National flags represent a lot more than national pride and identity. It is easy to see flags travel far, for instance, during the Olympics. When they do, they carry with them a country’s history and standards, and that is why they are so important. Traditionally, they used to symbolize sheer signage, but today they carry more significance. National flags have been fought for, and therefore they represent not only freedom but also the blood that was shed for countries to be liberated. It is for that reason that a silent war continues even today regarding the most beautiful flags in the world. Don’t beat yourself if you find your favourite flag missing from the list because beauty is and will forever be subjective.

Most of us are naturally patriotic without even knowing it, and that is why we will not think twice before selecting our national flags as the most beautiful, even if they might not be. This may be because the colours and symbols embedded in every flag represent the ideals, history and pride of a country. How then would it be that the ideals, history, pride and even struggle of a country not be beautiful to the natives of that country?

Most beautiful flags in the world

These are ten of the most beautiful flags in the world:

1. Australia

Australia’s flag is beautiful both in appearance and symbolism. Just like many of the best European flags, it features a strong acknowledgement of the commonwealth through the Union Jack in the canton to the upper-left side of the flag.

Below the Union Jack is a large seven-pointed star just like the commonwealth one. The right-side half of the flag has five stars of different sizes to represent the Southern Cross constellation that can be seen from Australia.

2. Brazil

Auriverde is the official flag of Brazil since 1889 and is one of the pretty country flags with lots of hidden symbolism. The flag’s green colour is a representation of the country’s fields and forests. Yellow, on the other hand, reminds the people of their country’s wealth in gold.

At the heart of the flag is a blue colour in the shape of a celestial globe representing the night sky as seen from Rio de Janeiro. Within the globe are tiny white stars that correspond to a Brazilian Federative Unit. Lastly, the motto Ordem e Progresso (Order and progress) runs across the globe and is an inspiration from French Philosopher Auguste Comte’s motto of positivism.

3. South Sudan

The flag of South Sudan adopted in 2005. The flag is a black, white-bordered red and green horizontal tricolour with a blue triangle and yellow star. Black: Represents the people of South Sudan, Red: Represents blood that was shed for the independence of the country, Green: Represents the country’s agricultural, natural wealth, land, as well as progress, White: Represents South Sudan’s peace attained after many years of the liberation struggle.Blue: Represents waters of the Nile River, a source of life for the country and Yellow: Represents unity (of the states), hope, and determination for all people.

4. South Africa

Adopted and used since 1994, the flag of South Africa condenses centuries of the country’s history. Though beautifully designed, the symbolism of the flag’s colours has not been explained officially, but it still is one of the best looking flags. It is believed that the black, green and yellow colours were taken from Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress banner.

The red, white and blue on the other hand used to be the colours of the Transvaal flag. The Y design of the colours is believed to be about the convergence of several cultures under one nation.

5. Malaysia

Malaysia’s flag popularly known as Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of glory) has been in use since 1963. The flag features 14 alternating stripes of white and red. Also, there is a blue canton with a crescent, and a fourteen-pointed star referred to as the Bintang Persekutuan (Federal Star).

The white and red stripes are a representation of the 13 states, and federal territories of the country and the 14 points of the star are a symbol of the existence of unity between the states. The flag’s crescent is a nod to Islam, the official religion in the country. Lastly, the yellow signifies the royal colour of the rulers of Malay.

6. Nepal

Nepal’s flag is not only beautiful but also unique due to the unusual shape that makes it to feature among the coolest flags in history. It is not a rectangle like many other flags people are accustomed to. The design of the flag was inspired by the peaks of Everest.

There are two motifs, moon and sun, as representations of calm and resolve. The flag’s colour is majorly crimson red, the colour of the country’s national flower- the rhododendron. The outer margins of the flag are blue which is a symbol of peace.

7. Bosnia & Herzegovina

Bosnia & Herzegovina might not be the most popular countries in the world but probably have the best flag in the world. The beautiful design of the Bosnia & Herzegovina flag is coupled with simultaneous symbolism. The flag has three colours which are yellow, blue, and white.

The points of the yellow triangle represent the three major ethnic groups that are the Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs. There are white stars that run diagonally through the flag representing the many countries in Europe and thus Bosnia & Herzegovina’s place among good neighbours.

8. USA

USA’s flag is iconic and rich in history. It is a first among the most popular flags in the world. This flag has been in existence since 1960 when Hawaii became a US state. The flag has 50 stars as symbols of the current 50 states in the USA. The 13 red and white stripes are a representation of the initial 13 British colonies that joined to be the first states of the USA.

There is no telling whether the flag may change in the future too with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico keen on becoming US states. In that eventuality, the flag’s design will have to change to accommodate new stars representing the new states.

9. Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a country that was formerly a member of the Soviet Union before the collapse. This country never used its flag until 1992, six months after declaring its independence. The flag features a bold red background to represent the bravery of the people of the country.

At the core of the flag is a yellow symbol of a scorching sun as a representation of peace and wealth. The forty rays around the sun are symbols of the Kyrgyz tribes that formed a union to fight against the Mongols. The inner lines on the symbol of the sun represent a tunduk which is the top part of the Kyrgyz yurt and family home.

10. Kenya

Kenya’s flag has been in use since 1963 and could easily pass as the most beautiful flag in Africa. At the centre of the flag is a shield in front of two crossed spears. These are embedded in a horizontal tricolour of black, red, white, and green. The green colour represents the natural landscape and wealth of the country.

The black colour is a representation of the Kenyan people and the African continent. Red is a representation of the bloodshed witnessed in the struggle for independence. White signified peace and unity while the shield and spears are symbols of Kenya’s defense of all the other elements represented in the flag.

Flags are an important part of a country as they unite people and inspire patriotism. Anywhere around the globe, a flag is a symbol of pride and unity and is often revered as something that countries can go into war for. Due to their importance, most flags are not just pieces of cloth, but they are carefully designed in line with the history of their respective countries. The top 10 most beautiful flags in the world must not only capture aesthetics but deep symbolism which citizens can relate and get attached to.