1959 - World Flag Chart

Sub-Saharan Africa
◀︎ ▶︎

Ethiopia

royal flag ^{1¹ Often (but not always) flown by the royal house and the government.}

Ethiopia

national flag ^{2² Flown by anyone.}

Ghana

Guinea

Mali

Cameroon

Chad

Nigeria

Ivory Coast

Niger

Upper Volta

diagonal green-yellow-red, thin middle stripe

Congo-Brazzaville

Dahomey

Malagasy Republic

Malawi

MCP flag ^{3³ Flag of the Malawi Congress Party, which sought independence for British Nyasland. Direct predecessor of the modern flag of Malawi. The colony was part of the nominally self-governing Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which had a rarely-used British ensign with the federation coat of arms.}

black-red-green, white shield and spears emblem

Kenya

KAU flag ^{4⁴ Flag of the Kenya African Union, which sought independence from Great Britain. Direct predecessor of the modern flag of Kenya. The colony also had a rarely-used British ensign with a red lion badge.}

African National Congress

Tanganyika

TANU flag ^{5⁵ Flag of the Tanganyika African National Union, which sought independence from Great Britain. Direct predecessor of the 1961 flag of Tanganyika, and by extension the flag of Tanzania. The colony also had a rarely-used British ensign with a giraffe badge.}

green, three vertical red-black-yellow stripes

Zambia

UNIP flag ^{6⁶ Flag of the United National Independence Party, which sought independence for the British colony of Northern Rhodesia. Direct predecessor of the modern flag of Zambia. The colony was part of the nominally self-governing Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which had a rarely-used British ensign with the federation coat of arms.}

11 red-white stripes, blue canton, white star

Liberia

blue-white-green-yellow, thin red stripe, yellow star

Central African Republic

Gabon

orange-white-blue, a cross made up of the Union Jack, Orange Free State, and Transvaal flags

South Africa

Togo

Congo-Léopoldville

Somalia

Eritrea

Buganda

blue-red-blue, yellow outlines, shield and spear

Swaziland

Zanzibar

Middle East and North Africa
◀︎ ▶︎

Turkey

Tunisia

Morocco

Algeria ^{7⁷ Flown by nationalists and the government-in-exile. The French colony in Algeria did not have an official flag.}

Mauritania

red-black-green, white crescent and star

Libya

Palestine

black-white-green, red triangle, white 7-pointed star

Jordan

black-white-green, yellow sun with red rays

Iraq

United Arab Republic

white, two thin blue stripes, blue star of David

Israel

Lebanon

Iran

state flag ^{8⁸ Flown by the government, and often by private citizens. At sea, and in certain ceremonial settings on land, the ratio was 1:3.}

Iran

national flag ^{9⁹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. At sea, the ratio was 1:3.}

Saudi Arabia

Kuwait ^{10¹⁰ 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.}

Yemen

Fujairah

Muscat and Oman

Ras al-Khaimah · Sharjah

Abu Dhabi

Dubai · Ajman · Umm al-Quwain

Bahrain

Qatar

Sudan

black-green-blue, yellow outline, white crescent and star

South Arabia

federal flag ^{11¹¹ Flag of the Federation of South Arabia, the British protected state at the core of South Arabia.}

yellow-green-yellow, red triangle, three white stars

Kathiri State

red-yellow-blue, three blue-green-blue circles, three gray towers

Qu'aiti State

Kurdistan

purple-white-red, triangle of three white stars in the top-left

Assyrians

Druze

Western Europe
◀︎ ▶︎

France

Italy

Ireland

Andorra

Belgium

Netherlands

Luxembourg

Austria

national flag ^{12¹² Flown by private citizens and municipalities.}

Austria

federal service flag ^{13¹³ Flown by the federal government and the armed forces.}

Spain

West Germany

East Germany

Switzerland

Denmark

national flag ^{14¹⁴ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

red, white nordic cross, swallowtail cut

Denmark

sovereign flag ^{15¹⁵ Flown by the royal house, the government, and the armed forces. Also granted to a select list of private institutions and companies.}

