Flags of Northern Europe
Recognise the 10 national flags of Northern Europe by their colours and design, one family of flags at a time.
10 cards · Geography
Each Zap teaches up to 5 new cards, so you learn the deck a few at a time.
Checked by the Brain Zap team · reviewed 23 Oct 2026
Sources: Gallery of sovereign state flags (Wikipedia), flag-icons by Lipis, MIT licence (the pictures)
Preview
White cross on red, shifted towards the pole
Show answerHide answer: White cross on red, shifted towards the pole
Denmark
Learn more: The oldest national flag still in use. Legend says it fell from the sky during a battle in 1219.
Yellow cross on blue, shifted towards the pole
Show answerHide answer: Yellow cross on blue, shifted towards the pole
Sweden
Learn more: Blue and gold come from its coat of arms of three crowns. The cross shape follows its southern neighbour's flag.
Blue cross edged in white on red
Show answerHide answer: Blue cross edged in white on red
Norway
Learn more: Designed in 1821: the red and white of its old union partner, with blue added for liberty.
Blue cross on white, shifted towards the pole
Show answerHide answer: Blue cross on white, shifted towards the pole
Finland
Learn more: Blue for its lakes and sky, white for snow. Adopted in 1918, months after independence from Russia.
Red cross edged in white on blue
Show answerHide answer: Red cross edged in white on blue
Iceland
Learn more: Blue for the sea and mountains, white for ice, red for volcanic fire. The flag of the republic since 1944.
About this topic
This chapter of Flags of the World covers the national flags of Northern Europe. Each card shows a flag and asks which country flies it, with a hint and a short story of where its colours and shapes come from.
The North is the home of the Nordic cross, a cross shifted towards the pole, flown by five countries. The Baltic states chose horizontal bands, and the British Isles show crosses of their patron saints.
Learn the family first, then the one detail that sets each flag apart: the order of the colours, a shade of blue, a cross, a star or an emblem. Once you know most of this chapter's flags, the next chapter of the Book starts arriving in your Daily Zap.
All 10 cards
White cross on red, shifted towards the pole
Denmark
Learn more: The oldest national flag still in use. Legend says it fell from the sky during a battle in 1219.
Yellow cross on blue, shifted towards the pole
Sweden
Learn more: Blue and gold come from its coat of arms of three crowns. The cross shape follows its southern neighbour's flag.
Blue cross edged in white on red
Norway
Learn more: Designed in 1821: the red and white of its old union partner, with blue added for liberty.
Blue cross on white, shifted towards the pole
Finland
Learn more: Blue for its lakes and sky, white for snow. Adopted in 1918, months after independence from Russia.
Red cross edged in white on blue
Iceland
Learn more: Blue for the sea and mountains, white for ice, red for volcanic fire. The flag of the republic since 1944.
Blue, black and white horizontal bands
Estonia
Learn more: Blue for the sky, black for the soil, white for hope. It began as a student society's flag in 1884.
Dark red with a thin white horizontal stripe
Latvia
Learn more: One of the oldest flag designs: a 13th-century chronicle tells of a red banner with a white stripe.
Yellow, green and red horizontal bands
Lithuania
Learn more: Yellow for the sun, green for forests, red for blood shed for the country. Adopted in 1918, restored in 1989.
Red and white crosses, straight and diagonal, on blue
United Kingdom
Learn more: The Union Jack layers the crosses of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick. This form dates from 1801.
Green, white and orange vertical bands
Ireland
Learn more: Green for the Gaelic tradition, orange for William of Orange's supporters, white for peace between them. Flown since 1848.
Image credits
- White cross on red, shifted towards the pole: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: White cross on red, shifted towards the pole
- Yellow cross on blue, shifted towards the pole: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Yellow cross on blue, shifted towards the pole
- Blue cross edged in white on red: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue cross edged in white on red
- Blue cross on white, shifted towards the pole: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue cross on white, shifted towards the pole
- Red cross edged in white on blue: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red cross edged in white on blue
- Blue, black and white horizontal bands: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue, black and white horizontal bands
- Dark red with a thin white horizontal stripe: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Dark red with a thin white horizontal stripe
- Yellow, green and red horizontal bands: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Yellow, green and red horizontal bands
- Red and white crosses, straight and diagonal, on blue: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red and white crosses, straight and diagonal, on blue
- Green, white and orange vertical bands: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green, white and orange vertical bands
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