Flags of the world
Recognise 40 national flags from a picture and a short description of their colours and design.
40 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 10 Oct 2026
Sources: Gallery of sovereign state flags (Wikipedia), flag-icons by Lipis, MIT licence (the pictures)
Preview
Yellow diamond with a blue globe on green
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Brazil
Learn more: The globe shows the night sky over Rio de Janeiro on 15 November 1889, when the republic was proclaimed.
Red maple leaf on white between two red bars
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Canada
Learn more: The maple leaf flag was adopted on 15 February 1965. Red and white were made its official colours in 1921.
Red disc on a white field
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Japan
Learn more: The red disc is the sun. The flag is called Hinomaru, 'circle of the sun', and became official by law in 1999.
White cross in a red square
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Switzerland
Learn more: One of only two square national flags, with the Vatican's. The white cross on red goes back to the canton of Schwyz.
Green, white, red vertical stripes, no emblem
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Italy
Learn more: First flown in 1797 by the Cispadane Republic, inspired by the French tricolour, with green in place of blue.
About this topic
A national flag is a country's shortest story. Its colours and shapes usually record a revolution, a faith, a royal house or a landscape, and most were chosen on purpose by people who wanted them read at a glance from far away.
Knowing flags helps far beyond quiz night: you will recognise them at sporting events, on news footage, at embassies and on products, and each one opens a door to the history behind it.
What makes them easier to learn is grouping. Many flags belong to families that share a source: the Nordic cross of Denmark's flag, the French tricolour copied across Europe and Latin America, the red, gold and green of Ethiopia taken up by newly independent African nations, and the Union Jack still in the corner of several Commonwealth flags. Learn the family first, then the detail that sets each member apart, such as a star, an emblem or the order of the stripes.
All 40 cards
Yellow diamond with a blue globe on green
Brazil
Learn more: The globe shows the night sky over Rio de Janeiro on 15 November 1889, when the republic was proclaimed.
Red maple leaf on white between two red bars
Canada
Learn more: The maple leaf flag was adopted on 15 February 1965. Red and white were made its official colours in 1921.
Red disc on a white field
Japan
Learn more: The red disc is the sun. The flag is called Hinomaru, 'circle of the sun', and became official by law in 1999.
White cross in a red square
Switzerland
Learn more: One of only two square national flags, with the Vatican's. The white cross on red goes back to the canton of Schwyz.
Green, white, red vertical stripes, no emblem
Italy
Learn more: First flown in 1797 by the Cispadane Republic, inspired by the French tricolour, with green in place of blue.
Blue, white, red vertical stripes
France
Learn more: The tricolour dates from the 1789 Revolution: blue and red are the colours of Paris, white was the king's.
Black, red, gold horizontal stripes
Germany
Learn more: Black, red and gold go back to the 1848 revolutions and the Weimar Republic; West Germany took them up again in 1949.
Red and white crosses on blue (Union Jack)
United Kingdom
Learn more: The Union Jack layers the crosses of St George (England), St Andrew (Scotland) and St Patrick (Ireland).
Red-white stripes, 50 white stars on a blue corner
United States
Learn more: Each of the 50 stars is a state and the 13 stripes are the first colonies. The 50-star design dates from 1960.
Union Jack, big white star and Southern Cross on blue
Australia
Learn more: The big seven-pointed star has one point per state plus one for the territories; the Southern Cross fills the fly.
White, red-blue circle, black three-bar marks in corners
South Korea
Learn more: The red and blue circle is the taegeuk, yin and yang; the four trigrams are heaven, earth, water and fire.
Saffron, white, green stripes, blue wheel in centre
India
Learn more: The blue wheel is the Ashoka Chakra, with 24 spokes. Saffron is courage, white peace and truth, green growth.
Red with a large yellow star and four small ones
China
Learn more: Adopted in 1949. Red stands for the revolution; the large star is the Communist Party, the four small ones the people.