Norway

merchant flag ^{16¹⁶ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

red, white-blue nordic cross, swallowtail cut

Norway

state flag ^{17¹⁷ Flown only on state-owned buildings and naval ships.}

Faroe Islands

Iceland

national flag ^{18¹⁸ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

blue, white-red nordic cross, swallowtail cut

Iceland

state flag ^{19¹⁹ Flown on government buildings and coast guard ships.}

Åland

Sweden ^{20²⁰ Flown for all purposes. A three-tailed version of the national flag is flown by the military.}

Finland

national flag ^{21²¹ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Finland

state flag ^{22²² Flown by the government, border guard, and public universities. The armed forces fly a version with a swallowtail cut.}

Greece

land flag ^{23²³ Flown on land within Greece. The military flag had a crown in the centre of the cross.}

9 blue-white stripes, blue canton containing a white cross

Greece

sea flag ^{24²⁴ Flown at sea and abroad. The naval ensign had a crown in the centre of the cross.}

blue, red-white pinwheel saltire outlined in white, red cross outlined in white

United Kingdom

England · Guernsey

white, red cross, white 6-pointed star, red hand, crown

Northern Ireland ^{25²⁵ Flown by the government, sporting teams and by some private citizens. More or less exclusively a unionist symbol.}

Scotland

Jersey

Wales

San Marino

Liechtenstein

Monaco

national flag ^{26²⁶ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Monaco

princely flag ^{27²⁷ Flown over the Prince's Palace and government buildings.}

Vatican City

Malta

traditional flag ^{28²⁸ Flown 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.}

red, thick green stripe, yellow armillary sphere, coat of arms

Portugal

Basque Country

Isle of Man

Catalonia

senyera ^{29²⁹ The traditional Catalan flag.}

9 red-yellow stripes, blue triangle, white star

Catalonia

estelada ^{30³⁰ The flag preferred by supporters of Catalan independence.}

9 black-white stripes, white canton, 11 ermine spots

Brittany

Cornwall

Galicia

Corsica

Flanders

Wallonia

Eastern Europe
◀︎ ▶︎

Soviet Union

red, black two-headed eagle, yellow hollow star

Albania

Czechoslovakia

Poland

state flag ^{31³¹ Flown over the Presidential Palace, parliament, provincial legislatures, and other government buildings. Private use highly restricted.}

Poland

coat of arms flag ^{32³² Flown by embassies, airports, and merchant ships. Private use strictly banned.}

blue-white-red, red star outlined in yellow

Yugoslavia

Hungary

Bulgaria

Estonia ^{33³³ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Estonian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation.}

Lithuania ^{34³⁴ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Lithuanian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation.}

Latvia ^{35³⁵ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Latvian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation.}

Romania

South Asia and the Indian Ocean
◀︎ ▶︎

India

green, thick white stripe, white crescent and star

Pakistan

Afghanistan

red double-tailed pennant outlined in blue, white moon, white sun

Nepal

Bhutan

white, yellow wheel surrounded by colourful decorations, ornate border

Sikkim

maroon, yellow outline, yellow lion, four yellow leaves

Ceylon

red, black-white barberpole-striped edge, green rectangle, white crescent

Maldive Islands

Jammu and Kashmir ^{37³⁷ Flown in the Indian-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir.}

green, four white stripes, orange canton, white crescent and star

Azad Kashmir ^{38³⁸ Flown in the Pakistan-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir.}

blue, white 6-pointed star, red-yellow-green striped-arc

Nagaland ^{39³⁹ Flown by nationalists and separatists. The Naga Hills area did not have an official flag within India.}

East, Central and Southeast Asia
◀︎ ▶︎

Japan

white, red-blue taeguk surrounded by four black trigrams

South Korea

blue-red-blue, white outlines, white disc, red star

North Korea

China

North Vietnam

South Vietnam

white triangle, 12-red-blue wedges, yellow sun, two snow lions, yellow border

Tibet

red-blue-red, yellow soyombo, yellow star

Mongolia

Taiwan ^{40⁴⁰ The flag of the Republic of China, the government of Taiwan. Banned on the mainland, as the People's Republic of China claimed sovereignty over the island. Regarded as the flag of China at the United Nations.}

Burma

red, three white elephants under an umbrella

Laos

Laos

Pathet Lao flag ^{41⁴¹ Flown by the communist Pathet Lao government-in-exile in Hanoi.}

