The flags of the world begin with the Afghanistan flag and end with the Zimbabwe flag. Each flag represents a countries history and place in the world, a unique and important story that makes up the fabric of the human civilization.
Some country flags are widely recognized by people around the world: The Canadian Maple Leaf, the American Star-Spangled Banner, the French Tricolore. But how many flags of the 197 independent nations in the world would you be able to identify?
Here is the full list of every independent country in the world in alphabetical order:
A
Afghanistan
Image source: Wikipedia
Albania
Image source: Wikipedia
Algeria
Image source: Wikipedia
The flag of Algeria features a crescent moon, the symbol of Islam.
Andorra
Image source: Wikipedia
Angola
Image source: Wikipedia
Antigua and Barbuda
Image source: Wikipedia
Argentina
Image source: Wikipedia
This flag symbolizes Argentina’s independence from Spain. The blue stripes symbolize the sky. It was adopted in 1812.
Armenia
Image source: Wikipedia
Aruba
Image source: Wikipedia
Australia
Image source: Wikipedia
Austria
Image source: Wikipedia
Azerbaijan
Image source: Wikipedia
B
Bahamas, The
Image source: Wikipedia
Bahrain
Image source: Wikipedia
Bangladesh
Image source: Wikipedia
The red disc on the Bangladesh disc is a symbol for the rising sun and the blood of those who struggled for the country’s independence.
Barbados
Image source: Wikipedia
Belarus
Image source: Wikipedia
Belgium
Image source: Wikipedia
Belize
Image source: Wikipedia
Belize adopted its national flag on their first independence day on September 21, 1981.
Benin
Image source: Wikipedia
Bhutan
Image source: Wikipedia
Bolivia
Image source: Wikipedia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Image source: Wikipedia
Botswana
Image source: Wikipedia
Brazil
Image source: Wikipedia
The flag of Brazil features the Southern Cross and the national motto in Portuguese “Ordem e Progresso” (“Order and Progress).
Brunei
Image source: Wikipedia
Bulgaria
Image source: Wikipedia
Burkina Faso
Image source: Wikipedia
Burma
Image source: Wikipedia
Burundi
Image source: Wikipedia
C
Cambodia
Image source: Wikipedia
Cameroon
Image source: Wikipedia
Canada
Image source: Wikipedia
The flag of Canada is often referred to as the Maple Leaf in English or L’Unifolié in French. It was adopted in 1965 to replace the Canadian Red Ensign or the Union flag (the flag of the United Kingdom), which were then used in Canada.
Cabo Verde
Image source: Wikipedia
The Central African Republic
Image source: Wikipedia
Chad
Image source: Wikipedia
Chile
Image source: Wikipedia
China
Image source: Wikipedia
Colombia
Image source: Wikipedia
Comoros
Image source: Wikipedia
Congo, the Democratic Republic of the
Image source: Wikipedia
Congo, Republic of the
Image source: Wikipedia
Costa Rica
Image source: Wikipedia
Cote d’Ivoire
Image source: Wikipedia
Croatia
Image source: Wikipedia
Cuba
Image source: Wikipedia
The Cuban flag was adopted in 1902, only a few years after Cuban achieved its independence from Spain. The flag of Cuba served as the model for the flag of Puerto Rico and the Independentist flag of Catalonia, both of which also feature horizontal stripes and a red equilateral triangle with a star.
Curacao
Image source: Wikipedia
Cyprus
Image source: Wikipedia
Czechia
Image source: Wikipedia
D
Denmark
Image source: Wikipedia
The flag of Denmark features a white Scandinavian cross over a red background. Neighboring Sweden, Norway, and Finland also use similar designs.
Djibouti
Image source: Wikipedia
Dominica
Image source: Wikipedia
Dominican Republic
Image source: Wikipedia
E
East Timor (see Timor-Leste)
Image source: Wikipedia
This former Portuguese colony was later invaded by neighboring Indonesia but recovered its independence 2002.
