It is quite humbling when one realizes how many different nations are spread across the globe. Even more amazing are the flags that represent each one of them. This article provides a list of flags of all these countries of the world, in alphabetical order, to curb the curiosity bug in you.
Study of Flags
The term, vexillology, derived from the Greek words vexillum (flag), and logia (study), scientifically speaking, means ‘the study of the history, representation, and the application of flags’.
Did You Know ?
The Flags of the World website is the largest internet resource that not only publishes information about these flags but also distributes it periodically.
The International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV) maintains a database of different world flags.
One cannot help but marvel at the variety and diversity in the national flags of these various countries. However, on further inspection, a similarity in pattern and color can be noticed in flags of certain groups of countries. In fact, a number of events of national importance inspire the design of each flag.
Ethiopia the Great African Leader
If you notice closely, a lot of African nations have a unique distribution of the Rasta colors of red, green, and yellow in their respective flags. Ethiopia was one of the first African countries to not only put up a resistance to European colonization but also succeeded at it. This nation stood out as an inspiring symbol of courage to other emerging African countries during the Pan African movement, and so, many of them adopted the colors of the Ethiopian national flag in their own flags.
Following the Footsteps of Ethiopia
On similar lines, a number of Arab countries in the Middle East have modeled their flags after the official flag of the Arab Revolt and the Arab Liberation Flag.
Fasten your seatbelt, as we take you for a ride across the globe for a closer look at each country’s flag.
A
Afghanistan
Albania
Alderney
Algeria
American Samoa
American Virgin Islands
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
B
The Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Antarctic Territory
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
C
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Cocos Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Côte d’Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
The Czech Republic
D, E, F
Denmark
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Equatorial Guinea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
G
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
H, I, J
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong SAR (China)
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Jordan
K, L
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
M
Macao SAR (China)
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
N
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
The Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
North Korea
Northern Cyprus
Northern Ireland
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
O, P, Q, R
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Republic of the Congo
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
S
Saint Kitts & Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Pierre & Miquelon
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Sami
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé & Príncipe
Sark
Saudi Arabia
Scotland
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Somaliland
South Africa
South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
The Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
T
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tibet
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Tristan da Cunha
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks & Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
U, V, W, X, Y, Z
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
The above showcase of flags of the nations of the world, in alphabetical order covers every country’s flag, except a few disputed territories, and individual federal subjects of Russia. If you are a flag enthusiast, your study of this interesting subject should not end here, because national flags are just one of the many applications of flags. There are state flags, organizational flags, military flags, war flags, religious flags, and even special flags that are used at sea.
The flag has been recognized as a symbol of freedom in a number of songs by popular artists all over the world. The unforgettable lyrics of Wavin’ Flag by Somali-Canadian artist, K’naan, which was originally written honoring the aspiration of freedom of the Somali people, is a heartfelt dedication to flags, a metaphor for liberty;
When I get older I will be stronger
They’ll call me ‘Freedom’ just like a wavin’ flag