International Flags Key Terms

Learn some of the symbolism and designs of flags from around the world

By Laurie Edwards

Whether you are selecting a flag to honor your heritage, buying one to celebrate an international event or just enjoy learning more about other countries, understanding some basic terms can help you appreciate international flags. Each country has a unique flag that represents important historical, political or religious events. Countries fly their flags with pride, and citizens honor these meaningful symbols of the land of their birth. Learn to recognize some of the important designs connected with international flags.

Vexillology

Vexillology is the study of flags. In recent years, a term has been coined to cover those who study flags via the Internet, cybervexillology. Flag buffs enjoy learning about the history and development of international flags and their symbolism.
Try: World Wide Words defines vexillology and discusses the origin of the word.

Crescent moon

Stories abound about the crescent moon's history. Some trace it back as the Romans. The symbol became well-known during the Ottoman Empire and then came to be associated with the Islamic world. Today many countries with large Islamic populations have a crescent moon on their flags. Some Muslims, however, see the crescent moon as a pagan symbol.
Try: "Muslim Voices," an online publication of The Trustees of Indiana University, discusses the crescent moon's ties to Islam. Enchanted Learning shows pictures of flags from around the world that bear a crescent moon, including those from countries with few ties to Islam.

Hammer and sickle

The hammer and sickle is symbol associated with Communist countries. Because these are tools used by farmers, it represented the common working people and was first seen during the Bolshevik Revolution.
Try: AbsoluteAstronomy.com discusses the symbolism behind the hammer and sickle as well as some of the places it appears.

Saltire

A saltire flag sports a diagonal cross that touches each of the four corners of the flag. Some of the places that use the saltire include Jamaica, Scotland, and Nova Scotia, a Canadian province. Several U.S. states also use the saltire.
Try: FOTW Flags Of The World lists the countries with saltires on their flags; links lead to pictures of each flag. To read more about why Scotland's flag is based on the saltire, check out VisitScotland.com.

Tricolor

One of the most popular flags is the tricolor, which has three bands of color. These stripes can run either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Try: National Portal of India discusses the history of the Indian tricolor. Learn French Help presents facts about France's tricolor flag.

Canton

A canton flag has a rectangular inset in the upper corner closest to the flagpole. The United States has a canton flag.
Try: The Flag Detective describes a canton, shows a diagram of its placement, and offers links to flags that use the canton.