Ecuador
Image source: Wikipedia
Image source: Wikipedia
El Salvador
Image source: Wikipedia
Equatorial Guinea
Image source: Wikipedia
Eritrea
Image source: Wikipedia
Estonia
Image source: Wikipedia
Ethiopia
Image source: Wikipedia
F
Fiji
Image source: Wikipedia
Finland
Image source: Wikipedia
France
Image source: Wikipedia
The flag of France is one of the most recognizable world flags. It was adopted after the French Revolution in 1794.
G
Gabon
Image source: Wikipedia
Gambia, The
Image source: Wikipedia
Georgia
Image source: Wikipedia
Germany
Image source: Wikipedia
This horizontal tricolor flag was first adopted in 1919 although it was replaced by the Nazi flag in 1933. It was restored after Germany lost World War II in 1949.
Ghana
Image source: Wikipedia
Greece
Image source: Wikipedia
The cross of the flag of Greece symbolizes Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Grenada
Image source: Wikipedia
Guatemala
Image source: Wikipedia
Guinea
Image source: Wikipedia
Guinea-Bissau
Image source: Wikipedia
Guyana
Image source: Wikipedia
H
Haiti
Image source: Wikipedia
Holy See
Image source: Wikipedia
Honduras
Image source: Wikipedia
Hong Kong
Image source: Wikipedia
The national flag of Hong Kong was adopted when the United Kingdom handed over the sovereignty of their former colony over to the People’s Republic of China. It replaced several former colonial flags that were similar in design to those used for other former British colonies such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Hungary
Image source: Wikipedia
I
Iceland
Image source: Wikipedia
Image source: Wikipedia
Indonesia
Image source: Wikipedia
Iran
Image source: Wikipedia
Iraq
Image source: Wikipedia
Ireland
Image source: Wikipedia
The Republic of Ireland follows the republic tradition set out by France of having a tricolor flag. The flag was adopted after the country’s independence from Britain in 1922.
Israel
Image source: Wikipedia
Italy
Image source: Wikipedia
J
Jamaica
Image source: Wikipedia
Japan
Image source: Wikipedia
The national flag of Japan symbolizes the rising sand, for which the country is famous. It was first adopted in 1870.
Jordan
Image source: Wikipedia
K
Kazakhstan
Image source: Wikipedia
Kenya
Image source: Wikipedia
Kiribati
Image source: Wikipedia
Kosovo
Image source: Wikipedia
The flag of Kosovo was only adopted in 2008 after the nation declared independence from Serbia. It features a map of Kosovo over a blue background.
Kuwait
Image source: Wikipedia
Kyrgyzstan
Image source: Wikipedia
L
Laos
Image source: Wikipedia
Latvia
Image source: Wikipedia
Lebanon
Image source: Wikipedia
Lesotho
Image source: Wikipedia
Liberia
Image source: Wikipedia
The flag of Liberia resembles that of the United States because the African nation was founded by freed slaves from America and the Caribbean.
Libya
Image source: Wikipedia
Liechtenstein
Image source: Wikipedia
Lithuania
Image source: Wikipedia
Luxembourg
Image source: Wikipedia
With a very similar design to the one used for the flag of the Netherlands, Luxembourg adopted it in 1830. The small country had no national flag at that point.
M
Macau
Image source: Wikipedia
This former Portuguese colony is now a special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China. It features a lotus flower, which is the floral emblem of the country.
Macedonia
Image source: Wikipedia
Madagascar
Image source: Wikipedia
Malawi
Image source: Wikipedia
Malaysia
Image source: Wikipedia
Maldives
Image source: Wikipedia
Mali
Image source: Wikipedia
Malta
Image source: Wikipedia
The most salient element of the Maltese flag is the George Cross, King George VI awarded this Mediterranean island nation back when it was a British colony.
Marshall Islands
Image source: Wikipedia
Mauritania
Image source: Wikipedia
Mauritius
Image source: Wikipedia
Mexico
Image source: Wikipedia
Micronesia
Image source: Wikipedia
Moldova
Image source: Wikipedia
Monaco
Image source: Wikipedia
Mongolia
Image source: Wikipedia
Montenegro
Image source: Wikipedia
Morocco
Image source: Wikipedia
Mozambique
Image source: Wikipedia
N
Namibia
Image source: Wikipedia
Nauru
Image source: Wikipedia
Nepal
Image source: Wikipedia
The flag of Nepal is unique because it is the only flag in the world that does not have a quadrilateral design.
