1965 - 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.}

Rwanda

Guinea

Mali

Senegal

Cameroon

Chad

Nigeria

Ivory Coast

Niger

Ghana

Upper Volta

Sierra Leone

Gabon

diagonal green-yellow-red, thin middle stripe

Republic of the Congo

Dahomey

yellow-green, thick red stripe, black star

Guinea and Cape Verde

PAIGC flag ^{3³ Flag of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, which aimed for separation from Portugal. Eventually became the flag of Guinea-Bissau. Portuguese colonies did not have official flags.}

Malagasy Republic

Malawi

black-red-green, white outlines, shield and spears emblem

Kenya

African National Congress

green-black-yellow, white outlines, red triangle

Mozambique

FRELIMO flag ^{4⁴ Flag of the Liberation Front of Mozambique, which aimed for independence from Portugal. Direct predecessor of the modern flag of Mozambique. Portuguese colonies did not have official flags.}

diagonal green-black-blue, yellow outlines

Tanzania

Angola

FNLA flag ^{5⁵ Flag of the National Liberation Front of Angola, which aimed for independence from Portugal, and its government-in-exile in Léopoldville. Portuguese colonies did not have official flags.}

Angola

MPLA flag ^{6⁶ Flag of People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, a competing independence movement. Direct predecessor of the modern Angolan flag.}

green, orange eagle, three short red-black-orange stripes

Zambia

four concentric green-yellow-red-black boxes

Zimbabwe

ZANU flag ^{7⁷ Flag of the Zimbabwe African National Union, which sought majority rule in the breakaway British colony of Rhodesia. The territory's illegal white supremacist government flew a light blue British ensign with the Rhodesian coat of arms.}

Zimbabwe

ZAPU flag ^{8⁸ Flag of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, a competing liberation movement.}

6 red-yellow-black stripes, white circle, crane

Uganda

5 green-yellow stripes, red canton, white star

Togo

11 red-white stripes, blue canton, white star

Liberia

green-red triangles, white saltire, white circle, drum and sorghum plant

Burundi

The Gambia

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

Swaziland

South-West Africa

SWAPO flag ^{9⁹ Flag of the South West Africa People's Organisation, which sought independence from South Africa. Direct predecessor of the flag of Namibia. The territorial government did not have an official flag.}

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

Central African Republic

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

South Africa

blue, yellow star, diagonal red stripe outlined in yellow

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Somalia

Eritrea

ELF flag ^{10¹⁰ Flag of the Eritrean Liberation Front, which sought independence from Ethiopia. Derived from the previous national flag. The provincial government did not have an official flag.}

Middle East and North Africa
◀︎ ▶︎

Turkey

Tunisia

Morocco

Algeria

Mauritania

red-black-green, white crescent and star

Libya

Palestine

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

Jordan

Kuwait

United Arab Republic (Egypt)

Iraq

Syria

Yemen

Yemen

Royalist flag ^{11¹¹ Flown in territory controlled by the Royalists during the North Yemen Civil War.}

white, two thin blue stripes, blue star of David

Israel

Cyprus

Lebanon

Iran

state flag ^{12¹² Flown by the government, and often by private citizens. In certain ceremonial settings, the ratio was 1:3.}

Iran

national flag ^{13¹³ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Saudi Arabia

Muscat and Oman

Fujairah

Ras al-Khaimah · Sharjah

Abu Dhabi

Dubai · Ajman

red, thick white stripe, white crescent and star

Umm al-Quwain

Bahrain

Qatar

Sudan

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

South Arabia

federal flag ^{14¹⁴ Flag of the Federation of South Arabia, the British protected state at the core of South Arabia.}

South Arabia

NLF flag ^{15¹⁵ Flag of the National Liberation Front, which sought independence from Great Britain. Direct predecessor of the flag of South Yemen.}

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

Kathiri State

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

Qu'aiti State

green-white-red, black crescent and star

Mahra

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 ^{16¹⁶ Flown by private citizens and municipalities.}

