Flags of all countries in the world

The story behind the origin of country flags is really quite unusual, dating back to the earliest times when tribes or loosely affiliated groups of people rallied together for battle – or for trade – and their roots can be traced back to at least 5000 years ago.

Flags over the years

In ancient times, flags weren’t printed onto cloth banners – instead, they consisted of symbols that were engraved onto large wooden poles or stakes, called vexilloids. The reason for this was simple: the tall poles were easy to see from a distance, and served as a kind of rallying point, or a boundary beyond which the army or tribe would not venture. This was to ensure that “friendly fire” did not occur, and that the field of battle could be well managed by tactical observers.

Some other interesting flags

So, the earliest representations of identity were really totem poles, but they were the beginnings of an idea that would one day include all flags of the world.

It wasn’t until much later, when China began exporting silk around the world that the concept arose of an actual flag made of cloth. One of the first early civilizations to adopt this idea was the Ottoman Empire, which spanned most of South Eastern Europe, and because the flag was not limited to just showing a position on a battlefield, but could be used to symbolize a culture, it began to be associated with the identity of an entire empire.

flags on flagpoles blowing in the wind

South American Flags

  • $19.99
    $19.99
    $19.99
    Sold out
  • $19.99
    $19.99
    $19.99
    Sold out
  • $19.99
    $19.99
    $19.99
    Sold out
  • $19.99
    $19.99
    $19.99
    Sold out
  • $19.99
    $19.99
    $19.99
    Sold out
  • $19.99
    $19.99
    $19.99
    Sold out
View all
fans at a football match waving their flags

The history and evolution of flag design is fascinating and detailed, with flags playing an important role in national identity, and loyalty to an individual’s country and heritage. Flags now form part of the identity of virtually every country on Earth – and in fact, all of the 195 countries recognized by the United Nations are represented by one. This covers countries from South America, North America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australasia

Of course, the real allure of vexillology – the study of flags - lies not in the flag itself but in its symbolic significance: from global superpowers to secret societies, from branches of the military to digital nations and countless movements, there’s a wealth of hidden history and fascinating fact to be discovered.