, especially on the country's flag.

The first recorded use of a sun-motif flag in Japan dates back to 701 - if this story is true, it would make Japan's flag the oldest. However, this history is often disputed and outside of Japan the country's flag is rarely considered the oldest in the world. The oldest existing Japanese flag only dates back to before the 16 th century and again, comes with legendary history that places it from the 11 th century.

Did You Know?

Of all the flags on this list, the flag of Japan is the most controversial and faces the most backlash when publicly displayed. This is due to the Rising Sun Ensign version of the Japanese flag, which was used by the Japanese Empire during World War II. The Japanese flag became seen as a symbol of ultra-nationalism and intimidation. These issues still persist today, leading to many protests and lawsuits.

9. Netherlands

The modern Dutch flag (Netherlands) is a variation of the Prince's Flag used by William Prince of Orange in the Dutch Revolt against King Philip II of Spain during the late 16 th century. This tricolor flag was originally orange, white, and blue.

Eventually, the top orange strip was changed to red sometime after 1630. According to the CIA World Factbook, the color change may have been due to the orange dye fading to red over time. Additionally, the CIA Factbook considers the Dutch flag to be the oldest tricolor in continuous use. This claim is helped by the fact that most of the earliest flags only used two colors.

Did You Know?

While the official Dutch flag is a red, white, and blue triband, many people prefer the original orange, white, and blue flag and it is unofficially displayed in nationalists contexts, for example sporting events and the Olympics.

8. Sweden

The history of the Swedish flag can be hard to trace as several different stories about its origin exist. Some theories suggest that the blue and yellow of the flag have been used by the Swedish royal court since at least 1275. Another story says that the flag's colors were inspired by the present Swedish coat of arms from 1442.

A few of the oldest preserved Swedish flags show that the early flag's colors may have actually been blue and white. In fact, the first legal description of the flag with a yellow cross on a blue background only dates to 1562.

Did You Know?

According to legend, the golden cross against a blue background was first used by King Eric IX, who supposedly saw a golden cross appear in the sky as he landed in Finland during the First Swedish Crusade in 1157.

7. Switzerland

The flag of Switzerland is one of only two square sovereign-state flags in the world, the other belongs to Vatican City. Although officially the flag is square, Swiss ships, boats, and non-government bodies often fly a rectangular version of the Swiss flag.

The Swiss flag's history can be traced back to three different legends: the Theban Legion, the Reichssturmfahne (Imperial War Banner) during the 12 th century, and the Arma Christi in the 13 th century. While all of these groups may have used a red flag with white cross, the square flag was first used sometime in the 1470s.

Did You Know?

The Red Cross symbol (a red cross on a white background) is a direct inverse of the Swiss flag. This symbol became the original protection symbol declared by the first Geneva convention and pays tribute to the founder of the Red Cross, the Swiss Henry Dunant.

6. Albania

The imagery of a black double-headed eagle on a red background was used by noble families of Albania as far back as the Middle Ages. These families borrowed the double-headed eagle from the banner of the Byzantine Empire.

The design of Albania's modern flag is directly traced back to the House of Kastrioti's coat of arms. Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg used a red flag with a black double-headed eagle when he led a revolt against the Ottoman Empire resulting in Albania's independence.

Since then, the symbol of the double-headed eagle has been re-used by Albanian nationalists each time the country has fought for its independence. The flag was formally adopted in 1912.

Did You Know?

During the 1990s, the Albanian flag was used as a symbol of the unofficial Republic of Kosova, a self-declared proto-state in Kosovo.

5. Royal Standard of Norway

photo source: Wikimedia Commons via Ssolbergj

While the current national flag of Norway has only been in use since 1821, the Royal Standard of Norway definitively dates back to around 1318 when it was used on the seal of Duchess Ingebjørg. The flag may even go back further as Erik Magnusson is said to have flown a flag in 1280 that depicted a golden lion with a crown and axe on a red background.

Originally, the Royal Standard was only used by the King of Norway, but for a time it was used to represent the country. However in starting in the 17 th century until 1814, Norway used the same flag as Denmark as both countries were unified during this time. The Royal Standard was re-introduced in 1905 following the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway and once again is only used by the King of Norway.

Did You Know?