Austria

federal service flag ^{17¹⁷ Flown by the federal government and the armed forces.}

Spain

West Germany

East Germany

Switzerland

Denmark

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

red, white nordic cross, swallowtail cut

Denmark

sovereign flag ^{19¹⁹ 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 ^{20²⁰ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

red, white-blue nordic cross, swallowtail cut

Norway

state flag ^{21²¹ Flown only on state-owned buildings and naval ships.}

Faroe Islands

Iceland

national flag ^{22²² Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

blue, white-red nordic cross, swallowtail cut

Iceland

state flag ^{23²³ Flown on government buildings and coast guard ships.}

Åland

Sweden ^{24²⁴ Flown for all purposes. A three-tailed version of the national flag is flown by the military.}

Finland

national flag ^{25²⁵ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Finland

state flag ^{26²⁶ Flown by the government, border guard, and public universities. The armed forces fly a version with a swallowtail cut.}

Greece

land flag ^{27²⁷ 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 ^{28²⁸ 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 ^{29²⁹ 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 ^{30³⁰ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Monaco

princely flag ^{31³¹ Flown over the Prince's Palace and government buildings.}

Vatican City

Malta

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

Portugal

Canary Islands

Galicia

Catalonia

senyera ^{32³² The traditional Catalan flag.}

9 red-yellow stripes, blue triangle, white star

Catalonia

estelada ^{33³³ The flag preferred by supporters of Catalan independence.}

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

Brittany

Cornwall

Corsica

Flanders

Wallonia

Isle of Man

Basque Country

Eastern Europe
◀︎ ▶︎

Soviet Union

red, black two-headed eagle, yellow hollow star

Albania

Czechoslovakia

Poland

state flag ^{34³⁴ Flown over the Presidential Palace, parliament, provincial legislatures, and other government buildings. Private use highly restricted.}

Poland

coat of arms flag ^{35³⁵ Flown by embassies, airports, and merchant ships. Private use strictly banned.}

blue-white-red, red star outlined in yellow

Yugoslavia

Hungary

Bulgaria

Estonia ^{36³⁶ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Estonian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation.}

Lithuania ^{37³⁷ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Lithuanian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation.}

Latvia ^{38³⁸ 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

green, thick red outline, white crescent

Maldive Islands

Comoros

Jammu and Kashmir ^{40⁴⁰ Flown in the Indian-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir.}

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

Azad Kashmir ^{41⁴¹ Flown in the Pakistan-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir.}

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

Nagaland ^{42⁴² Flown by nationalists and separatists. The Indian state of Nagaland does not have an official flag.}

Kannada ^{43⁴³ The popular but unofficial flag of the Kannada people. The Indian state of Karnataka does not have an official flag.}

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 ^{44⁴⁴ 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 ^{45⁴⁵ Flown by the communist Pathet Lao government-in-exile in Hanoi.}

Thailand

Cambodia

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

Philippines

14 red-white stripes, blue canton, yellow crescent and 14-point star

Malaysia

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

Shan

red-white-yellow-blue, green canton, brown mountain

Sabah

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

Karen ^{46⁴⁶ Flown by Karen nationalists seeking independence and separation from Burma.}

East Turkestan ^{47⁴⁷ 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

Micronesia

Western Samoa

Tonga

red, white maltese cross, French flag outlined in white

Wallis and Futuna

Guam

blue, white triangle outlined in red, American eagle holding a gold fly-whisk and club

American Samoa

Papua and New Guinea ^{48⁴⁸ Flown unofficially, mostly at sporting events}

North America
◀︎ ▶︎

Canada

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

United States

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

Northern Cheyenne

Oglala Lakota

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
◀︎ ▶︎

Jamaica

red, diagonal black stripe outlined in white

Trinidad and Tobago

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 ^{49⁴⁹ 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 ^{50⁵⁰ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Guatemala

