Orange and White Flags

Which countries have orange and white flags?

Cyprus has a white field with a copper-orange silhouette of the island and two olive branches beneath it. The orange stands for copper, which gave the island its name, and the branches symbolize peace between the Greek and Turkish communities. It is one of the few national flags without a stripe, star or cross.

Flags that combine orange and white with other colors include India (saffron, white and green with a wheel), Ireland (green, white and orange vertical bands), Ivory Coast (orange, white and green, with orange at the hoist) and Niger (orange, white and green with an orange disc). Bhutan is split diagonally between yellow and orange with a white dragon, and the Marshall Islands has a blue field with two diagonal rays, orange and white, and a white star.

Why is orange so uncommon on flags?

Orange is close to red and yellow, which are more common, so many designers use one of those instead. Where orange is used, it nearly always has a specific meaning: Ireland's Protestant tradition, India's courage, Bhutan's Buddhist practice, or Niger's desert.

Cyprus is unusual because it uses orange as a shape rather than a stripe. The color was chosen in 1960 as a neutral emblem that did not use red or blue, the colors of Greece and Turkey.

How can you tell these flags apart?

Cyprus is the easiest, since it has an island map and no stripes. Ireland and Ivory Coast are vertical bands that mirror each other. India and Niger are horizontal, with a wheel or a disc in the center. Bhutan has a dragon, and the Marshall Islands has a star. Use the grid above to compare each one.