White crescent and star on a red field
Turkey
Learn more: The crescent and star are Ottoman symbols, fixed in law in 1936. The flag is called Ay Yıldız, 'moon star'.
Blue and white stripes, white cross in the corner
Greece
Learn more: Its nine stripes are said to match the syllables of 'Freedom or death'. The cross stands for the Orthodox faith.
Yellow cross on a blue field
Sweden
Learn more: A Nordic cross set off-centre. Its blue and yellow come from the old arms of three gold crowns on blue.
Blue cross on a white field
Finland
Learn more: Blue for lakes and sky, white for snow, in a Nordic cross. Adopted in 1918, soon after independence in 1917.
Gold diagonal cross, green and black triangles
Jamaica
Learn more: The only national flag with no red, white or blue. Gold is for sunlight, green for the land, black for its people.
Light blue, white, light blue stripes, golden sun
Argentina
Learn more: The golden Sun of May marks the May Revolution of 1810 in Buenos Aires; blue and white come from its patriots.
Red, yellow, red stripes with a coat of arms
Spain
Learn more: Red and gold come from the old Crown of Aragon. The arms show the Pillars of Hercules and the motto Plus Ultra.
Red, white, black stripes with a golden eagle
Egypt
Learn more: The gold Eagle of Saladin sits on the white band. Red is the revolution, white peace, black the end of oppression.
Green sideways Y, black triangle, red and blue bands
South Africa
Learn more: Adopted in 1994 for the first free elections. The Y shape shows different peoples coming together as one.
Green, white, green vertical stripes
Nigeria
Learn more: Designed in 1959 by student Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi. Green stands for the land and farming, white for peace.
Black, red, green stripes with a Maasai shield
Kenya
Learn more: Black for the people, red for the fight for freedom, green for the land, white edges for peace; the shield guards it all.
Red, gold, green stripes with a black star
Ghana
Learn more: Designed by Theodosia Okoh in 1957. The black star is the lodestar of African freedom.
Green with white Arabic script above a sword
Saudi Arabia
Learn more: The script is the shahada, the declaration of faith, so the flag is never flown at half-mast. Green is Islam's colour.
Blue six-pointed star between two blue stripes
Israel
Learn more: The Star of David sits between two stripes inspired by the tallit, the Jewish prayer shawl.
Two stacked red pennants with a moon and a sun
Nepal
Learn more: The only national flag that is not a rectangle. Its two pennants are linked to the Himalayas and to its faiths.
Copper island map above two olive branches
Cyprus
Learn more: One of two national flags with a map of the land, with Kosovo's. Copper recalls the island's name; olive is peace.
Green, white, red stripes with an eagle on a cactus
Mexico
Learn more: The eagle on a cactus eating a snake recalls the Aztec legend of where to found Tenochtitlan, today's capital.
Green and red fields with a gold armillary sphere
Portugal
Learn more: The armillary sphere honours its navigators of the Age of Discovery. Green and red were chosen after the 1910 revolution.
Blue square with a white star, white over red
Chile
Learn more: The lone star guides the nation; blue is the sky, white the snow of the Andes and red the blood of independence.
Blue and white stripes, white star in a red triangle
Cuba
Learn more: The blue stripes stood for its three old provinces; the red triangle is for equality and the blood of independence.
One large yellow star on a plain red field
Vietnam
Learn more: Red stands for revolution; the star's five points are workers, farmers, soldiers, intellectuals and youth.
Blue over yellow horizontal stripes
Ukraine
Learn more: Often read as a blue sky over golden wheat. The colours come from old arms of the Lviv region.
White over red horizontal stripes
Poland
Learn more: White and red come from its arms, a white eagle on a red shield. Indonesia and Monaco use the same colours reversed.
Green, white, orange vertical stripes
Ireland
Learn more: Green stands for the Gaelic tradition, orange for followers of William of Orange, and white for peace between them.
