Flags symbolize their country, and as such, each country chooses the flag’s colors which best represent the country’s core values. The countries who have red, white, and green on their flags are:
- Algeria
- Wales
- Iran
- Italy
- Oman
- The Maldives
- Belarus
- Madagascar
- Lebanon
- Burundi
- Hungary
- Bulgaria
In this article, we will take a closer look at each of these countries’ flags and the reasons why they chose to use these three colors.
Algeria’s Flag
Algeria’s flag consists of two equal vertical bars of green and white, and a red crescent moon and star in the center of the flag. The crescent moon and star represent the national religion of the country, Islam. The flag was adopted by the country in 1962. The green and white are said to symbolise Islam, purity and the peace the country was founded on.
The Flag of Wales
Originally, it was just the red dragon that was the symbol of the country. The first monarch of the Tudor dynasty, Henry VII, chose green and white as his livery and the red dragon symbol he said was for his Welsh ancestors. In 1801 that badge was officially recognised as a symbol of Wales. The red dragon has officially appeared over the white and green since 1911, when Edward VIII was given the title Prince of Wales.
The green and white colors do not have much extra symbolism, although they do match the colors of another Welsh symbol; the leek.
The Iranian Flag
Also known as The Three Coloured Flag, this flag was adopted in 1980, after the Iranian revolution of 1979. It is composed of three equal stripes of green, white, and red. The symbol of Allah is in red, in the center of the white stripe and the takbir is written 11 times each in the kufic script in white. It runs along the bottom of the green stripe and the top of the red stripe. The green represents the Islamic religion, the white represents peace, and the red represents courage.
The Italian Flag
This is probably the most well-known flag with this color scheme. Their flag was adopted on 7th of January 1797, and is based off the French flag, only they chose different colors. The green represents hope, the white represents faith, and the red represents charity, after the three theological virtues.
Oman’s Flag
Up until 1970, Oman flew the red flag of the indigenous people. In 1970, the sultan brought in what we all know as the new flag. The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of white, green, and red, and a vertical red panel on the left which contains the national emblem of Oman ( a dagger and two swords). The white symbolizes peace, and historically it is the color of the Imam. The green represents the Jabal-al-Akhdar, the green mountains that lie in the north of the country. Red is a common color for the region.
The Flag of the Maldives
This flag is mostly green and red. It is green with a red border going all the way around it. In the center of the flag, there is a white crescent moon. The red symbolizes the blood of the nation’s heroes, who gave their life for their country, the green represents peace and prosperity, and the white moon symbolizes the Islamic faith.
The Flag of Belarus
The green, white and red design has only been the official flag of Belarus since 2012. The flag is red and green, with a white and red ornamental design along the staff. Unlike most governments, Belarus has not legally defined the meaning behind the colors of the flag but rather they have a loose interpretation of what each color means. The red symbolizes freedom and the sacrifices made by previous generations, the green symbolizes life, and the ornamental design is a traditional design and symbolizes the traditional values that Belarus holds dear.
Madagascar’s Flag
This flag has green and red horizontal stripes with a vertical white band going up the hoist. The white and red represent the nation’s ties to the Pacific, but the green belongs to the Malagasy people. It represents the Hova caste, which played a major role in this nation’s struggle for independence from France.
Lebanon’s Flag
The Lebanese flag is made up of two thinner, horizontal red stripes, and a slightly wider white stripe in the middle. There is a green cedar tree in the center.The red stripes represent the blood shed for liberation, the white stripe represents purity, peace, and the snow of the mountains, and the green cedar represents eternity, steadfastness, and prosperity.
The Flag of Burundi
This flag has an intricate design. It consists of a white saltire that divides the rest of the space into alternating red and green spaces. The white color of the saltire and central disk symbolize peace. The red represents the struggle for independence and the suffering that took place, and green symbolizes the hopes.
Hungary’s Flag
The tri-color flag was adopted by Hungary in 1957. It consists of three equal horizontal stripes: red, white, and green. The red, white and green colors are the same found in Hungary’s Coat of Arms. It is said that green represents the country’s mountains, the white its rivers, and the red the blood that has spilled in battles fought.
Bulgaria’s Flag
The flag of Bulgaria is similar in design to Hungary’s flag, however, the colors are arranged in a different order. The white stripe is on top, then the green, and then red. The white of the flag symbolizes peace and prosperity. The green signifies agriculture and wealth, while the red represents the struggle for independence and military courage.
Flags have always been a national symbol of their respective countries. Each of the 12 flags use the colors green, white and red in their designs. Although the colors represent different ideals to each country, the symbolism is relatively similar for each country.
