Top 20 Best Designed National Flags

The history of the Aztec Empire greatly influences the symbol found within the center of this triple-colored flag. Tenochtitlan was the name previously used for the area that currently rests within Mexico’s capital, one that connects her people to their Aztec culture. Meanwhile, the green, white and red color pattern represents the Mexican Army, and symbolizes the country’s fight for independence from Spain. This combination of culture, struggle and history ties into Mexican identity, which is profoundly represented via this instantly recognizable flag. Not too shabby for one that was adopted fairly recently, in 1968.

The history of this flag is another with contemporary origins. This flag of Kazakhstan was adopted back in 1992, a year after the collapse of the Soviet Union. As a result, this flag represents Kazakhstan’s sovereignty from Russian rule. This can be seen within its design, which retains the Soviet golden coloring while also including a representative blue for open sky and opportunity. The blue within the flag also ties into the Turkic spiritual identity of Kazakhstan’s people, while the brightly lit sun and eagle design focuses upon new cultural freedoms and future prosperity.

It was the 5 October 1910 Revolution in Portugal that helped shift political control within that country from a monarchy to a newly established First Portuguese Republic. This new flag is retained today, a gorgeous green and red with gold, blue and white highlights. The shield of Portugal rests to the left of the rectangular stripe design, but vertically centered, and this was definitely intentional. Portugal’s new republic sought to differentiate herself from the oppressive monarchy that came before, and did so with this field pattern and decidedly important color scheme.

The flags of some countries employ simple colors and designs, while others choose to incorporate symbols with deep, cultural significance. Malaysia’s flag does the latter, including a yellow crescent moon alongside a fourteen-pointed Federal Star. Meanwhile, the red and white stripe designs don’t feel dissimilar to the United States, with each representing Malaysia’s thirteen federal states. That aforementioned crescent moon ties into the religious culture of Islam, while the Bintang Persekutuan, or Federal Star, represents state and federal unity. The yellow colors present within the star and moon also tie into the royal rule of Malaysia, a governing council that stands as the only one of its kind in the world.

It was during Croatia’s fight for independence from Hungarian rule that designs for this official flag were first drafted. The red, white and blue stripes were initially adopted as an homage to Russia, a noted enemy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The German invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941 allowed for Croatia to be established as an independent state, leading to the addition of a symbol to the flag’s hoist. This symbol was initially of the fascist Ustaše organization, but it went through a number of replacements, including the communist red star, before achieving the final form it enjoys today. The shield emblem represents all of Croatia’s historic republics, specifically the color patterns of their respective coats-of-arms.

There are a lot of cool elements going on within the design of Sri Lanka’s national flag. It’s sometimes referred to as “the Lion Flag” and for obvious reasons. The presence of a sword-wielding lion opposite of the flag’s hoist is connected with Sri Lanka’s founder, Prince Vijaya. Stories tell of his arrival from India’s Sinhapura, or “Lion City,” sometimes around the fifth century BCE. Meanwhile, the orange and teal colors of the flag symbolize different aspects of Sri Lanka’s diverse population, specifically Tamil and Moor, while the yellow border is inclusive to other ethnic groups residing in the country.

The people of Jamaica wasted no time when it came to adopting their official, national flag on the same day the country achieved her independence from the United Kingdom. The colors of the Jamaican flag are notable for not including any common, root shades of red, white or blue. Instead, the striking green and black design is divided into four quarters via a dividing yellow cross. Citizens of Jamaica were actually invited to help design the national flag, with over 360 different submissions being sent in to the country’s government. The cross design would ultimately be developed internally, however, taking inspiration from the similar blue and white flag of Scotland.

There will seemingly always be a strong connection to the victorious feelings after a revolution and the patriotism of choosing a new national flag. The Philippines gained their independence from Spain after the Philippine Revolution of 1896, and the design of this flag celebrates that victory. The eight rays of light emitting from the hoist-side represent the Philippines provinces that rose up against the Spanish during the conflict. Meanwhile, the stars along the white hoist-side triangle designated The Philippines as an island nation, while the actual triple-sided space designates equality amongst the Philippine people.

The uniqueness of the flag of Papua New Guinea truly captures the eye almost immediately. We’re talking about how it separates the red and black color palette diagonally, instead of vertically or horizontally. The flag also includes the Southern Cross constellation, which tells the world that Papua New Guinea resides in the world’s Southern Hemisphere. This image also ties into Papua New Guinea’s cultural history, since it officially gained independence from Australia in 1975. The national bird of Papua New Guinea, the Raggiana bird-of-paradise also sits proudly in silhouette, opposite of the flag’s hoist.

The flags of North and South Korea couldn’t be more different. Granted, the colors of red, white and blue remain, but the South Korean flag is a lot busier when it comes to design. It’s also referred to as the “Taegeukgi,” and contains four symbols known as bagua, which represent opposite forces that achieve balance through mutual reinforcement. Additionally, a red and white yin/yang symbol is notable for its central presence within the South Korean flag, denoting harmony between the negative and positive influences of the universe. The Taegeukgi is also a comparatively recent flag, having only been adopted in South Korea since 1948.

