"mast as a distinguishing mark. Today, for example, commissioned ships of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fly the NOAA flag as a distinguishing mark. Flags are usually rectangular in shape (often in the ratio 2:3, 1:2, or 3:5), but may be of any shape or size that is practical for flying, including square, triangular, or swallow tailed. A more unusual flag shape is that of the flag of Nepal, which is in the shape of two stacked triangles. Other unusual flag shapes include the flag of Ohio and the flag of Tampa. Many flags are dyed through and"
"it is wide, again except for the flag of Nepal. The flags of Switzerland and the Vatican City are the only national flags which are exact squares. The obverse and reverse of all national flags are either identical or mirrored, except for the flag of Paraguay and the partially recognized Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. See Flags whose reverse differs from the obverse for a list of exceptions including non-national flags. As of 2011, all national flags consist of at least two different colours. In many cases, the different colours are presented in either horizontal or vertical bands. It is particularly"
"world's only non-quadrilateral national flag. The flag is a simplified combination of two single pennons, the vexillological word for a pennant. Its crimson red is the colour of the rhododendron, the country's national flower. Red is also the sign of victory in war. The blue border is the colour of peace. Until 1962, the flag's emblems, the sun and the crescent moon, had human faces. They were removed to modernize the flag. Daura-Suruwal is a national costume of Nepal. Previously it was removed as a national costume in 2011 but again government declared it as a national costume in August"
"alone has the rational aspect ratio 3:4 (=1:1.333…). The shape of the flag of Nepal is difficult to reproduce, and is often used incorrectly. These typically have a white area to make the flag a 3:2 ratio; an example is the Nepalese Flag used at the 2016 Summer Olympics. During a 2018 visit of the Prime Minister of India to Province 2, a version of the flag with incorrect colouring was flown by officials, causing outrage on social media and with national personnel. Flag of Nepal The national flag of Nepal () is the world's only non-quadrilateral national flag. The"
"Flag of Nepal The national flag of Nepal () is the world's only non-quadrilateral national flag. The flag is a simplified combination of two single pennons (the vexillological word for pennants), known as a double pennon. Its crimson red is the colour of the rhododendron, Nepal's national flower, while the blue border is the colour of peace. Until 1962, the flag's emblems, the sun and the crescent moon, had human faces, but were removed to modernize the flag. The current flag was adopted on 16 December 1962, along with the formation of a new constitutional government. It borrows from the"
"the only current communist country that does not use a five-pointed star in its flag as an emblem. The current flag was adopted on December 2, 1975 when it became a socialist state. This flag replaced the 1952-1975 flag of Laos that represented the royal monarchy, which was red, with a triple-headed white elephant on a pedestal beneath a parasol. This expressed the ancient name of the country, ""Land of a Million Elephants"", and dated from the 19th century. From 1953 onward the royal government waged war with the Pathet Lao, whose flag was blue with a white disk and"
"of the country). Flags with truly different images on each side are even rarer. The only UN-recognized nation whose present-day flag contains a unique image on each side is Paraguay. Flags whose reverse differs from the obverse This article contains a list of flags for which the reverse (back) is different from the obverse (front). It includes current as well as historic flags of both nations and national subdivisions such as provinces, states, territories, and cities (including a few that are not recognized by the United Nations or whose sovereignty is in dispute). When the flag is that of a"
"of Kurdistan, and the flag of Nepal have only straight (triangular) rays, while that on the flag of Kyrgyzstan has only curvy rays. The flag of the Philippines has short diverging rays grouped into threes. Another form of rayed depiction of the sun is with simple radial lines dividing the field into two colors, as in the military flags of Japan and the current Flag of the Republic of Macedonia, and in the top parts of the flag of Tibet and the flag of Arizona. The flag of New Mexico is based on the Zia people's sun symbol which has"
