Flags With Horizontal Stripes

90 flags in our collection use horizontal stripes, making this the largest design family. Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands and the United States are among them.

Central African Republic

US Minor Outlying Islands

What do horizontal stripes mean on flags?

Horizontal stripes are one of the most common ways to divide a flag, and the colors usually carry the meaning. In Europe they often show the Pan-Slavic white, blue and red used by Russia, Slovakia and Slovenia. In the Arab world, red, white and black stripes appear on Egypt, Yemen, Iraq and Sudan.

The 13 red and white stripes of the United States are the other famous example. There are seven red and six white stripes, one for each of the original thirteen colonies.

Horizontal stripe flags by region

Europe: Germany (black, red and gold), Austria (red, white, red), Hungary (red, white, green), Bulgaria (white, green, red), Lithuania (yellow, green, red), Estonia (blue, black, white), Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain.
Latin America: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, El Salvador and Uruguay.
Africa: Ethiopia, Ghana, Gabon, Botswana, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda, many in green, yellow and red.
Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Thailand, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iran, India, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines.

How to tell similar flags apart

Many stripe flags look alike. The Netherlands has red, white and blue stripes of equal size, and Luxembourg has the same colors but a lighter blue and a longer shape. Austria and Lebanon are both red, white, red, but Lebanon has a green cedar tree in the center. Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela share yellow, blue and red, but Colombia and Ecuador have a wider yellow band and Venezuela has an arc of stars. Latvia is a dark maroon, while Austria is a brighter red.

Stripes are the base of many flags in Europe, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, and the number of stripes ranges from two to fourteen, as in Malaysia. Ethiopia and Ghana use green, yellow and red, while Gabon uses green, yellow and blue.

Thailand's flag has five stripes, with a wide blue central band, and Mauritius has four equal stripes in red, blue, yellow and green.

Frequently asked questions

Which flag has horizontal stripes?

Germany, Austria, Hungary, Armenia, Colombia, Thailand and the United States are among 90 flags with horizontal stripes.

Which flag is red, white and red?

Austria has red, white and red stripes. Lebanon uses the same pattern with a green cedar in the middle.

Which flag has black, red and gold stripes?

Germany's flag has black, red and gold horizontal stripes.

Why are there 7 red stripes and 6 white stripes on the American flag?

The American flag has 13 stripes alternating red and white, starting and ending with red, which makes seven red and six white. They stand for the original thirteen colonies. Among red, white and blue flags, the United States is the best-known with horizontal stripes.

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