White-edged blue cross on a red field
Norway
Learn more: A Nordic cross in red, white and blue, chosen in 1821 as colours of liberty, like those of France and the USA.
Yellow and orange diagonal halves, white dragon
Bhutan
Learn more: Its name is Druk Yul, 'land of the thunder dragon'. Yellow is the king, orange Buddhism, the dragon's jewels wealth.
Red, white, wide blue, white, red horizontal stripes
Thailand
Learn more: Red for the nation, white for religion and blue for the monarchy. This flag, the Trairanga, was adopted in 1917.
Image credits
- Yellow diamond with a blue globe on green: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Yellow diamond with a blue globe on green
- Red maple leaf on white between two red bars: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red maple leaf on white between two red bars
- Red disc on a white field: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red disc on a white field
- White cross in a red square: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: White cross in a red square
- Green, white, red vertical stripes, no emblem: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green, white, red vertical stripes, no emblem
- Blue, white, red vertical stripes: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue, white, red vertical stripes
- Black, red, gold horizontal stripes: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Black, red, gold horizontal stripes
- Red and white crosses on blue (Union Jack): flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red and white crosses on blue (Union Jack)
- Red-white stripes, 50 white stars on a blue corner: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red-white stripes, 50 white stars on a blue corner
- Union Jack, big white star and Southern Cross on blue: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Union Jack, big white star and Southern Cross on blue
- White, red-blue circle, black three-bar marks in corners: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: White, red-blue circle, black three-bar marks in corners
- Saffron, white, green stripes, blue wheel in centre: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Saffron, white, green stripes, blue wheel in centre
- Red with a large yellow star and four small ones: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red with a large yellow star and four small ones
- White crescent and star on a red field: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: White crescent and star on a red field
- Blue and white stripes, white cross in the corner: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue and white stripes, white cross in the corner
- Yellow cross on a blue field: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Yellow cross on a blue field
- Blue cross on a white field: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue cross on a white field
- Gold diagonal cross, green and black triangles: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Gold diagonal cross, green and black triangles
- Light blue, white, light blue stripes, golden sun: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Light blue, white, light blue stripes, golden sun
- Red, yellow, red stripes with a coat of arms: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red, yellow, red stripes with a coat of arms
- Red, white, black stripes with a golden eagle: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red, white, black stripes with a golden eagle
- Green sideways Y, black triangle, red and blue bands: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green sideways Y, black triangle, red and blue bands
- Green, white, green vertical stripes: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green, white, green vertical stripes
- Black, red, green stripes with a Maasai shield: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Black, red, green stripes with a Maasai shield
- Red, gold, green stripes with a black star: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red, gold, green stripes with a black star
- Green with white Arabic script above a sword: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green with white Arabic script above a sword
- Blue six-pointed star between two blue stripes: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue six-pointed star between two blue stripes
- Two stacked red pennants with a moon and a sun: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Two stacked red pennants with a moon and a sun
- Copper island map above two olive branches: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Copper island map above two olive branches
- Green, white, red stripes with an eagle on a cactus: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green, white, red stripes with an eagle on a cactus
- Green and red fields with a gold armillary sphere: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green and red fields with a gold armillary sphere
- Blue square with a white star, white over red: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue square with a white star, white over red
- Blue and white stripes, white star in a red triangle: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue and white stripes, white star in a red triangle
- One large yellow star on a plain red field: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: One large yellow star on a plain red field
- Blue over yellow horizontal stripes: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue over yellow horizontal stripes
- White over red horizontal stripes: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: White over red horizontal stripes
- Green, white, orange vertical stripes: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green, white, orange vertical stripes
- White-edged blue cross on a red field: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: White-edged blue cross on a red field
- Yellow and orange diagonal halves, white dragon: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Yellow and orange diagonal halves, white dragon
- Red, white, wide blue, white, red horizontal stripes: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red, white, wide blue, white, red horizontal stripes
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