After Norway became its own kingdom again in 1905, the Royal Standard of Norway made its first appearance in several centuries on November 25 th when King Haakon VII arrived in the capital.

4. Scotland

Many people claim that the Scottish flag, also known as the Saltire or St Andrew's Cross, is the oldest flag in the world based on a widely cited legend dating back to 832 CE. According to the legend, King Angus Mac Fergus prayed to God for a victory against the Angles, led by Æthelstan. On the morning of the battle, clouds appeared forming a white diagonal cross (the same one that St Andrew was martyred on) against the blue sky.

Based on this legend, many people see 832 CE as the official date that the Scottish adopted the Saltire. However, there is no real evidence or historic records that show St Andrew's cross was used as any sort of emblem during this time period.

The earliest known use of St Andrew as a national emblem only dates back to around 1286. Additionally, St Andrew's cross first began appearing on flags sometime in the late 14 th century. Regardless of when St Andrew's cross was actually first used, the Scottish flag is one of the oldest flags in the world.

Did You Know?

The first definitive depiction of the Saltire as it is known today dates back to 1542 in the armorial of Sir David Lindsay.

3. Latvia

The Latvian flag looks similar to many of the world's oldest flags, which also have a red and white color scheme. While no one knows for sure when the red and white flag was first used in Latvia, there is historical evidence that shows the flag could have been used as early as the 13 th century. A red flag with a white stripe was first mentioned in the Rhymed Chronicle of Livonia - the flag was used in 1279 during a battle between ancient Latvian tribes from Cēsis.

The red and white flag was formally adopted in 1918 and was used until Soviet occupation of Latvia began in 1940. The flag of independent Latvia was finally restored in 1990.

Did You Know?

According to legend, the red of the Lativian flag represents the blood of a Latvian chief who was wounded in battle and wrapped in a white sheet. The white part depicts where the chief was laying while the two edges were stained with his blood.

2. Austria

The flag of Austria is often one of the top contenders for world's oldest flag. The red and white triband may have been used as early as 1105 and is based on the coat of arms of the medieval Babenberg dynasty. Although this predates the Danish flag by a century, the first documented official use of the triband did not occur until 1230.

According to Austrian legend, the country's flag was invented by Duke Leopold V of Austria as a consequence of his fighting during the Siege of Acre (1189 - 1191). While this story is probably not true, the rulers of Austria have been using red-white-red triband colors since the late 13 th century.

Did You Know?

From around 1700 - 1918, the flag of Austria was black and gold, modeled after the colors of banner of the Holy Roman Empire. The use of the black and gold colors started because, Holy Roman Emperor Francis II of the Habsburg dynasty declared his personal domain to be the Austrian Empire.

1. Denmark

Although several countries lay claim to having the oldest flag, the flag of Denmark is widely considered to be the oldest existing flag in the world. Officially, the flag is known as Dannebrog and traces its history back to at least 1219. The flag is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest continuously used national flag.

According to legend, the flag fell from heaven during a battle in Lyndanisse, Estonia. While the legend may have appeared around 1500, there is evidence that a red flag with a white cross was being used by the Danish since around 1340 - 1370. The Dannebrog is shown in a Gelre Armorial from around this time alongside the coat of arms of the King of Denmark.

Did You Know?

Despite being a popular flag, the Dannebrog was banned from private use in 1834. However, many people disobeyed the law and still openly displayed the flag and the ban was officially lifted in 1854.

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10 World's Oldest Flags (Updated 2021) - Oldest.org

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Tracing the exact origins of any flag from around the world can be difficult as many of them do not have concrete histories. Several of the oldest flags have histories that are based on legends, which may not be historically accurate.

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1. INTRODUCTION
#Question: What do the colors of the flags represent?
Although it is not an exact science, the colors of the flags usually have a concrete significance, symbolizing the history, the land or the values ​​of the territory / country they represent.

Since there is hardly any information on the Internet (surprisingly neither in Enlgish nor in Spanish), in this post I want to collect the main meaning of each of the colors of the flags and I also I want you to help me to complete it if you know of any flag whose color refers to something that is not included in this list. Let's do it! 🤓

2. MEANING OF THE COLORS OF THE FLAGS

Red

The red color of the flags symbolizes:

Blood.

