Culture & sport · Updated September 2026
Flags of the world
Flag facts people search: why the Union Jack looks as it does, what a tricolour is, the Red Cross vs national flags, and that Nepal’s flag is not a rectangle.
A national flag is a graphic the state uses on land and at sea. Most are rectangles. Nepal’s flag is a unique double-pennon. Switzerland and the Vatican use squares.
The Union Jack combines the crosses of St George (England), St Andrew (Scotland) and St Patrick (Ireland). You will still see it in the corner of Australia, New Zealand and several other flags — a Commonwealth history mark.
Tricolours (France, Italy, India, Ireland) use three bands. Pan-African colours (red, gold, green) and Pan-Arab colours (red, white, black, green) explain whole families of flags. Never treat a look-alike as identity — Indonesia and Monaco are similar but not the same.
Flags of the world — key facts (2026)
| Topic | Fact |
|---|---|
| Most common shape | Rectangle (2:3 or 1:2) |
| Non-rectangle | Nepal |
| Square flags | Switzerland, Vatican City |
| Union Jack parts | England + Scotland + Ireland crosses |
| French tricolour | Blue, white, red vertical |
| Indian tricolour | Saffron, white, green with Ashoka Chakra |
| Look-alike pair | Indonesia (red over white) vs Monaco / Poland variants |
| Olympic flag | Five rings on white — not a national flag |
Figures are the usual classroom and news-desk numbers for 2026. Border disputes and membership votes can change a count by one or two.
People also ask
Which country has a non-rectangular flag?
Nepal.
What does the Union Jack represent?
The union of the crosses of England, Scotland and Ireland on the UK flag.
Why do some Caribbean flags include the Union Jack?
They are current or former Commonwealth realms or territories. Always check the current national flag — some countries redesigned after independence.