"of a non-quadrilateral civil flag, another well-known example being the flag of Nepal. According to vexillologist Whitney Smith, it may be loosely based upon cavalry flags of the Civil War and Spanish–American War. The flag has been officially defined as a ""burgee"" since 2002, even though burgees are typically used as maritime flags. Its shape, lack of text, and mirror symmetry allow it to be flown or hung in various orientations without affecting legibility. On account of the flag's uncommon shape, foreign manufacturers have occasionally set the entire design against a white, rectangular field. For nearly a century after statehood,"
"equilateral triangle that does not extend to the middle of the flag. The star within the chevron has a radius that is the length of the hoist. Its middle is halfway up the flag. Flag of Cuba The national flag of Cuba consists of five alternating stripes (three blue and two white) and a red equilateral triangle at the hoist, within which is a white five-pointed star. It was designed in 1849 and officially adopted May 20, 1902. It is one of the two flags of a currently socialist country (the other being Laos) that does not use any communist"
"the flag's composition and the symbolism of its elements: red symbolises ""universal brotherhood and equality of man"", and white, ""pervading and everlasting purity and virtue"". The waxing crescent moon ""represents a young nation on the ascendant"". The five stars ""stand for the nation's ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality"". During the second half of the 20th century, the star and crescent symbol came to be recognized as a symbol of Islam, and Singapore's flag came to be seen in this context by the nation's Muslim activists. Singapore and Nepal are the only non-Muslim nations to have a crescent"
"arms on the state flag that is absent from the civil flag. Very few countries use a war flag that differs from the state flag. The People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and Japan are notable examples of this. Swallow-tailed flags are used as war flags and naval ensigns in Nordic countries and charged versions as presidential or royal standards. The Philippines does not have a distinctive war flag in this usual sense, but the flag of the Philippines is legally unique in that it is flown with the red stripe on top when the country is"
"Diplomatic flag A diplomatic flag is a flag used by a sovereign state engaging in diplomacy which is different from the nation's normal national flag. Some nations also have personal flags that are used by their diplomatic representatives, such as the U.S. Foreign Service flags. Currently, only two nations use diplomatic flags: Thailand (formerly Siam) and the United Kingdom. Different flags are used based upon the diplomatic rank of the mission. British High Commissions do not use diplomatic flags but rather the normal flag of the United Kingdom, since members of the Commonwealth are not considered 'foreign' by the government"
"flag of Chile and a condor, the national bird, and ends with the flag of Mexico next to an eagle and a serpent, important national symbols of Mexico. The flags are organized from right to left, following the geographical placement of the nations from south to north. Thus the sequence begins with Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia of South America; continues with Haiti, Cuba, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala of Central America and the Caribbean; and ends with Mexico of North America. The only peoples excluded are those who are not sovereign,"
"squares until 1889, when its dimensions were officially set. The civil and state ensign of Switzerland, used by Swiss ships, boats and non-governmental bodies, is rectangular in shape and has the more common proportions of 3:2. The Swiss flag is one of only two square sovereign-state flags, the other being the flag of Vatican City. The emblem of the Red Cross is the Swiss flag with switched colours. According to the 2017 flag law (SR 232.21), ""The Swiss flag shows a Swiss cross on a square background"". Special provisions are made for the naval ensign and for civil aircraft identification."