Courage.

Strength or power.

The struggle for independence, specifically the bloodshed caused for it.

Communism or socialism.

British heritage (it is one of the colors of the Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom).

Pan-Slavism or slavic inheritance (along with the blue and white color).

Pan-Arabism or the Arab union (along with the colors black, white and green).

Pan-Africanism or the African Union (along with the yellow and green color).

(*) A full red flag means danger and prohibition (beaches).
Blue

The blue color of the flags symbolizes:

The sea. Very common in countries that are islands (surrounded by ocean), countries with access to the sea or territories with important lakes or rivers.

The sky.

Truth.

Loyalty.

Freedom.

Justice.

Peace.

The rain.

British or French heritage.

Pan-Slavism or slavic heritage (along with the red and white color).

Yellow

The yellow color of the flags symbolizes:

Gold or wealth

Sun.

Abundance of food (grain / wheat).

Prosperity.

Light.

Hope.

Generosity.

Freedom.

Sand / Desert

Energy.

Joy or happiness.

Farming.

Pan-Africanism, the African Union (along with the color green and red).

Green

The green color of the flags symbolizes:

Landscapes, vegetation, fertility.

The Islam.

Hope.

The Agriculture.

Natural resources.

Peace.

Prosperity.

Pan-Africanism or the African Union (along with the red and yellow color).

Pan-Arabism or the Arab union (along with the colors black, white and red).

White

The white color of the flags symbolizes:

Peace.

Purity.

Religion.

Honesty.

Harmony.

Silver or mineral wealth.

Snow.

Freedom.

Clarity.

Unit.

Dignity.

Panarabismo or the Arab union (along with the colors black, red and green).

Slavic Paneslavism or inheritance (along with the red and blue color).

(*) A full white flag means surrender in battles.
Black

The black color of the flags symbolizes:

Determination.

On some flags, it symbolizes the overcoming of the darkness of past times.

The Islam.

Fertile lands.

Resistance.

The soil.

Death.

War.

Weapons.

Hostility.

Revolution.

Victory over enemies.

African heritage

Pan-Arabism or the Arab union (along with the colors white, red and green).

(*) A full black flag indicates a no quarter fight. The color also represents mourning.
Orange

The orange color of the flags symbolizes:

Courage and sacrifice.

The sunrise or the sunset.

Hinduism

Purple

The purple color of the flags symbolizes:
(*) The purple has represented the color of royalty since the ancient Rome.
3. REFERENCES

Saberespractico.com (2020). Significado de los colores de las banderas. Text in Spanish. Avaliable [HERE].

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Meaning of the colors in flags - Learner trip

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In this post I collected the main meaning of the colors in flags. I hope you find the information useful and interesting.

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There are only 2 countries that use purple on their flag, Dominica and Nicaragua. They were designed after 1900 when synthetic purple dye became available.

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Ever wonder where the symbols on our flags come from? Why is the union jack the image on the United Kingdom's flag and why does the United States love its stars and stripes? Many of these symbols have fascinating histories that illustrate their nation's identity and culture.

Today is Flag Day in the United States, a holiday commemorating the adoption of the US flag on June 14, 1777. So we decided to take a closer look at ten national flags, exploring where their symbols come from and what they represent.

Argentina

The Argentinian flag consists of two light blue horizontal lines with a sun in the center. The sun, which has a human face, is known as the Sun of May, representing the country's independence and Inti, the Incan god of the sun. The blue is meant to symbolize clear skies and the white surrounding the sun is a reminder of the thick white snow on the Andes Mountains.

Australia

The original design of the Australian flag was chosen in 1901 from a collection of entries in a national competition. The seven points on the stars represent the unity of the six states and the territories, while the union jack signifies Australia's place in the Commonwealth, reminding viewers of the history of Australia's settlement by the British in 1788.

Brazil

The Brazilian flag was first adopted on November 15, 1889. The bright green color represents the lush forests and expansive fields of Brazil. The main symbol in the middle, a yellow diamond and a blue globe, illustrates Brazil's wealth in gold. The words in the globe read "Ordem e Progresso" or, "Order and Progress."

