# Coolest national flags **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 21, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701 "2005-09-21T14:38:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/21 "2005-09-22T04:21:19Z")
I liked the 1959 version of the flag of [Mali](http://flagspot.net/flags/ml.html#1959). For a couple years it had a _kanaga_ (which IIRC was a letter from the ancient Tifinagh alphabet) that looked to me like a dancing stick figure with its legs apart and bent at the knee, arms held out and bent up at the elbow. When I was a kid I thought it looked deeply weird – and therefore attractive. It was deleted from the flag in 1961. I could have easily missed it, but my parents had a 1960 edition of _Collier’s Encyclopedia_, so that’s what I saw as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/22 "2005-09-22T20:55:18Z")
[Ranking the Nation’s Flags](http://ahpc-jp30.st-and.ac.uk/~josh/flags/intro.html), a very funny site. One thing about flags- left-wing radical movements usually have cool symbols, despite what those symbols stand for. I’m thinking specifically of the Soviet Union’s hammer and sickle and Nazi Germany’s swastika. (Yes, I realize the swastika predates the Nazis by thousands of years). As far as modern-day, non-despotic countries go, I don’t really know. I like that bird on Zimbabwe’s flag, though. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/23 "2005-09-22T22:23:07Z")
(Sorry [Biggirl](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6286640&postcount=1)), I can’t believe 25+ posts and no one’s mentioned the [South Korean](http://www.lib.noaa.gov/korea/bilateral/img_bilateral/koreaflag.gif) flag. ---
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/24 "2005-09-22T22:58:59Z")
I like the [Somali Flag](http://www.flags.net/SMLA.htm). It’s not too busy, and I find its colour scheme soothing – just the thing you need if you live in that country. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/25 "2005-09-23T05:00:26Z")
Well, Old Glory, above all, of course. [Especially the “Betsy Ross” version](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Us_flag_large_Betsy_Ross.png). Angola’s flag has kind of a kitschy, psychotic charm goin’ for it. And the [Nazi War Flag](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nazi_war_flag.png) is pretty much the epitome of evil fascism, isn’t it? [Cascadia’s Flag](http://zapatopi/net/cascadia/#FLAG) is pretty nice, with the slight problem that the country doesn’t actually exist. (Well, no one’s perfect) Ditto for [the Conch Republic.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conch_Republic) ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/26 "2005-09-23T05:20:54Z")
I’d like to second the Estonian flag, and add that of [Botswana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Botswana_flag_large.png). I love the white, blue, and black combination. [Sierra Leone](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sierra_leone_flag_large.png) is yet another tricolor, but I like it for some reason. It seems oddly serene. [Kyrgyzstan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kyrgyzstan_flag_large.png) and [Republic of Macedonia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Macedonia_flag_large.png) are both bold and imposing. And [Malawi’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Malawi_flag_large.png) just kicks ass. There really needs to be more black on flags. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/27 "2005-09-23T06:01:22Z")
While not exactly a national flag, I love the [Aboriginal flag](http://www.ausflag.com.au/flags/ab.html), such a simple beautiful design and superbly evocative of the outback. I have it hanging in my living room in fact, and I used the colours thoughout my house. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/28 "2005-09-23T06:23:57Z")
Cambodia [, for sentimental reasons](http://flagspot.net/flags/kh.html) ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/29 "2005-09-23T06:50:03Z")
Looking at what other flags that site had for the US, I now have to ask. Did they really bring back the Don’t Tread on Me flag? ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/30 "2005-09-23T06:50:37Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > [Ranking the Nation’s Flags](http://ahpc-jp30.st-and.ac.uk/~josh/flags/intro.html), a very funny site. Funny site, indeed. I’m surprised they didn’t give my nation’s flag a lower mark since we so obviously copied the US flag. ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/31 "2005-09-23T12:41:23Z")
I like [Nauru’s](http://www.appliedlanguage.com/flags_of_the_world/flag_of_nauru.shtml) . the place is just below the equator. Looks like a corporate logo - probably designed by an ad agency. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/32 "2005-09-23T12:52:57Z")
Kenya. The colors symbolise the place well and the central shield is simple enough not to get busy, while still making it very evocative of the nativism that still permeates their country. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/33 "2005-09-23T13:11:08Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Neither have I. > > I like our flag. Simple and yet unique, and very recognizable. Just wanted to add: me, neither. I’m from the Maritimes. Never heard it called “the nosebleed” in my life. Huh? What? Flags? Oh yeah. I like Canada and Japan the best. Close second is the Union Jack, I just like the design. The US flag… you know, I want to love it, but as somebody mentioned above, it’s just so _busy_. I love stars. I love many stars. But they’re so uniform, like someone ordered them to stand in neat rows. Scatter those bad boys! Like Australia! Stars and stripes. Almost as bad as mixing stripes with polka dots. It’s a bit much. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/34 "2005-09-23T18:35:46Z")
I like our ([Israeli](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Israel_flag_large.png)) flag. It’s simple, not gaudy, and evocative of the character of our nation. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/35 "2005-09-23T18:54:46Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I vote for [Libya,](http://www.flags.net/LBYA.htm) for simplicity and uniqueness. Who else would think to have a one-color flag? Actually it’s a tri-color, like so many other national flags. It’s just that the three greens are very **very _very_** similar. _Not many people know that._ ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/36 "2005-09-23T19:16:29Z")
I second yBeayf’s selection of Botswana. [http://www.flags.net/BOTS.htm](http://www.flags.net/BOTS.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/37 "2005-09-23T19:20:40Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > Actually it’s a tri-color, like so many other national flags. It’s just that the three greens are very **very _very_** similar. > > _Not many people know that._ [Libya single color flag cite](http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/africa/libya.htm) Do you have a contradictory cite or is that a woosh? ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/38 "2005-09-23T20:51:59Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > [Libya single color flag cite](http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/africa/libya.htm) > > Do you have a contradictory cite or is that a woosh? You been **whooshed** , my friend! 😃 😃 😛 😛 😃 😃 😃 😃 😛 😛 😃 😃 😃 😃 😛 😛 😃 😃 😃 😃 😛 😛 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Golden\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@Golden\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Golden_Goose)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/39 "2005-09-23T21:15:08Z")
1. USSR 2. Krygystan 3. Saudi Arabia 4. UK 5. Canada 6. Turkey (red is my fav. color as you may be able to tell) ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701/40 "2005-09-24T12:07:12Z")
I like the Bahamian flag but that is just because I am from there. I also like the flags of Canada, Jamaica, Barbados, UK, Israel and Japan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-national-flags/322701.md?page=3)