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Stories behind the world's flags
Go beyond memorising flags. Explore the history, geography, colours, symbols and curious facts that make the world's countries and territories interesting.
FlagAtlas Guides
How Many Countries Are There in the World?
Why do different sources give different numbers? Learn about the 193 UN Member States, the two observer States, disputed states and territories.
Read the guide →The Newest Countries in the World
South Sudan, Kosovo, Montenegro and Timor-Leste — the world's youngest nations, how each was born, and the island that could be next.
Read the guide →The Largest and Smallest Countries in the World
Russia to Vatican City — the biggest and tiniest nations by area and population, ranked, with the surprising facts behind them.
Read the guide →England, Great Britain and the UK: What's the Difference?
England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom are often confused. Here's what each name actually means — and which flags belong to them.
Read the guide →Why Is Nepal's Flag Not Rectangular?
Discover why Nepal has one of the world's most recognisable flag shapes, and how its design is defined in the country's Constitution.
Read the guide →The World's Oldest National Flags
Explore Denmark's Dannebrog and the fascinating history behind the claim that it is the world's oldest national flag in continuous use.
Read the guide →Why Do So Many Flags Use Red, White and Blue?
From France and the Netherlands to the United States and the UK, discover why these three colours appear so often.
Read the guide →What Do the Stars on Flags Mean?
Stars can represent states, islands, unity, history, aspirations and much more. Discover the stories behind some of the world's star-covered flags.
Read the guide →What Is the Difference Between a Country and a Territory?
Why can Greenland, Réunion and Martinique have their own flags without being independent sovereign countries?
Read the guide →Why Does Switzerland Have a Square Flag?
Discover the history behind Switzerland's unusual square national flag and why a rectangular version is used at sea.
Read the guide →The Story Behind the Union Jack
Follow the story from the first Union Flag of 1606 to the design used by the United Kingdom today.
Read the guide →Why Has Afghanistan Had So Many Different Flags?
Explore how Afghanistan's changing governments and political systems have repeatedly changed its national flag.
Read the guide →The Most Changed National Flags in History
Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq and more — the countries that have redesigned their flags again and again, and the upheavals behind each change.
Read the guide →Flags With Animals On Them
Eagles, lions, a thunder dragon, a parrot and a vicuña — every national flag with an animal on it, grouped by creature and explained.
Read the guide →Flags With the Union Jack On Them
Australia, Fiji, Tuvalu, Hawaii and most British territories — every flag that still carries the Union Jack, and the empire history behind it.
Read the guide →Why Isn't Wales on the Union Jack?
England, Scotland and Ireland are all on the UK flag — so where's Wales? The historical reason, and the flags Wales has instead.
Read the guide →Flags With Weapons On Them
Mozambique's AK-47, swords, spears, a trident and more — every national flag that carries a weapon, and the story behind each one.
Read the guide →Flags With Words or Writing On Them
Brazil's 'Ordem e Progresso', Saudi Arabia's shahada and every other national flag with text — translated and explained.
Read the guide →Flags With Suns On Them
Japan, Argentina, the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia and more — every national flag with a sun, grouped by type and explained.
Read the guide →Why Do Countries Change Their Flags?
Discover why flags change after revolutions, independence, constitutional changes, new governments and shifts in national identity.
Read the guide →Why Are Some Flags Almost Identical?
Chad and Romania, Indonesia and Monaco, Ireland and Côte d'Ivoire — discover why some national flags look remarkably alike.
Read the guide →The World's Simplest Flags
Explore some of the world's easiest flags to recognise, including Japan, Poland, Indonesia, Monaco and Switzerland.
Read the guide →The World's Most Complicated Flags
From Turkmenistan's carpet motifs to Belize's detailed coat of arms, discover flags packed with symbols and history.
Read the guide →What Do the Colours on Flags Mean?
Red, blue, green, white and more can mean very different things. Explore the history behind flag colours around the world.
Read the guide →Why Do So Many Flags Have Crosses?
Explore Christian symbolism, medieval banners, heraldry, Nordic crosses and the stories behind cross-shaped flag designs.
Read the guide →Why Do Flags Have Stars and Moons?
Stars, crescents and suns can represent states, geography, religion, unity and national identity. Discover what they mean.
Read the guide →The History of the Union Flag's Colours
Find out where the Union Flag's red, white and blue come from and how the crosses of England, Scotland and Ireland were combined.
Read the guide →Flags That Have Changed After Independence
Explore how newly independent countries have used flags to express sovereignty, national identity and a break from colonial rule.
Read the guide →Countries That Have Changed Their Names
Türkiye, Eswatini, North Macedonia and Zimbabwe are among the countries whose official names have changed. Find out why.
Read the guide →The Oldest Flags Still in Use
Explore Denmark, Scotland, Austria and other long-running flag traditions — and why defining the “oldest” flag isn't always simple.
Read the guide →Flags of Countries That No Longer Exist
Explore the flags of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, East Germany and other vanished states.
Read the guide →Why Do Some Countries Have More Than One Flag?
Learn why countries can have separate civil, state, naval, military and royal flags for different purposes.
Read the guide →National Flags vs Civil Flags: What's the Difference?
Understand the terminology behind national, civil, state and naval flags and why one country can have several official designs.
Read the guide →How Are National Flags Designed?
Learn how simplicity, colour, symbolism, proportions, visibility and distinctiveness come together in flag design.
Read the guide →The Most Unusual Flags in the World
From Nepal's double pennon to Bhutan's dragon and Mozambique's famous emblem, discover flags that break the usual rules.
Read the guide →