Blue, White and Yellow Flags

Which countries have blue, white and yellow flags?

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a deep blue field with a yellow right-angled triangle and a diagonal line of white stars. The triangle represents the country's shape and the three peoples, and the stars reflect Europe. The blue and yellow colors are close to those of the European Union flag, which the design echoes. The Caribbean Netherlands is also on the list.

Plenty of flags include all three colors with extra colors. Malaysia has red and white stripes with a blue canton, yellow crescent and star. Kiribati shows a golden frigatebird flying over a rising sun and blue and white waves on a red field. Niue is yellow with the Union Jack and four stars. Seychelles uses blue, yellow, red, white and green rays. The Turks and Caicos Islands, Eswatini, Comoros, the Central African Republic, South Africa, Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Barthélemy also contain all three.

Why do blue and yellow go together on flags?

Blue and yellow are two of the strongest contrasting colors, so they are often used to stand for sea or sky against sun or sand. Yellow is also used for gold or the sun, and blue stands for water.

In Europe, the pair has been tied to the European Union flag, where a circle of yellow stars sits on blue, and some national designs borrowed that look. In the Pacific and Caribbean, blue and white often describe the ocean and clouds, while yellow stands for the sun, which makes the combination a natural fit for island nations.

How can you tell these flags apart?

Bosnia and Herzegovina is easy to spot because of its yellow triangle and diagonal row of stars. Flags with a Union Jack in the corner and yellow elsewhere, such as Niue and the Turks and Caicos Islands, are former British territories. Malaysia has stripes, Kiribati has a bird and a sun, and Seychelles has rays. Use the grid above to compare them.