Thailand

Cambodia

blue-red, white triangle, yellow sun, three yellow stars

Philippines

11 red-white stripes, blue canton, yellow crescent and 11-point star

Malaya

Indonesia

red-white, white crescent, 5 white stars

Singapore

yellow, diagonal white-black stripes, red emblem

Brunei

yellow, vertically divided black-red cross, yellow crown

Sarawak ^{42⁴² Sarawak also had a blue colonial ensign.}

Shan

red-white-blue, thick blue stripe, red sunburst and yellow drum

Karen ^{43⁴³ Flown by Karen nationalists seeking independence and separation from Burma.}

East Turkestan ^{44⁴⁴ The national flag of the Uyghur people, banned within the People's Republic of China. Xinjiang Region does not have an official flag.}

Oceania
◀︎ ▶︎

blue British ensign, white 7-pointed star and southern cross

Australia

blue British ensign, red southern cross outlined in white

New Zealand

white-red-blue-white-red-blue-white-red, union jack

Hawaiʻi

Western Samoa

Tonga

red, white maltese cross, French flag outlined in white

Wallis and Futuna

Guam

North America
◀︎ ▶︎

13 red-white stripes, blue canton, 49 white stars

United States

Canada ^{45⁴⁵ Not legally the national flag, but allowed to be flown wherever a "distinctive Canadian flag" was needed.}

blue, white cross, four white fleurs-de-lis

Québec

Alaska

white-red, thick blue stripe, white star

Texas

Acadia

California

white, red offset cross, red star, red crescent

Mi’kmaq

Métis

red-white-black-white-black-white-red, white triangle outlined in black, red-black circle

Arapaho

yellow-purple, staff with 11 feathers dangling from it

Papago

The Caribbean
◀︎ ▶︎

blue, four thin white wavy stripes, orange circle

West Indies Federation

white, black elliptical ring of 5 black-brown-yellow-red-white stars outlined in black

Suriname

white, thin red stripe, thin blue band, ring of 6 stars

Netherlands Antilles

white, American eagle flanked on either side by the blue letters

Virgin Islands (U.S.)

Belize

Garifuna

Latin America
◀︎ ▶︎

green, yellow diamond, blue and white celestial sphere

Brazil

Mexico

Peru

national ensign ^{46⁴⁶ 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.}

Peru

national flag ^{47⁴⁷ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Guatemala

Argentina

Honduras

Nicaragua

El Salvador

national flag ^{48⁴⁸ The most common flag, flown over most government buildings, at ceremonies, by diplomatic missions and often by public citizens.}

El Salvador

inscribed flag ^{49⁴⁹ An alternative government flag, most commonly flown by the armed forces but also on some public buildings and offices.}

El Salvador

plain flag ^{50⁵⁰ The simplest version of the national flag, flown by some private citizens.}

Paraguay

front side

Paraguay

back side

Costa Rica

national flag ^{51⁵¹ The most common Costa Rican flag. Officially designated for private citizens, but in practice often used on government buildings and schools too.}

Costa Rica

national ensign ^{52⁵² Flown by the government and by diplomatic missions, although also used sometimes by private citizens.}

5 red-white stripes, blue triangle, white star

Puerto Rico

5 blue-white stripes, red triangle, white star

Cuba

9 white-blue stripes, white canton, yellow sun

Uruguay

national flag ^{53⁵³ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Uruguay

flag of Artigas ^{54⁵⁴ A traditional military emblem, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings.}

Uruguay

flag of the Treinta y Tres ^{55⁵⁵ A historic flag, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings.}

blue-red, white square containing a coat of arms

Haiti

blue-red quarters, white cross, coat of arms

Dominican Republic

Chile

white-red-white-blue quarters, blue star, red star

Panama

yellow-blue-red, arc of 7 white stars, coat of arms

Venezuela

national ensign ^{56⁵⁶ Flown by the government and armed forces, and unofficially used by many private citizens.}

Venezuela

national flag ^{57⁵⁷ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Colombia

Ecuador

Bolivia

state flag ^{58⁵⁸ Flown by the governmnent. The armed forces flew a similar flag with olive and laurel branches around the coat of arms.}

Bolivia

national flag ^{59⁵⁹ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Other International and Cultural Flags
◀︎ ▶︎

blue, white map of the world, white wreath

United Nations

Europe

blue-yellow-red-white-orange-multicolour

Buddhist Flag

Romani

Pan-African Flag

Esperanto

Red Cross

Red Crescent

Red Lion and Sun

Olympic Games

Events of 1959
◀︎ ▶︎

BRUNEI • Upon becoming an autonomous protectorate on September 29, Brunei added an emblem to its flag.

