Flag

A flag is a piece of fabric, most often rectangular, with distinctive colours and design. People often fly flags from a pole for many purposes, such as showing symbols, giving signals, or adding decoration.

United Nations members' national flags

The word flag can also mean the special picture or design on the fabric itself. Learning about flags is called "vexillology" and comes from the Latin word vexillum, which means "flag" or "banner".

Long ago, the first flags were used to help leaders coordinate soldiers on the battlefield. Since then, flags have become useful for simple signalling and identification, especially in places where communication is hard, like on ships where semaphore is used. Today, many countries have a special national flag that stands for their patriotic spirit. Flags can also share similar designs, showing a common history, culture, or influence. Besides important uses, flags are also seen in messages, advertising, and for decoration.

History

Main article: History of flags

Bronze flag Derafsh Shahdad found in Shahdad in Iran, third millennium BC

The exact origin of flags is still a mystery, but we do know that ancient societies used flag-like objects. Early examples come from around 3500 BC in Egypt and even earlier in places like ancient Assyria. These were not cloth flags as we know them today, but wooden or metal shapes used in battles and ceremonies.

The oldest known flag-like object was found in Shahdad, Iran, dating back to around 2400 BC. Made of bronze, it shows a man and a woman facing each other with a star between them. True cloth flags likely began in ancient India or China. Chinese flags often featured animals like birds or dragons, while Indian flags were sometimes triangular and decorated with special items like a yak’s tail. These early flags were important symbols of power and identity.

In Europe, flags became common during medieval times, helping knights and soldiers recognize each other in battle. By the 1600s, ships began flying flags to show where they came from, which eventually led to the national flags we know today. Flags also became symbols of countries and nations as people began to feel stronger connections to their homelands.

National flags

Main article: National flag

One of the most popular uses of a flag is to represent a nation or country. Many national flags have inspired the designs of other countries' flags.

Flags at half-mast outside Central Plaza, Hong Kong, after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The Flag of Saudi Arabia is exempted.

Some notable examples include:

The flag of Denmark, the oldest national flag still in use, inspired the cross design of other Nordic countries like Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland.
The flag of the Netherlands is the oldest tricolour and has influenced flags such as those of Russia, New York City, and South Africa.
The national flag of France was designed in 1794 and has inspired flags in Italy, Belgium, Ireland, Romania and Mexico.
The Union Flag of the United Kingdom is widely used, and many former British colonies like Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Tuvalu have kept designs based on it.
The flag of the United States, known as The Stars and Stripes, has been copied by nations like Liberia, Chile and Taiwan (ROC).
Ethiopia influenced many African nations in the 1950s and 1960s, and its colors are used in flags of countries like Senegal, Ghana and Mali.
The flag of Turkey has inspired many Muslim nations, with its crescent shape seen in flags of Algeria, Azerbaijan, Comoros and others.
The Soviet flag influenced communist nations such as East Germany, China and Vietnam.
The flag of Venezuela inspired the flags of Colombia, Ecuador and others in South America.

Tribal flags at Meeting Place Monument/Flag Plaza at the Oklahoma State Capitol

Civil flags

The Danish national flag (Dannebrog) waving in Samsø

Main article: Civil flag

A civil flag is a version of the national flag used by civilians. In the past, civil flags were used to show that a building or ship was not part of the military. Sometimes, the civil flag looks like the military flag but without the coat of arms, as in Spain. In other countries, the civil flag is a different design from the military flag.

War flags

Main articles: War flag and Colours, standards and guidons

Some countries, like the United Kingdom and the former Soviet Union, have special flags for their military forces. Other countries, such as the United States, use the same flag for both civilian and military use. During wartime, some countries turn their flags upside down as a signal.

International flags

Among international flags are the United Nations, Europe, Olympic, NATO and Paralympic flags.

Maritime flags

Main article: Maritime flag

Ensigns are flown on boats to indicate the country of registration of the boat.

Flags play a big role at sea, helping ships talk to each other and show important information. When a ship flies its country's flag at sea, it is called an ensign. Ships often fly another country's flag when they are visiting that country's waters as a sign of respect.

There are special flags used for talking between ships, with each flag having its own meaning. Some government ships in the United States also fly special flags to show which group they belong to.

Shapes and designs

Flags are usually rectangular, often in sizes like 2:3, 1:2, or 3:5, but they can be any shape that works well when flown, such as square, triangular, or swallow tailed. One unusual shape is the flag of Nepal, which looks like two triangles stacked together. Other flags with special shapes include those of Ohio, Tampa, Florida, and Pike County, Ohio.

Many flags are made so that both sides look almost the same. If the design is balanced, both sides will look identical. If not, the two sides will show slightly different versions of the same design. Some flags have designs that are only meant to be shown on one side, especially if they have text that needs to read the same way no matter which side you see it from.

Common patterns on flags include crosses, stripes, and sections divided into parts. These designs come from old traditions of symbols and coats of arms. For example, the flag of Maryland and the flag of Kiribati both use this kind of design.

Parts of a flag

Main article: Glossary of vexillology

The main parts of a flag are: the canton (the top inner part close to the pole), the field (the whole flag except the canton), the hoist (the edge where the flag is attached to the pole), and the fly (the far edge from the hoist).

Vertical flags

Sometimes flags are made to hang vertically, especially in parts of Europe where there isn’t much wind. Even in these places, the usual horizontal flag is still used most often.

A vertical flag can keep its design the same or change, like turning horizontal stripes into vertical ones. Some vertical flags are attached to a beam to make sure they show well even without wind. Others are hung from a horizontal pole or a crossbar, and the way they face can change depending on how they are attached.