Argentina

Honduras

Nicaragua

El Salvador

national flag ^{51⁵¹ The most common flag, flown over most government buildings, at ceremonies, by diplomatic missions and often by public citizens.}

El Salvador

inscribed flag ^{52⁵² An alternative government flag, most commonly flown by the armed forces but also on some public buildings and offices.}

El Salvador

plain flag ^{53⁵³ The simplest version of the national flag, flown by some private citizens.}

Paraguay

front side

Paraguay

back side

Costa Rica

national flag ^{54⁵⁴ 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 ^{55⁵⁵ 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 ^{56⁵⁶ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Uruguay

flag of Artigas ^{57⁵⁷ A traditional military emblem, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings.}

Uruguay

flag of the Treinta y Tres ^{58⁵⁸ A historic flag, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings.}

blue-red quarters, white cross, coat of arms

Dominican Republic

Chile

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

Panama

blue-red, white square containing a coat of arms

Haiti

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

Venezuela

national ensign ^{59⁵⁹ Flown by the government and armed forces, and unofficially used by many private citizens.}

Venezuela

national flag ^{60⁶⁰ Allowed to be flown by anyone.}

Colombia

Ecuador

Bolivia

state flag ^{61⁶¹ Flown by the governmnent. The armed forces flew a similar flag with olive and laurel branches around the coat of arms.}

Bolivia

national flag ^{62⁶² 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 1965
◀︎ ▶︎

CANADA • After a seemingly-interminable national debate, Canada adopted a new maple leaf flag without the Union Jack on February 15. The flag was designed by historian George Stanley and drawn by an artist named Jacques Saint-Cyr.

THE GAMBIA • The Gambia became independent from the United Kingdom on February 18. Its flag depicted the country's namesake river.

KANNADA • The writer Ma Ramamurthy designed a red-yellow bicolour flag for the Kannada people of India's Karnataka state. The flag was designed as a response to the red and black flags of the Dravidian party. The flag has since become an unofficial symbol of Karnataka, albeit one with a somewhat dicey standing under Indian law.

MALDIVE ISLANDS • The United Kingdom terminated its protectorate on July 26. The newly independent country removed the black and white striped hoist from its flag.

MICRONESIA • The Congress of Micronesia adopted a national flag on July 12. The six stars stood for the six districts of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

ROMANIA • The scroll on the national emblem was changed slightly on September 4.

SINGAPORE • Singapore was expelled from Malaysia on August 9.

ZIMBABWE • Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom on November 11, under the light blue ensign it had adopted the previous year. (Not pictured above.) The minority-rule government was illegal under international law and was not recognized as legitimate by any other country.

Notes

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

² Flown by anyone. ↩

³ Flag of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, which aimed for separation from Portugal. Eventually became the flag of Guinea-Bissau. Portuguese colonies did not have official flags. ↩

⁴ Flag of the Liberation Front of Mozambique, which aimed for independence from Portugal. Direct predecessor of the modern flag of Mozambique. Portuguese colonies did not have official flags. ↩

⁵ Flag of the National Liberation Front of Angola, which aimed for independence from Portugal, and its government-in-exile in Léopoldville. Portuguese colonies did not have official flags. ↩

⁶ Flag of People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, a competing independence movement. Direct predecessor of the modern Angolan flag. ↩

⁷ Flag of the Zimbabwe African National Union, which sought majority rule in the breakaway British colony of Rhodesia. The territory's illegal white supremacist government flew a light blue British ensign with the Rhodesian coat of arms. ↩

⁸ Flag of the Zimbabwe African People's Union, a competing liberation movement. ↩

⁹ Flag of the South West Africa People's Organisation, which sought independence from South Africa. Direct predecessor of the flag of Namibia. The territorial government did not have an official flag. ↩

¹⁰ Flag of the Eritrean Liberation Front, which sought independence from Ethiopia. Derived from the previous national flag. The provincial government did not have an official flag. ↩

