Flag of Spain

The flag of Spain (nicknamed rojigualda) consists of three horizontal stripes: red, yellow, and red. 

The yellow stripe is twice as wide as each red stripe. 

The usual ratio is 2:3. 

On the official version, the Spanish coat of arms is located on the yellow stripe, slightly towards the hoist side (left). 

That coat of arms depicts the historical kingdoms of Castile, León, Aragon, Navarre, and Granada, plus the Bourbon shield, the Pillars of Hercules with the motto Plus Ultra and the royal crown. 

The red-yellow color combination has existed since 1785 (first as a naval flag under Charles III). 

It has been the national flag since 1843. 

The current version with the coat of arms is enshrined in the Constitution of 1978 and legislation from 1981. 

There is also a civil variant without the coat of arms.

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Flag of Sri Lanka

The flag of Sri Lanka (also called the Lion Flag or Sinha Flag) has a yellow border. 

On the left are two vertical stripes: green (for the Muslim community) and orange (for the Tamils). 

On the right is a maroon field with a golden lion holding a sword, and in the four corners, golden leaves of the Bodhi tree. 

The lion symbolizes the Sinhalese (the majority) and bravery; the sword represents the sovereignty of the country. 

The Bodhi tree leaves represent the four main Buddhist virtues (kindness, compassion, joy, and equilibrium) and the influence of Buddhism. 

The yellow border represents the unity of all population groups. 

The current form dates back to 1972 (when Ceylon became Sri Lanka) and was officially adopted in 1978. 

The ratio is 1:2. 

The lion has appeared on flags of Sri Lankan kingdoms for centuries.

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Flag of Suriname

The flag of Suriname was officially adopted on November 25, 1975, the day of independence from the Netherlands. 

It consists of five horizontal stripes: green (top and bottom, double width), white, red (four times as wide), and white again. 

In the center of the red stripe is a large yellow five-pointed star. 

The ratio is 2:3. 

The design is by Jack Pinas. 

Meaning of the colors: 

Green: fertility of the land and hope. 

White: freedom, peace, and justice. 

Red: progress and the struggle for a better life. 

Yellow star: unity of all population groups and a golden future. 

 The flag replaced the earlier colonial flag (1959–1975), which had five colored stars for the different ethnic groups. 

The current flag, on the other hand, emphasizes national unity.

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Flag of Swaziland

The flag of Swaziland (officially Eswatini since 2018) consists of five horizontal stripes: blue, yellow, a broad red stripe, yellow again, and blue. 

In the center of the red stripe is a black and white Nguni shield, behind which are two spears and a staff with feather tassels. 

Meaning of the colors and symbols: 

Blue: peace and stability. 

Yellow: the country's natural resources. 

Red: conflict and battles of the past. 

Shield and spears: protection against enemies. 

Black and white of the shield: peaceful coexistence of black and white people. 

The flag is based on a military flag that King Sobhuza II gave to a Swazi army corps in 1941. 

It was officially adopted on October 6, 1968, a month after independence from Great Britain. 

The flag itself did not change when the country changed its name in 2018.

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Flag of Syria

The current flag of Syria is a horizontal tricolor in the pan-Arab colors: green (top), white (middle), and black (bottom), with three red five-pointed stars in the center of the white stripe. 

The ratio is usually 2:3. 

This flag (also known as the independence flag or revolution flag) was already in use from 1932 to 1958 and from 1961 to 1963. 

During the Syrian civil war, it served as a symbol of the opposition. 

After the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024, it became the de facto national flag and was officially confirmed in March 2025. 

The colors traditionally represent historical Arab caliphates (green for the Rashidun, white for the Umayyads, black for the Abbasids) and the stars originally represented the three historical regions of Damascus, Aleppo, and Deir ez-Zor. Today, the flag primarily symbolizes freedom, unity, and a break with the former regime.

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Flag of Tajikistan

The flag of Tajikistan is a horizontal tricolor of red (top), white (middle), and green (bottom), adopted on November 24, 1992. 

The white stripe is wider than the other two (ratio 2:3:2). 

In the center is a golden crown surmounted by an arc of seven stars. 

The flag's ratio is 1:2. 

Symbolism: 

Red: unity of the country, victory, and sunrise. 

White: cotton, purity, and snow from the mountains. 

Green: fertile landscape, agriculture, and Islam. 

Crown and seven stars: sovereignty of the Tajik people (the name Tajik is related to tâj, crown) and the number seven as a symbol of perfection and happiness in Persian tradition. 

The colors are partly derived from the old Soviet flag of Tajikistan. 

November 24 is Flag Day.

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Flag of Tanzania

The flag of Tanzania consists of a green triangle in the upper left and a blue triangle in the lower right, separated by a diagonal black band with yellow (gold) borders. 

The ratio is 2:3. 

It was adopted on June 30, 1964, when Tanganyika and Zanzibar together formed the United Republic of Tanzania. 

The design combines elements of both former flags. 

Meaning of the colors: 

Green: vegetation, agriculture, and fertile soil. 

Blue: the Indian Ocean, lakes, and rivers. 

Black: the people (especially the Swahili population). 

Yellow/gold: mineral resources. 

The diagonal arrangement symbolizes the unity of the mainland and Zanzibar.

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Flag of Thailand

The flag of Thailand (Thong Trairong, “tricolor flag”) consists of five horizontal stripes: red, white, blue, white, and red. 

The middle blue stripe is twice as wide as the others. 

Meaning of the colors: 

Red: the country and the people. 

White: religion (especially Buddhism). 

Blue: the monarchy. 

Together, they represent the Thai motto “nation, religion, king”. 

The current flag was officially adopted on September 28, 1917, by King Rama VI. Before that, Thailand had, among others, a red flag with a white elephant. 

The blue middle stripe was added later, partly as a gesture to the Allies in the First World War.

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Flag of Togo

The flag of Togo consists of five equal horizontal stripes: green-yellow-green-yellow-green. 

In the upper left corner is a red square canton containing a white five-pointed star. 

The flag was designed by the Togolese artist Paul Ahyi and adopted upon independence on April 27/28, 1960. 

The proportions approximate the golden ratio (approximately 1:1.618). 

The colors are the Pan-African colors. 

Green stands for hope, agriculture, and forests; yellow for national unity and natural resources; red for the blood shed for independence; the white star for peace, wisdom, and light. 

The five stripes refer to the five regions of the country.

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Flag of Tonga

The flag of Tonga consists of a red field with a white square in the upper left corner (hoist side) bearing a red Greek cross. 

The red symbolizes the blood of Christ, the white purity, and the cross Christianity. 

The flag was officially adopted in 1875 and has remained unchanged since then.

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