The largest flag ever flown was the flag of the United Arab Emirates in Sharjah. It was very big, covering 2,448.56 m² (26,356.1 sq ft). The biggest flag ever made was the flag of Qatar, completed in Doha in 2013, which was 101,978 m² (1,097,680 sq ft).

Religious flags

In sports

Flags are very useful in sports because they help people communicate quickly. In association football, helpers called linesmen carry small flags to show the referee when something wrong happens, like when a player is offside. In American and Canadian football, referees throw a special yellow or orange flag to show that a mistake was made during the game. Coaches can also throw red flags if they want to challenge a decision.

In yacht racing, flags are used to send messages to the racers from the race leaders. In auto and motorcycle racing, different coloured flags tell drivers important information, like when the race is ending or if they need to slow down. Fans also wave flags to show support for their favourite teams and players.

Main article: Racing flags

Other sports use flags too. In Gaelic football and Hurling, a green flag shows a goal and a white flag shows a point. In Australian rules football, two flags waved together mean a goal, while one flag means a smaller score. Flags are also used to keep everyone safe, like showing where scuba divers are in the water or marking the hole in golf. Marching bands and other performance groups use flags to make their shows more exciting.

Capture the flag is a fun game that many children enjoy playing.

Diplomatic and political flags

Main article: Diplomatic flag

Some countries use special flags for their diplomatic buildings, like the United Kingdom and Thailand.

Different groups also use flags to show what they believe in. For example, the socialist movement often uses red flags. The anarchist movement uses many flags, with the black flag being one of the most common. During the Spanish Civil War, anarchists used a red and black bisected flag. In more recent times, the rainbow flag has been used to represent different social movements, including those for LGBT social movements, with variations like the Bisexual pride and Transgender pride flags.

Some political flags have later become the official flags of countries. For example, the red flag was used by the Soviet Union, and some designs were used by Nazi Germany. The current Flag of Portugal comes from the flag of the Portuguese Republican Party, which came to power after the 5 October 1910 revolution.

Personal flags

For many years, kings and queens have used special flags called personal flags. These flags represent the person, like a symbol of who they are. They were especially important when one person ruled more than one country at the same time.

Vehicle flags

Flags are often used to show what a person supports or believes in, such as a country, team, or business. One popular way to display flags is by putting them on vehicles. These are called car flags and are usually made from strong fabric. They are attached to a car using a special pole and a clip that goes on a window.

Swimming flags

In several countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Philippines, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, special red and yellow flags are used on beaches to show where it is safe to swim. These flags help tell people when the water is safe or when it is closed because of dangers.

When the beach is closed, the flags are crossed on their poles. Different colors mean different things. A red flag can mean the beach is closed or there are other dangers. A yellow flag might mean the water is strong or hard to swim in, and a green flag means it is safe to swim. In some places, a red and yellow flag means it is safe to swim, while a red flag means it is not safe, and no flag means there are no lifeguards on duty. Blue flags might show an area for surfing or other small water activities.

Open swimming area

Beaches can be closed for many reasons, such as dangerous currents, storms, no lifeguards, dirty water, or animals in the water. There are also special flags for surfboarding and other water sports.

Railway flags

Railroads use colored flags to send important messages. During the day, a red flag means stop, a yellow flag means go carefully, and a green or white flag means it’s safe to go. If any flag is waved quickly, it also means stop. A blue flag on a train or track shows that workers are nearby, so nothing should move until they say it’s safe.

At night, lanterns with the same colors take the place of flags. On a moving train, a white flag shows it’s an extra train not on the schedule, green means another train is coming behind, and red means it’s the last train. Train workers often carry a red flag to help make their signals clear to the train driver. These flags helped create the modern Railway signals system.

Flagpoles

One of the two 60-foot-tall flagpoles in the Siena Cathedral. During the battle of Montaperti (1260), Bocca degli Abati, a Sienese spy, brought Florence's flag down, causing panic among the Florentine soldiers and ultimately their defeat.

A flagpole, also called a flagmast or flagstaff, is a simple pole made of wood or metal that holds a flag. If the pole is too tall to reach easily, a rope is used. The rope loops around a small wheel at the top of the pole, and the flag is tied to one end. To raise the flag, you pull on the other end of the rope, and then tie it at the bottom of the pole. The top of the pole usually has a flat piece or a ball, called a "truck" or a "finial," to keep the pole strong. Very tall poles might need extra support structures.

Since December 26, 2021, the tallest free-standing flagpole in the world is in Cairo, Egypt. It stands at 201.952 meters tall. Other tall flagpoles include ones in Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan. In India, the tallest flagpole is in Belgaum, Karnataka, standing at 110 meters. The United States has a very tall flagpole in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which is 400 feet tall.

Hoisting the flag

Hoisting the flag means raising it up on a flagpole. This is often done in special ceremonies, especially for national flags, and sometimes includes playing the national anthem.

A flag-raising squad is a group of people, like students or cadets, who bring the flags for these ceremonies. These events can be simple or very fancy, with many squads taking part, often on national holidays.

The rope that connects the flag to the pole is called a halyard. Flags might have a piece of fabric called a heading or small metal rings called grommets to help hold the halyard. Sometimes, Inglefield clips are used to keep the flag in place.

Flags in communication

Semaphore is a way to send messages using flags. A person, called a signalman, holds two flags or lighted wands in different positions to show symbols. This method is mainly used by naval signallers and started in the early 1800s but is still used today in some ways.

The colors of flags can also send messages. For example, a white flag can mean peace or giving up, a red flag might be a warning, and a black flag can show strength or a challenge. Sometimes, turning a flag upside down can signal that the people raising it are in serious trouble, even though this is not commonly used now with modern ways to communicate.