The Best Flags in The World
Every country has a flag, and each flag is distinctively different from any other (or that should be the case, anyway). Although their designs might look quite random to the uninitiated, the best flags in the world tell a story about the country that they represent and are usually a great insight into its history and culture. However, with 195 countries in the world[i], it takes a lot of effort to design a flag that is unique, yet eye-catching and meaningful. Many of them rely on the psychology of colour and its symbolism.
In this article, we’re going to share our favourite flags and speak about how their designs set them apart from the rest.
1. Brazil
The Brazilian flag has been re-designed a few times. Its current flag was created in 1889 and has since had more stars added to represent new districts that have been formed in the country. It is one of the few flags that has words on it, proudly brandishing the motto ‘order and progress’ – the two core democratic focuses of the Brazilian republic when it was first formed.
Features:
- Stars – The flag currently has 27 stars to represent the states and districts in the country, an idea that was modelled on the USA flag.
- Green – To symbolise the rich, vast forests of Brazil
- Yellow – Represents the prosperity of Brazil
- Blue – Is supposed to look like the night sky, in which the stars of the country are present
2. Switzerland
The iconic flag of Switzerland is very simple but striking. It simply comprises of a red background with a chunky, white cross in the centre that is deeply rooted in the country’s history. The cross symbol made its first appearance during the battle of Laupen in the canton of Bern (1339), during which soldiers embellished their chain mail with a white cross to distinguish themselves from the opposing army.
Features:
- Square shaped – the Swiss flag is square instead of rectangular. This is simply because their military coats of arms were square when the flag was designed.
- Red background – nobody has a definitive answer for why red is used, but some suspect it might represent the blood of Christ.
- White cross – represents the history of the country as well as the Christian cross.
3. Albania
The Albanian flag is certainly striking and makes an immediate impact. It depicts a double-headed, black eagle against a blood-red background. It has been added and taken away from a few times, for example, a crown was added during the reign of King Zog in 1928 – 1939. A star was added whilst the country was under a communist government and was removed once this collapsed. Albania’s flag has a history as complex as the country itself, but the final design was standardised in 2002 and has since been left alone.
Colours
- Red: #FF0000
- Black: #000000
Features
- Red background – the red background signifies strength and bravery, as well as bloodshed that the country has been through.
- Double-headed eagle – this is representative of the sovereign state of Albania. This symbolism had been widely used to represent noble families in the country during the Middle Ages.
4. Jamaica
The contracting colours and geometric shapes present in the Jamaican flag are simple yet extremely effective. The flag is very symbolic, as it represented the start of Jamaica’s independence from Britain after 300 years under British ruling. There was a competition held to design the flag, but none of the submissions hit the mark so the current flag was designed in time for Jamaican Independence Day (6th August).
Colours
- Gold: #FFB81C
- Green: #007749
- Black: #2D2926
Features
- Gold cross – this signifies the shining sun and the country’s wealth
- Green – the green represents the yielding, green fields
- Black – represents the overwhelming creativity and strength of the people
5. Japan
The Japanese flag is another example of simple yet effective design and proof that sometimes less is more. The flag is also known as the ‘circle of the sun’ (Hinomaru) in Japan, as a nod to how spectacular the Japanese sunrise is. The boldness of this flag is almost intimidating but still incorporates a symbol of the sun which is what Japan has been using to represent itself for thousands of years. The aggressive design with its cultural background makes it stand out amongst the flags of other countries.
Colours
- White - #FFFFFF
- Red - #BC002D
Features
- Red circle – symbolising the sun, strength, and prosperity
- White background – symbolising purity and honesty
6. Sierra Leone
The tricolour flag of Sierra Leone is a basic but impactful flag that consists of 3 horizontal stripes. This flag was first hoisted in 1961 to celebrate Sierra Leone’s independence from British rule, which makes it a very meaningful symbol for the country. In fact, in Sierra Leone it is illegal to insult the flag.
Colours
- Green - #1EB53A
- White - #FFFFFF
- Blue - #0072C6
Features
- Tri-colour – 3 equal stripes with each colour representing something about Sierra Leone. Green represents the rich agricultural lands and the nature that is present in the country. White is representative of justice and unity. Blue represents the harbour and the sea.
7. India
The Indian flag is another flag whose history started when the country freed itself from British rule. Mohandas K Gandhi played a part in the design, ensuring it represented the diverse nature of India, her people, and their religions. Each colour represents a religious district within India, and the spinning wheel in the centre speaks for their self-sufficiency and self-reliance[i].
Colours
- Orange - #FF9933
- White - #FFFFFF
- Green - #138808
- Blue - #000080
Features
- Tri-colour stripes – each stripe represents a religious group in India. Orange represents Hindus, green represents Muslims, and the white represents all other religious communities.
- Wheel – the spinning wheel represents the tool which many Indians had to use to create their own clothing from local fibres, a symbol of their self-reliance
8. Lebanon
Simplified from an older design, the green tree in the centre of Lebanon’s flag design is what easily sets it apart from other designs, making it one of the best flag designs out there. The tree is an icon of the Lebanese cedar, which is mentioned in the bible no less than 77 times, making it a vitally important part of Lebanese culture.
Colours
- Red - #ED1C24
- White - #FFFFFF
- Green - #00A651
Features
- Horizontal red stripes – symbolises the bloodshed of the Lebanese people as they fought past invaders.
- Green tree – a Lebanese cedar, represents new growth and life after a cruel, unforgiving past
- White background – represents the snow that is often present, a symbol of peace and purity
What does your flag say about your country?
There are 100s of flags that we haven’t managed to fit in our article, and all of them have interesting stories behind them. What do you know about your flag? And should it be in the shortlist for the best flag design in the world? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Produced by Colour Graphics, experts in graphic printing.
Source
https://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-are-there-in-the-world/
https://study.com/academy/lesson/history-of-the-brazilian-flag.html
https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/gesellschaft/traditionen/fahne.html
https://jis.gov.jm/information/symbols/jamaica-national-flag/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sierra_Leone#:~:text=The%20green%20alludes%20to%20the,world%20peace%22%20through%20its%20usage.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-India
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Lebanon
https://www.flagcolorcodes.com/