The World Flag Chart

¹ Often (but not always) flown by the royal house and the government. ↩

² Flown by anyone. ↩

³ Moroccan merchant ships in the French zone flew what was called the "Arab ensign", the national flag with a French tricolour added to the top-left corner. ↩

⁴ Flown by merchant ships operating out of the Spanish zone in northern Morocco. The Moroccan national flag was flown on land. ↩

⁵ Flown by nationalists and indepenence activists. The French colony in Algeria did not have an official flag. ↩

⁶ Flown unofficially by the Arab community. Merchant ships flew a red British ensign with a badge that said "PALESTINE". The Jewish community flew the modern flag of Israel. ↩

⁷ Flown by the government, and often by private citizens. At sea, and in certain ceremonial settings on land, the ratio was 1:3. ↩

⁸ Allowed to be flown by anyone. At sea, the ratio was 1:3. ↩

⁹ There were many variations of this flag, depending on who was flying it and when. Some versions would have added inscriptions, decorations or royal symbols. The flag could also be triangular. ↩

¹⁰ The number of points could vary. ↩

¹¹ The design of the flag wasn't laid down in law, and this may have been one of many variations in use at the time. ↩

¹² Flown by the Jewish community in the British mandate of Palestine. Direct ancestor of the flag of Israel. ↩

¹³ Flown by private citizens and municipalities. ↩

¹⁴ Flown by the federal government and the armed forces. ↩

¹⁵ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

¹⁶ Flown by the royal house, the government, and the armed forces. Also granted to a select list of private institutions and companies. ↩

¹⁷ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

¹⁸ Flown only on state-owned buildings and naval ships. ↩

¹⁹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

²⁰ Flown on government buildings and coast guard ships. ↩

²¹ Flown for all purposes. A three-tailed version of the national flag is flown by the military. ↩

²² Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

²³ Flown by the government, border guard, and public universities. The armed forces fly a version with a swallowtail cut. ↩

²⁴ Flown on land within Greece. The military flag had a crown in the centre of the cross. ↩

²⁵ Flown at sea and abroad. The naval ensign had a crown in the centre of the cross. ↩

²⁶ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

²⁷ Flown over the Prince's Palace and government buildings. ↩

²⁸ Flown unofficially, mostly by civilian ships. Plain flags without the George Cross were also common. The colonial government had a blue ensign with the Maltese coat of arms on it. ↩

²⁹ The traditional Catalan flag. ↩

³⁰ The flag preferred by supporters of Catalan independence. ↩

³¹ Flown by German ships, but explicitly not as a national flag, and not given any of the ceremonial respect typically given to national flags. Not used on land. Known as the "C-Pennant" since it was derived for the maritime signal flag for the letter C. ↩

³² Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Estonian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

³³ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Lithuanian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

³⁴ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Latvian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

³⁵ The Svaraj ("self-rule") flag flown by nationalists and independence activists. British India had several colonial flags. A red civil ensign with the Star of India medal on it was used to represent India at international sporting events and at the United Nations. ↩

³⁶ The maharaja's flag was red with yellow stripes at the top and bottom. ↩

³⁷ The raja's flag was rectangular ↩

³⁸ Flown by the Maharao and also used as a state flag. The flag was sometimes much longer. ↩

³⁹ The previous plain red flag was sometimes flown as an alternate state flag. ↩

⁴⁰ The reverse side of the flag showed a moon and a flower. ↩

⁴¹ Mewar had a number of reported princely banners which were also sometimes used as state flags. The most common one had a large yellow sun and a blue katar dagger. ↩

⁴² Kolhapur flew the Maratha saffron banner as a state flag. The maharaja had a diagonally-divided red and orange flag. ↩

⁴³ Flown by the maharaja and often used as a state flag. ↩

⁴⁴ Allowed to be flown by civilians. ↩

⁴⁵ The state flag was sometimes used without the emblem. Inland river boats flew a triangular pennant in the same colours. ↩

⁴⁶ There was also a red British colonial ensign with the coat of arms on it. ↩

⁴⁷ The nawab's flag, which was sometimes used as an alternate state flag, was white with a green hand. ↩

⁴⁸ The maharaja's flag had a gold eagle on it. The armed forces used a flag with white and purple stripes. ↩

⁴⁹ The raja's flag had a gold tiger head in the middle. The war flag was a red flag with the state coat of arms on it. ↩

⁵⁰ There was also a red colonial British ensign with a black tower and a white crescent and star. ↩

⁵¹ Flown by the maharaja and often used as a state flag. The swallowtailed saffron Maratha banner was also sometimes flown. There was a red colonial British ensign with a scimitar and horseman badge. ↩

⁵² There was also a red British colonial ensign with a white sun and moon badge. ↩

⁵³ There was also a red British colonial ensign with a white shell badge. ↩

⁵⁴ The maharawat's flag had the same design but in yellow instead of white. ↩

⁵⁵ There was also a red British colonial ensign with a white Hanuman badge. ↩

⁵⁶ The Raja's flag had a red sun ↩

⁵⁷ Flag of the maharaja's dynasty, used as a state flag. ↩

⁵⁸ Flag of the maharaja, also sometimes used as a state flag. ↩

⁵⁹ The flag flown at the palace had the state coat of arms on it. ↩

⁶⁰ The nawab's standard had a crown and inscription on it. ↩

⁶¹ Flown by Sinhalese nationalists in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. There was also an infrequently-used blue British colonial ensign with an elephant badge. ↩

⁶² Flag of the All-India Muslim League, which advocated for the partition of India along religious lines and the creation of an independent Pakistan. The direct predecessor of the modern flag of Pakistan. ↩

⁶³ Heavily restricted under U.S. Occupation. ↩

⁶⁴ Flag of the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League, which had grown out of the anti-Japanese resistance during World War II, and whose leaders were negotiating for independence from the United Kingdom. The British colonial government also had a rarely used blue ensign with a peacock badge. ↩

⁶⁵ Flown by the nationalist Lao Issara government-in-exile in Bangkok. ↩

⁶⁶ Sarawak also had a blue colonial ensign. ↩

⁶⁷ Flown by Karen nationalists seeking independence and separation from Burma. ↩

⁶⁸ The Uyghur nationalist flag. Xinjiang Province did not have an official flag. ↩

⁶⁹ Not legally the national flag, but allowed to be flown wherever a "distinctive Canadian flag" was needed. ↩

⁷⁰ Flown by the government, the navy, the national police, and national sports teams. Raised at major ceremonies. The army uses a similar flag with a different coat of arms. ↩

⁷¹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁷² The most common flag, flown over most government buildings, at ceremonies, by diplomatic missions and often by public citizens. ↩

⁷³ An alternative government flag, most commonly flown by the armed forces but also on some public buildings and offices. ↩

⁷⁴ The simplest version of the national flag, flown by some private citizens. ↩

⁷⁵ The most common Costa Rican flag. Officially designated for private citizens, but in practice often used on government buildings and schools too. ↩

⁷⁶ Flown by the government and by diplomatic missions, although also used sometimes by private citizens. ↩

⁷⁷ Flown by Puerto Rican nationalists. Display of the flag was initially banned under American rule. ↩

⁷⁸ Flown by the government and armed forces, and unofficially used by many private citizens. ↩

⁷⁹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁸⁰ Flown by the governmnent. The armed forces flew a similar flag with olive and laurel branches around the coat of arms. ↩

⁸¹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