The next flag on our list is simple yet bold, with the black emblem of a double-headed eagle making it one of the coolest looking flags in the world. If the impressive look isn’t enough, the eagle has actually been a symbol of Albania since the Middle Ages, where it originated as a coat of arms. It became largely synonymous with Albania after a successful revolt over the Ottoman Empire, which saw the country gain its independence. Though over the years a number of variations of the flag have appeared under different governments and regimes, the core elements and colors have largely remained constant.

A new era of unity began in South Africa with the historic end of Apartheid in 1994, which ended legal segregation and discrimination and saw the white and black populations move closer together. To commemorate the new government and the beginning of equality, the new flag honored both the country’s African and European roots. The Y shape across the center features the African National Congress colors of black, yellow and green. With a red band at the top and blue on the bottom, each flanked by white strips, the flag also showcases more of South Africa’s history by calling back to the flags of both the Netherlands and Britain, who share the colors.

Everything about this flag’s design – the crest, the colors, and even the asymmetry – has a fitting air of majesty to it. Spain’s current flag harkens back to those flown by the Spanish Navy under Charles III, which featured the Spanish coat of arms. Noting the abundance of flags featuring white, Charles opted for something different – primarily in order to avoid unfortunate incidents while meeting foreign enemies at sea – and the red and yellow have appeared on the Spanish flag since. The flag reached its final incarnation in 1981, when it brought back the crest, which had disappeared under Dictator Franco’s regime, and now flanked it with two columns, representing the Pillars of Hercules.

The maple leaf was a symbol of Canada even before Confederation in 1867; however, it wasn’t until 1965 that the country had a flag to call its own. Although different flags had been used for military purposes, the lack of a true national flag was a source of contention for French and English speaking Canadians alike. Red and white were named as official colors by King George V in 1921, but it took 40 years for those colors to be seen on an official national flag. Forgoing any British or French symbolism, the simple yet iconic flag displays two red bands, which represent the oceans on either side of the country, with the uniquely Canadian image of an eleven-pointed maple leaf standing proudly between them.

No list of flags would be complete without this unique entry. Nepal’s flag is the only flag in the world without four corners or four edges, forgoing the usual square or rectangular template in favor of a shape formed by two intersecting triangles. The triangles represent Nepal’s most famous landmark, the Himalayan Mountains, and each is adorned by a different symbol: the sun represents intense determination, while the moon signifies peace and tranquility. The striking crimson, the national color of Nepal, works perfectly as a backdrop for the white symbols of the sun and the moon. All of this is surrounded by a dark blue border which symbolizes peace, on this instantly recognizable flag.

The “Star-Spangled Banner” can trace its roots all the way back to the American revolution, when thirteen colonies under British rule came together to fight for their independence. The newly united colonies were represented by thirteen bars of red and white with a British flag in the upper left corner. The British flag was quickly replaced by a circle of thirteen white stars on a blue border, and over the years those stars have come to represent the number of current states in the Union, while the 13 stripes remained constant. Surprisingly a number of countries around the world admire Old Glory so much they’ve modified it for their own use.

The uncommon color combination, along with a stylized dragon draped across the center, makes this flag one of the most interesting in the world. This small nation has a long rich history tied to Tibetan Buddhism, which is reflected on their flag. The orange used represents Buddhist spiritual tradition, while the yellow portion symbolizing civil tradition, with Druk the thunder dragon covering each color equally. As if a thunder dragon isn’t cool enough, he clutches jewels, representing prosperity and protection of his people, while his snarling face is said to be a sign of the dragon’s defense of Bhutan.

This iconic emblem should be familiar to any fans of international football and Brazil’s phenomenal team. Each of its 27 five-pointed white stars represents a state; however the stars also correspond with the actual Brazilian sky. More specifically, it’s a depiction of nine constellations as they appeared on the morning of November 15th, 1889, the day the Brazilian Republic was established. The blue circle containing the starry array works perfectly against the golden diamond and green background, design elements carried over from the Brazilian Empire. Brazil’s motto, “Ordem e Progresso” arches across the sphere in the perfect finishing touch to bring the banner together.

Upon first glance, the flag of Barbados features a visually pleasing combination of blue and yellow, with the top of a black trident standing out in its center. However, it isn’t only aesthetics that earn the flag its high ranking. Chosen when a national contest was held to pick a national flag, it was adopted in 1966, when Barbados earned its independence from the British Empire. The “broken trident” recalls the flag used when Barbados was a British colony, whereupon Britannia wielded it. The now-broken trident symbolizes that the country has broken away from its colonial past and is free from foreign rule.

The top flag on our list has a rich history, a stylish look, is recognizable across the world, and is even prominent in fashion. The flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is an amalgamation of three separate flags, each with its own storied history. Since the Middle Ages the cross of St. George has represented England, while St. Andrew’s cross has been Scotland’s national symbol. The original Union Jack was created as a combination of these emblems in 1606 when James VI of Scotland inherited the English crown. Eventually in 1801, the cross of St. Patrick was added for Ireland, completing the flag proudly saluted by every Brit, from James Bond to The Who.


Is there a unique-looking flag you feel deserves some extra attention? Let us know in the comments!