FRENCH COMMUNITY • France's colonies in Africa, now officially autonomous republics, continued adopting new flags. Congo's (adopted August 18) and Dahomey's (adopted November 16) both used the green-yellow-red colours of the African Democratic Rally arranged in novel ways to stand out against an increasingly crowded field of pan-African tricolours.

When Senegal and the Sudanese Republic united to form the Mali Federation on April 4, they used the same tricolour but added a kanaga stick figure as a distinguishing mark.

In Chad, a legislative committee also proposed adopting a green-yellow-red tricolour on June 30, but when the government learned of the new flag of Mali they deemed it too similar. The design was sent back to the drawing board, and when it was officially adopted on November 6 a blue stripe had replaced the green one.

1959 proposed flag of Chad: green-yellow-red vertical tricolour

Not every flag stuck to the RDA colours. The flags of Ivory Coast (December 3) and Niger (November 23), adopted less than two weeks apart, were both based on an orange-white-green tricolour. It's been theorized that the colour scheme is a relic of the failed Sahel-Benin Union which included the two countries, but no firm evidence has been found to support that theory. It may also just be a coincidence, as both countries have arid and fertile regions that could easily be represented by orange and green.

By the end of the year, all the African republics had adopted a unique flags. Mauritania adopted a flag with a crescent and star on April 1, reflecting its unique status in the French Community as an Islamic Republic. On June 29, Gabon adopted a flag with blue and green stripes for the forest and the sea and a thin yellow line representing the equator. Finally, on December 9, Upper Volta adopted a tricolour whose three stripes representend the Black, White and Red branches of the Volta River.

EAST GERMANY • An emblem was added to the flag on October 1.

IRAQ • A new flag was adopted on July 14, exactly a year after the revolution that deposed the monarchy.

MALAWI • The Nyasaland African Congress was reconstituted as the Malawi Congress Party on September 30. The country would become officially independent under the name Malawi five years later.

KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS • Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles adopted flags on December 15.

NIGERIA • On October 1, college student Taiwo Akinkunmi won a competition to design the national flag of Nigeria. A variation on his design without the red sun was adopted when Nigeria became independent the following year. Akinkunmi is still known as "Mr. Flag Man", and lives in a green and white house.

1959 Nigeria flag proposal: green-white-green bands with a red sun

SINGAPORE • Singapore adopted a flag on December 3.

TUNISIA • Tunisia issued exact construction specifications for its flag on June 1.

UNITED STATES • A 49th star (for Alaska) was added to the flag on July 4.

WALES • The modern Welsh flag was officially approved on February 23.

ZAMBIA • The United National Independence Party was formed on October 4. Its flag would form the basis of the country's national flag when it became independent in 1964.

Notes

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

² Flown by anyone. ↩

³ Flag of the Malawi Congress Party, which sought independence for British Nyasland. Direct predecessor of the modern flag of Malawi. The colony was part of the nominally self-governing Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which had a rarely-used British ensign with the federation coat of arms. ↩

⁴ Flag of the Kenya African Union, which sought independence from Great Britain. Direct predecessor of the modern flag of Kenya. The colony also had a rarely-used British ensign with a red lion badge. ↩

⁵ Flag of the Tanganyika African National Union, which sought independence from Great Britain. Direct predecessor of the 1961 flag of Tanganyika, and by extension the flag of Tanzania. The colony also had a rarely-used British ensign with a giraffe badge. ↩

⁶ Flag of the United National Independence Party, which sought independence for the British colony of Northern Rhodesia. Direct predecessor of the modern flag of Zambia. The colony was part of the nominally self-governing Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which had a rarely-used British ensign with the federation coat of arms. ↩

⁷ Flown by nationalists and the government-in-exile. The French colony in Algeria did not have an official flag. ↩

