Flags of the World Quiz: Colors, Symbols & Their Meaning

This flags of the world quiz describes famous national flags in words, from Canada's maple leaf and Japan's red sun to Nepal's triangles, Bhutan's dragon, Brazil's starry globe and Denmark's cross. Ten questions, 90 seconds, meanings explained.

Start Flags of the World Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 90 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 90s

North America
Which country's flag has a red maple leaf in the center?
Asia
Which country's flag is a white rectangle with a red circle in the middle?
Europe
Which country's flag is nicknamed the Union Jack?
Shapes
Which country has the only national flag that is not a rectangle or square?
Asia
Which country's flag shows a white dragon?
South America
Brazil's flag carries a motto across a blue globe. What does it say?
Middle East
Which country's flag shows a green cedar tree?
Colors
Which two colors make up the flag of Indonesia?
History
Which country is recognized as having the oldest national flag still in continuous use?
Oceania
How many white stars appear on the flag of Australia?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which country's flag has a red maple leaf in the center?
Answer: Canada
Canada's red-and-white Maple Leaf flag was adopted on February 15, 1965, now celebrated as National Flag of Canada Day. Its 11-pointed leaf has become the country's best-known symbol.
Q2: Which country's flag is a white rectangle with a red circle in the middle?
Answer: Japan
Japan's flag, the Hinomaru or circle of the sun, shows a red disc on a white field. It reflects the country's name, Nippon, which means origin of the sun.
Q3: Which country's flag is nicknamed the Union Jack?
Answer: United Kingdom
The Union Jack combines the crosses of St George for England, St Andrew for Scotland and St Patrick for Ireland. Wales is not represented, because it was already united with England when the first version appeared in 1606.
Q4: Which country has the only national flag that is not a rectangle or square?
Answer: Nepal
Nepal's flag is made of two stacked red triangles with a blue border, showing a moon and a sun. Every other national flag is a rectangle, apart from the square flags of Switzerland and Vatican City.
Q5: Which country's flag shows a white dragon?
Answer: Bhutan
Bhutan's flag shows Druk, the Thunder Dragon, holding jewels in its claws across a yellow and orange field. In the Dzongkha language, the country is called Druk Yul, land of the thunder dragon.
Q6: Brazil's flag carries a motto across a blue globe. What does it say?
Answer: Ordem e Progresso
Brazil's blue globe shows the night sky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning the republic was declared in 1889, with a banner reading Ordem e Progresso, order and progress. Each star stands for a state or the Federal District.
Q7: Which country's flag shows a green cedar tree?
Answer: Lebanon
A green cedar sits on a white band between two red stripes on Lebanon's flag. The Lebanon cedar has been a symbol of the region since ancient times and is mentioned many times in the Bible.
Q8: Which two colors make up the flag of Indonesia?
Answer: Red and white
Indonesia's flag is a red band over a white band, almost identical to Monaco's except for its proportions. Poland's flag uses the same colors the other way round, white over red.
Q9: Which country is recognized as having the oldest national flag still in continuous use?
Answer: Denmark
Denmark's red flag with a white Nordic cross, the Dannebrog, is listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest national flag in continuous use. Legend says it fell from the sky during a battle in 1219.
Q10: How many white stars appear on the flag of Australia?
Answer: Six
Australia's flag has six white stars: the large seven-pointed Commonwealth Star under the Union Jack and the five stars of the Southern Cross. The seven points stand for the six states and the territories.

Flags of the World Quiz – What the Colors Mean

A national flag is a country's signature. It flies over embassies, waves at the Olympics and appears on passports and postage stamps. Most flags are simple on purpose, so they can be recognized from far away and sewn by hand, but nearly every color, stripe and star carries a meaning. Red often stands for courage or the blood of independence fighters, green for land or Islam, and blue for the sea or the sky.

This quiz describes flags in words instead of pictures, which makes you think about the details: the number of stars, the shape of the flag, the animal or plant at its center. Some flags are instantly famous, like Canada's maple leaf and Japan's red sun. Others are easy to confuse, such as Indonesia's and Monaco's, which differ only in their proportions.

The study of flags even has its own name: vexillology. Vexillologists collect flag stories, track changes over time and argue about which designs work best. You do not need to be one to enjoy this quiz, but you may start noticing flags everywhere afterward.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is for geography fans, Olympic viewers and travelers who want to recognize more flags and understand what they show.

How Canada and Japan chose their famous flag designs
Which crosses are combined in the Union Jack
Why Nepal's flag is shaped differently from every other national flag
What the dragon on Bhutan's flag represents
What Brazil's starry globe and motto mean
Which flag holds the record as the oldest still in use

Quick Facts About Flags

Switzerland and Vatican City are the only countries with square national flags.
Mozambique's flag includes an AK-47 rifle, a hoe and a book.
Paraguay's flag has different designs on its front and back.
The flags of Chad and Romania are almost identical blue, yellow and red vertical stripes.
Libya's flag from 1977 to 2011 was plain green, the only single-color national flag of its time.
Nearly every national flag uses red, making it the most common flag color in the world.
Flag Day in the United States is celebrated on June 14.