"the same colours utilized in the flag of Ethiopia, the oldest independent country in Africa and the only nation other than Liberia to remain independent during the Scramble for Africa. Flag of the Republic of the Congo The national flag of the Republic of the Congo consists of a yellow diagonal band divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner, with a green upper triangle and red lower triangle. Adopted in 1959 to replace the French Tricolour, it was the flag of the Republic of the Congo until 1970, when the People's Republic of the Congo was established. The new regime"
"very small quantities. In fact, they only occur in the symbols of flags, such as in the Spanish flag. Although the national flag is meant to be a unique symbol for a country, many pairs of countries have highly similar flags. Examples include the flags of Monaco and Indonesia, which differ only slightly in proportion; the flags of the Netherlands and Luxembourg, which differ in proportion as well as in the tint of blue used; and the flags of Romania and Chad, which differ only in the tint of blue. The flags of Ireland and Côte d'Ivoire and the flags"
"Flag of Laos The flag of Laos consists of three horizontal stripes, with the middle stripe in blue being twice the height of the top and bottom red stripes. In the middle is a white disc, the diameter of the disc is the height of the blue stripe. The flag ratio is 2:3. The national flag of Laos was first adopted in 1945 under the short-lived Lao Issara government of 1945–46, then by the Pathet Lao. It is one of the two flags of a currently communist country (the other being Cuba) that does not use any communist symbolism and"
"Flag of Jamaica The flag of Jamaica was adopted on 6 August 1962, the original Jamaican Independence Day, the country having gained independence from the British-protected Federation of the West Indies. The flag consists of a gold saltire, which divides the flag into four sections: two of them green (top and bottom) and two black (hoist and fly). It is the only current national flag in the world that does not feature any of the colours red, white, or blue. The present design emerged from those sent in by the public in a national competition. It was originally designed with"
"medium of dance and music. Most houses in the rural lowlands of Nepal are made up of a tight bamboo framework and walls of a mud and cow-dung mix. These dwellings remain cool in summer and retain warmth in winter. Houses in the hills are usually made of unbaked bricks with thatch or tile roofing. At high elevations construction changes to stone masonry and slate may be used on roofs. Nepal's flag is the only national flag in the world that is not rectangular in shape. The constitution of Nepal contains instructions for a geometric construction of the flag. According"
"Flag of Martinique Martinique, an overseas territorial collectivity of France located in the Caribbean, has no flag with official status other than the French national flag. This flag features a white cross like St George’s cross on a blue background filled in with a white snake in each quarters. It is used sometimes by the French military on their buildings and/or uniforms. Gendarmes bear the Coat of Arms version of the flag. This flag dates from an edict issued 4 August 1766, specifying that vessels of the French Colony of Martinique and Saint Lucia should fly a version of the"
"Finland (1917); some of the subdivisions of these countries used this as inspiration for their own flags. The Norwegian flag was the first Nordic cross flag with three colours. All Nordic flags may be flown as gonfalons as well. Note that some of these flags are historical. Also, note that flag proportions may vary between the different flags and sometimes even between different versions of the same flag. The Flag of Greenland is the only national flag of a Nordic country or territory without a Nordic Cross. When Greenland was granted home rule, the present flag - with a graphic"
"especially in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. This flag was adopted by the royal monarchy of Luang Prabang since the beginning of the 20th century under French rule, inspired by its similar flag (red flag with the single white elephant) in Thailand during that time. The nine-folded umbrella is also a royal symbol, originating from Mount Meru in the Buddhist cosmology. The pedestal represented the law on which the country rested. Flag of Laos The flag of Laos consists of three horizontal stripes, with the middle stripe in blue being twice the height of the top and bottom red stripes. In"
"Flag of Ohio The Ohio Burgee is the official flag of the U.S. state of Ohio. Ohio's swallowtail flag is the only non-rectangular U.S. state flag. Its red, white, and blue elements symbolize the state's natural features and order of admission into the Union. A prominent disc in the flag's triangular canton is suggestive of the state's name. The flag was designed in 1901 by John Eisenmann for the Pan-American Exposition and adopted in 1902. Before that, for nearly a century after statehood, Ohio did not have a legally authorized state flag. One unsuccessful proposal called for a design based"