Canada

Canada's red and white flag with the maple leaf in the middle was the first ever flag specified by law to be used as a national flag. In 1964, the Prime Minister of Canada formed a committee to resolve the issue of Canada's lack of a flag, ultimately deciding on the image of the maple leaf, which was first used as part of the coat of arms for Ontario and Quebec.

China

The red of the Chinese flag represents revolution and the small stars symbolize the four social classes: the working class, the peasantry, and the two bourgeoisies (urban and national). The larger star on flag stands for the Communist party of China, the unifying thread between all of the classes.

France

The French flag consist of three vertical stripes: blue, white, and red. These colors were taken from the cloth that King Louis XVI wore while addressing a public gathering in Paris during the revolution.

Japan

The Japanese flag, otherwise known as "Nisshōki," is a white rectangle with a red disk in the middle. The red disk is representative of the sun goddess Amaterasu, the founder of Japan and the ancestor of its emperors. It symbolizes a bright future.

Mexico

Based on the legend of the wandering Aztec people that originally inhabited the land, the coat of arms in the middle is a reminder of the Mexican people's history. The color green signifies hope, the color white represents peace, and the red stands for bravery and strength. The Mexican flag was adopted on September 16, 1968.

United Kingdom

Dating back to 1801, the symbol on the UK flag is known as the union jack. The crossing red lines represent the patron saints of Wales, Scotland, and England coming together.

United States of America

Also known as "Old Glory," the American flag has undergone many redesigns since its creation. The flag we all know today consist of 50 stars and 13 stripes. The stars represent all of the states in the union and the stripes represent the 13 British colonies that declared their independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Fun Fact: Did you know the Vatican City has its own flag? It represents the pope's spiritual and worldly power!
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Flag Day: Exploring the Symbolism of National Flags

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Ever wonder where the symbols on our flags come from? Why is the union jack the image on the United Kingdom's flag and why does the United States love its stars and stripes? Many of these symbols have fascinating histories that illustrate their nation's identity and culture.

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The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory.

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The flag's images, colors, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.

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Too many colors can be visually distracting and it can be expensive to make. Make sure the colors contrast well to be quickly identified.

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Never use writing of any kind or an organization's seal. Using these will make the flag visually cluttered and unreadable to others who do not know the language.

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Avoid duplicating other flags, but use similarities to show connections.

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Class discussion

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Few states love their flags as much as Texans so, donning it on T-shirts, baseball hats, and even their cars. Go anywhere in Canada and you'll see the iconic red-and-white maple leaf. And the American flag is just about everywhere (despite the fact that U.S. law prohibits using it as attire).

But, just as some countries and communities are represented by truly iconic flags, there are some that are a bit questionable (to put it nicely)-designs so ridiculous, they're sure to vex even the world's most ardent vexillologists. Here are the greatest offenders.

In 1930, the city of Tampa adopted its first flag-based on a mockup not by a graphic designer but by an accountant. (Cue the "Don't quit your day job" jokes.) According to the Tampa Bay Times, most Tampeños have no clue the city even has a flag, but those who are aware aren't exactly fans.

"I was proud to carry it because I'm proud to represent our city. But I'm not proud this is the flag that represents our city," said one city council member, who served as a flag bearer at a recent public event.

The Illinois state flag has all the makings of a great flag, they're just not quite right. For instance, why is that eagle severing a banner of the state's motto? Or is he actually regurgitating the state's motto? And why are the years in that order-wouldn't it make more sense to have 1818 (the year Illinois became a state) on top of 1868 (the year this flag was designed)?

What's even more confusing is that the good people of Illinois have proven capable of designing a worthy flag. Just look at the Illinois centennial commemorative flag, a blue-and-white starred design-and a veritable master class in the use of negative space-that wouldn't look out of place in a museum. How this state flag remains is beyond us.

If you're a U.S. citizen, you're not allowed to poke fun at the Liberian flag, since it's essentially a pared down version of the American flag (with one star, rather than 50, and 11 stripes, rather than 13). The flags for each of the 15 counties of Liberia, on the other hand, are totally fair game.

For starters, each county's flag is just a smaller version of the national one. (Can you imagine if every U.S. state had a haphazardly affixed American flag in the upper lefthand corner?) The art for each is a departure from what you'd think of as "traditional"-all bright primary colors and abstract silhouettes.