⁸ Flown by the government, and often by private citizens. At sea, and in certain ceremonial settings on land, the ratio was 1:3. ↩

⁹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. At sea, the ratio was 1:3. ↩

¹⁰ 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. ↩

¹¹ Flag of the Federation of South Arabia, the British protected state at the core of South Arabia. ↩

¹² Flown by private citizens and municipalities. ↩

¹³ Flown by the federal government and the armed forces. ↩

¹⁴ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

¹⁵ Flown by the royal house, the government, and the armed forces. Also granted to a select list of private institutions and companies. ↩

¹⁶ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

¹⁷ Flown only on state-owned buildings and naval ships. ↩

¹⁸ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

¹⁹ Flown on government buildings and coast guard ships. ↩

²⁰ Flown for all purposes. A three-tailed version of the national flag is flown by the military. ↩

²¹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

²² Flown by the government, border guard, and public universities. The armed forces fly a version with a swallowtail cut. ↩

²³ Flown on land within Greece. The military flag had a crown in the centre of the cross. ↩

²⁴ Flown at sea and abroad. The naval ensign had a crown in the centre of the cross. ↩

²⁵ Flown by the government, sporting teams and by some private citizens. More or less exclusively a unionist symbol. ↩

²⁶ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

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

²⁸ Flown 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 over the Presidential Palace, parliament, provincial legislatures, and other government buildings. Private use highly restricted. ↩

³² Flown by embassies, airports, and merchant ships. Private use strictly banned. ↩

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

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

³⁵ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Latvian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

³⁶ Banned within the People's Republic of China. The "Tibet Area" did not have an official flag. ↩

³⁷ Flown in the Indian-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir. ↩

³⁸ Flown in the Pakistan-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir. ↩

³⁹ Flown by nationalists and separatists. The Naga Hills area did not have an official flag within India. ↩

⁴⁰ The flag of the Republic of China, the government of Taiwan. Banned on the mainland, as the People's Republic of China claimed sovereignty over the island. Regarded as the flag of China at the United Nations. ↩

⁴¹ Flown by the communist Pathet Lao government-in-exile in Hanoi. ↩

⁴² Sarawak also had a blue colonial ensign. ↩

⁴³ Flown by Karen nationalists seeking independence and separation from Burma. ↩

⁴⁴ The national flag of the Uyghur people, banned within the People's Republic of China. Xinjiang Region does not have an official flag. ↩

⁴⁵ Not legally the national flag, but allowed to be flown wherever a "distinctive Canadian flag" was needed. ↩

⁴⁶ 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. ↩

⁴⁷ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁴⁸ The most common flag, flown over most government buildings, at ceremonies, by diplomatic missions and often by public citizens. ↩

⁴⁹ An alternative government flag, most commonly flown by the armed forces but also on some public buildings and offices. ↩

⁵⁰ The simplest version of the national flag, flown by some private citizens. ↩

⁵¹ The most common Costa Rican flag. Officially designated for private citizens, but in practice often used on government buildings and schools too. ↩

⁵² Flown by the government and by diplomatic missions, although also used sometimes by private citizens. ↩

⁵³ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁵⁴ A traditional military emblem, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings. ↩

⁵⁵ A historic flag, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings. ↩

⁵⁶ Flown by the government and armed forces, and unofficially used by many private citizens. ↩

⁵⁷ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁵⁸ Flown by the governmnent. The armed forces flew a similar flag with olive and laurel branches around the coat of arms. ↩

⁵⁹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

The World Flag Chart

◀︎ Flags of 1959 ▶︎

Sub-Saharan Africa
◀︎ ▶︎

Middle East and North Africa
◀︎ ▶︎

Western Europe
◀︎ ▶︎

Eastern Europe
◀︎ ▶︎

South Asia and the Indian Ocean
◀︎ ▶︎

East, Central and Southeast Asia
◀︎ ▶︎

Oceania
◀︎ ▶︎

North America
◀︎ ▶︎

The Caribbean
◀︎ ▶︎

Latin America
◀︎ ▶︎

Other International and Cultural Flags
◀︎ ▶︎

Events of 1959
◀︎ ▶︎

Notes

Events of 1959◀︎ ▶︎

Notes

Events of 1959
◀︎ ▶︎