Netherlands
Image source: Wikipedia
New Zealand
Image source: Wikipedia
Nicaragua
Image source: Wikipedia
Niger
Image source: Wikipedia
Nigeria
Image source: Wikipedia
North Korea
Image source: Wikipedia
Norway
Image source: Wikipedia
O
Oman
Image source: Wikipedia
P
Pakistan
Image source: Wikipedia
Palau
Image source: Wikipedia
Palestinian Territories
Image source: Wikipedia
Panama
Image source: Wikipedia
The national flag of Panama was adopted in 1925.
Papua New Guinea
Image source: Wikipedia
Paraguay
Image source: Wikipedia
Peru
Image source: Wikipedia
Philippines
Image source: Wikipedia
Poland
Image source: Wikipedia
Portugal
Image source: Wikipedia
The national flag of the Portuguese Republic features a representation of an armillary sphere that symbolizes the role Portugal played in the so-called Age of Discoveries, and the Portuguese shield that in different forms has been used since Portugal was born in 1139.
Q
Qatar
Image source: Wikipedia
R
Romania
Image source: Wikipedia
Image source: Wikipedia
The Russian tricolor flag was first adopted in 1696 but it was replaced by different flags until it was restored in the early 1990s after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Rwanda
Image source: Wikipedia
S
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Image source: Wikipedia
Saint Lucia
Image source: Wikipedia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Image source: Wikipedia
Samoa
Image source: Wikipedia
San Marino
Image source: Wikipedia
Sao Tome and Principe
Image source: Wikipedia
Saudi Arabia
Image source: Wikipedia
Senegal
Image source: Wikipedia
Serbia
Image source: Wikipedia
Seychelles
Image source: Wikipedia
Sierra Leone
Image source: Wikipedia
Singapore
Image source: Wikipedia
Sint Maarten
Image source: Wikipedia
Slovakia
Image source: Wikipedia
Slovenia
Image source: Wikipedia
Solomon Islands
Image source: Wikipedia
Somalia
Image source: Wikipedia
South Africa
Image source: Wikipedia
The colorful flag of South Africa was adopted in 1994 replacing the old flag that had been in used by the apartheid regime since 1928.
South Korea
Image source: Wikipedia
South Sudan
Image source: Wikipedia
Spain
Image source: Wikipedia
Sri Lanka
Image source: Wikipedia
Sudan
Image source: Wikipedia
Suriname
Image source: Wikipedia
Swaziland
Image source: Wikipedia
Sweden
Image source: Wikipedia
Switzerland
Image source: Wikipedia
Syria
Image source: Wikipedia
T
Taiwan
Image source: Wikipedia
Tajikistan
Image source: Wikipedia
Tanzania
Image source: Wikipedia
Thailand
Image source: Wikipedia
Timor-Leste
Image source: Wikipedia
Togo
Image source: Wikipedia
Tonga
Image source: Wikipedia
Trinidad and Tobago
Image source: Wikipedia
Tunisia
Image source: Wikipedia
Turkey
Image source: Wikipedia
The current flag of Turkey is inspired by the flag of the Ottoman empire. It was adopted in 1936.
Turkmenistan
Image source: Wikipedia
Tuvalu
Image source: Wikipedia
U
Uganda
Image source: Wikipedia
Ukraine
Image source: Wikipedia
United Arab Emirates
Image source: Wikipedia
United States of America
Image source: Wikipedia
I wake up every morning signing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ – Terry McAuliffe
United Kingdom
Image source: Wikipedia
Uruguay
Image source: Wikipedia
Uzbekistan
Image source: Wikipedia
V
Vanuatu
Image source: Wikipedia
Venezuela
Image source: Wikipedia
The current Venezuelan flag was adopted in 2006 but it was based on the flag that had been in use after the Venezuelan War of Independence in 1811. Some of the changes were adding the eighth star or changing the orientation of the white horse galloping, from left to right.
Vietnam
Image source: Wikipedia
Y
Yemen
Image source: Wikipedia
Z
Zambia
Image source: Wikipedia
Zimbabwe
Image source: Wikipedia
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