¹¹ Flown in territory controlled by the Royalists during the North Yemen Civil War. ↩

¹² Flown by the government, and often by private citizens. In certain ceremonial settings, the ratio was 1:3. ↩

¹³ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

¹⁴ Flag of the Federation of South Arabia, the British protected state at the core of South Arabia. ↩

¹⁵ Flag of the National Liberation Front, which sought independence from Great Britain. Direct predecessor of the flag of South Yemen. ↩

¹⁶ Flown by private citizens and municipalities. ↩

¹⁷ Flown by the federal government and the armed forces. ↩

¹⁸ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

¹⁹ Flown by the royal house, the government, and the armed forces. Also granted to a select list of private institutions and companies. ↩

²⁰ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

²¹ Flown only on state-owned buildings and naval ships. ↩

²² Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

²³ Flown on government buildings and coast guard ships. ↩

²⁴ Flown for all purposes. A three-tailed version of the national flag is flown by the military. ↩

²⁵ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

²⁶ Flown by the government, border guard, and public universities. The armed forces fly a version with a swallowtail cut. ↩

²⁷ Flown on land within Greece. The military flag had a crown in the centre of the cross. ↩

²⁸ Flown at sea and abroad. The naval ensign had a crown in the centre of the cross. ↩

²⁹ Flown by the government, sporting teams and by some private citizens. More or less exclusively a unionist symbol. ↩

³⁰ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

³¹ Flown over the Prince's Palace and government buildings. ↩

³² The traditional Catalan flag. ↩

³³ The flag preferred by supporters of Catalan independence. ↩

³⁴ Flown over the Presidential Palace, parliament, provincial legislatures, and other government buildings. Private use highly restricted. ↩

³⁵ Flown by embassies, airports, and merchant ships. Private use strictly banned. ↩

³⁶ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Estonian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

³⁷ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Lithuanian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

³⁸ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Latvian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

³⁹ Banned within the People's Republic of China. The Tibet Autonomous Region does not have an official flag. ↩

⁴⁰ Flown in the Indian-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir. ↩

⁴¹ Flown in the Pakistan-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir. ↩

⁴² Flown by nationalists and separatists. The Indian state of Nagaland does not have an official flag. ↩

⁴³ The popular but unofficial flag of the Kannada people. The Indian state of Karnataka does not have an official flag. ↩

⁴⁴ 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. ↩

⁴⁵ Flown by the communist Pathet Lao government-in-exile in Hanoi. ↩

⁴⁶ Flown by Karen nationalists seeking independence and separation from Burma. ↩

⁴⁷ The national flag of the Uyghur people, banned within the People's Republic of China. Xinjiang Region does not have an official flag. ↩

⁴⁸ Flown unofficially, mostly at sporting events ↩

⁴⁹ 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. ↩

⁵⁰ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁵¹ The most common flag, flown over most government buildings, at ceremonies, by diplomatic missions and often by public citizens. ↩

⁵² An alternative government flag, most commonly flown by the armed forces but also on some public buildings and offices. ↩

⁵³ The simplest version of the national flag, flown by some private citizens. ↩

⁵⁴ The most common Costa Rican flag. Officially designated for private citizens, but in practice often used on government buildings and schools too. ↩

⁵⁵ Flown by the government and by diplomatic missions, although also used sometimes by private citizens. ↩

⁵⁶ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁵⁷ A traditional military emblem, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings. ↩

⁵⁸ A historic flag, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings. ↩

⁵⁹ Flown by the government and armed forces, and unofficially used by many private citizens. ↩

⁶⁰ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁶¹ Flown by the governmnent. The armed forces flew a similar flag with olive and laurel branches around the coat of arms. ↩

⁶² Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

The World Flag Chart

◀︎ Flags of 1965 ▶︎

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 1965
◀︎ ▶︎

Notes

Events of 1965◀︎ ▶︎

Notes

Events of 1965
◀︎ ▶︎