"not been used since it was replaced by the current flag of the Chechen Republic. Flag of Chechnya The flag of Chechnya is a rectangle with sides in the ratio 2:3, the same ratio as the flag of the Russian Federation. The flag is composed of three horizontal bars of, from top to bottom: green, representing Islam; white; and red; superimposed on them is a narrow vertical white band at the hoist, containing the national ornament, a design of four golden scroll shapes. The horizontal bars are in the proportions 4:1:3. This flag, introduced in 2004, is primarily used by"
"designs for vertical hanging are: Austria, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, and Slovakia (coat of arms must be rotated to normal position); Cambodia (coat of arms must be rotated and blue strips are narrowed); Dominica (coat of arms must be rotated and reverse always showing); Liechtenstein (crown must be rotated). The art and practice of designing flags is known as vexillography. The design of national flags has seen a number of customs become apparent. All national flags are rectangular, except for the flag of Nepal. The ratios of height to width vary among national flags, but none is taller than"
"also used flags without designs or insignia, such as the Soviet Republic of Hungary, whose flag was a plain field of red. Colours are normally described with common names, such as ""red"", but may be further specified using colourimetry. The largest flag flown from a flagpole worldwide, according to Guinness World Records, is the flag of Mexico flown in Piedras Negras, Mexico. This flag was about . The largest flag ever made was the flag of Qatar; the flag, which measures at , was completed in December 2013 in Doha. The general parts of a flag are: canton (the upper"
"Iran, is green, symbolizing their Islamist ideology. The 1977 flag of Libya consisted of a simple green field with no other characteristics. It was the only national flag in the world with just one color and no design, insignia, or other details. Some countries used green in their flags to represent their country's lush vegetation, as in the flag of Jamaica, and hope in the future, as in the flags of Portugal and Nigeria. The green cedar of Lebanon tree on the Flag of Lebanon officially represents steadiness and tolerance. Green is a symbol of Ireland, which is often referred"
"Flag of Portugal The Flag of Portugal () is a rectangular bicolour with a field unevenly divided into green on the hoist, and red on the fly. The lesser version of the national coat of arms (i.e. armillary sphere and Portuguese shield) is centered over the colour boundary at equal distance from the upper and lower edges. On 30 June 1911, less than a year after the downfall of the constitutional monarchy, this design was officially adopted for the new national flag of the First Portuguese Republic, after selection by a special commission whose members included Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, João"
"Flag of Brazil The flag of Brazil (), known in Portuguese as A Auriverde (The Yellow-and-green One), is a blue disc depicting a starry sky (which includes the Southern Cross) spanned by a curved band inscribed with the national motto """"Ordem e Progresso"""" (""Order and Progress""), within a yellow rhombus, on a green field. Brazil officially adopted this design for its national flag on November 19, 1889 — four days after the Proclamation of the Republic, to replace the flag of the Empire of Brazil. The concept was the work of Raimundo Teixeira Mendes, with the collaboration of Miguel Lemos,"
"Flag of Chile The flag of Chile consists of two equal horizontal bands of white and red, with a blue square the same height as the white band in the canton, which bears a white five-pointed star in the center. It was adopted on 18 October 1817. The Chilean flag is also known in Spanish as ""La Estrella Solitaria"" (""The Lone Star""). It has a 3:2 ratio between length and width, it is divided horizontally into two bands of equal size (being the lower red). The upper area is divided once: in a square (blue), with a single centered white"
"Flag of Thailand The flag of the Kingdom of Thailand (; , meaning 'tricolour flag') shows five horizontal stripes in the colours red, white, blue, white and red, with the central blue stripe being twice as wide as each of the other four. The design was adopted on 28 September 1917, according to the royal decree issued by Rama VI that year. Since 2016, that day is a national day of importance in Thailand celebrating the nation's flag. The colours are said to stand for nation-religion-king, an unofficial motto of Thailand, red for the land and people, white for religions"
"in which the obverse and reverse sides have different designs. Paraguay is the only country that still has a two-sided flag. Two-sided flags were previously more common, but have been reduced due to increased costs of manufacturing a flag with two different designs. On the reverse of the flag is a depiction, also in gold, of a beaver, the state animal of Oregon. For dress or parade use, the flag may feature a gold fringe. For standard use, no fringe is required. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 3:5. Flag of Oregon The flag of the"