But the old flag for River Gee County put a twist on the formula by adding definitive black outlines, and the result looks like something you might find at an elementary school art fair. To the credit of River Gee County officials, the flag has since been redesigned. Now, county buildings fly something that you simply have to see for yourself.

Is this a flag or the pendant of a 1980s-era baseball team? Calgary's flag features a white cowboy hat (a beloved symbol of the city, which hosts the annual Calgary Stampede and is known for its white hatting ceremonies) and a giant "C" that kind of looks like a horseshoe. It's off-center and, combined with white bands on the top and bottom, it looks more like something that should be on a vintage sports jersey than flying above city hall.

On an all-white backdrop, an orange silhouette of Cypress hovers above a pair of olive branches. And those olive branches aren't just decorative-they symbolize peace between Greece and Turkey, two nations that infamously warred over claims to the island, dating all the back to the days of the Mycenaean Greeks in the 15th century B.C.E. (Cyprus didn't become an independent state until 1960.)

As a flat image, sure, the design passes muster. But the moment some bright sunlight illuminates the flag, it becomes less a symbol of unity and more a game of squinting, as you can see in the above photo.

The design of Indonesia's flag-horizontal split dual color-blocking, with red on top and white on bottom-isn't bad, per se. It's just that we've seen this flag, which was adopted in 1945, before-many times, in fact. Look at the flag of Monaco (adopted in 1881). Or the flag of Tarija, Bolivia (which has no identifiable adoption date, but is likely ancient, since Tarija was incorporated in the 16th century). Even the flag of Poland (adopted in 1919) is this design but flipped upside down. At least Singapore had the originality to slap a moon and stars on the top half of their flag (adopted in 1959).

The individual elements of Turkmenistan's national flag are all lovely: a dark green background, representing the Islamic religion; a white crescent and five stars, representing the nation's bright future and the five senses, respectively; and a deep red column complete with five intricate patterns, representing each of the country's five major tribes.

It's a well-intentioned design, and looks fantastic up close. On a flag, though, the detail is a bit too intricate to be fully appreciated. If you view it from a far distance, it becomes muddied to the point that it looks like a red blur.

The flag for this country in the center of Africa looks like it was a perfectly fine flag of four complementary colored stripes-dark blue, white, green, and yellow-with a single yellow star in the top left corner balancing the stripe at the bottom. Then there's that vivid red stripe right down the center, making for a severely overcrowded and unbalanced piece of graphic design.

We'd be remiss to talk about the ugliest flags on the planet without mentioning the flag of Pocatello, Idaho. No, that's not their flag above. That's Pocatello's redone flag, which was unveiled in 2017 -but not until a firestorm of press surrounded their old one.

After being dubbed the "Worst City Flag in North America" in a 2015 TED Talk, Pocatello opened up a call for redesigns. (You can see the old flag-in all its Clip Art glory-in this 2018 TEDx Talk detailing the redesign process.) More than 700 entries poured in from all across the globe. The result, as you can see for yourself with the winning entry above, is truly stunning. It's proof that even the ugliest flag ducklings can blossom into full-fledged banner beauties. And for more design fails, see the 40 Ugliest Interior Design Trends of All Time.

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These Are the Ugliest Flags on the Planet - Best Life

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Few states love their flags as much as Texans so, donning it on T-shirts, baseball hats, and even their cars. Go anywhere in Canada and you'll see the iconic red-and-white maple leaf. And the American flag is just about everywhere (despite the fact that U.S. law prohibits using it as attire).

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Download and complete the worksheet. Upload finished worksheet to the TURN IN tab under your name.

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After you have completed & turned in the worksheet and you have an idea of what your elements are and what they stand for, sketch out on paper 6 thumbnail sketches of different layouts for your flag. You can use these designs for layout ideas, but also remember your flags do NOT have to all be a rectangle!

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Final designs - 3 designs that are 6"x4" in CANVa

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Final designs - 3 designs that are 6"x4" in CANVa

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Select the strongest 3 designs from your 6 sketches and create the 3 you have chosen using CANVA. Post it to the TURN IN under your name

Include in the comments what the images and elements you chose for your flag symbolize.