When it comes to flags, bold and recognizable colors are used. This is why you never see flags with pastel colors, like pink, lavender, or mint green. Red, green, and white are common colors used in several nations’ flags, and stripes are common as they are simple and easy to remember.
So what countries have flags with red, green, and white stripes? In our answer, we are including those flags that have either horizontal or vertical stripes.
There are currently 11 countries that have red, green, and white stripes on their flags – regardless of extra embellishment such as a seal or symbol.
- Belarus
- Bulgaria
- Equatorial Guinea
- Hungary
- Iran
- Italy
- Kuwait
- Madagascar
- Mexico
- Suriname
- Tajikistan
Read on to learn a little bit about each of these countries and what makes them unique.
11 Countries with Flags with Red, Green, and White Stripes
1. Belarus
This Eastern European country lies north of Ukraine and west of Russia.
The Belarusian flag is unique, with a vertical white stripe on the hoist side patterned with an intricate design in red, which was inspired by a classic design embroidered on peasants’ clothing centuries before.
The rest of the flag is composed of two horizontal stripes – red at the top and green at the bottom. The red stripe is twice the width of the green.
2. Bulgaria
The plain flag of this country in southeast Europe is composed of three horizontal stripes: white (top), green (center), and red (bottom). The flags are of equal length and width, making it one of the simplest flags on our list.
The Bulgarian flag was first adopted in 1879 and used until 1947, when the nation’s seal was incorporated into the flag’s top left corner. It wasn’t until 1990 when the Bulgarian government did away with the seal and re-adopted the original tri colored flag without the seal.
3. Equatorial Guinea
This country in central Africa was known as Spanish Guinea until 1968, when the nation gained independence from Spain. Its flag is unique, with a blue triangle on its hoist side, three horizontal stripes making up the majority of the flag, and the country’s coat of arms in the flag’s center.
The stripes are green (top), white (middle), and red (bottom) with Equatorial Guinea’s coat of arms in the flag’s center, against the white stripe. The flags four colors symbolize the following:
- Blue (triangle) – the sea, which the nation’s mainland borders
- Green (top stripe) – jungles and rich natural resources
- White (center stripe) – peace
- Red (bottom stripe) – blood shed by those who fought for independence
4. Hungary
The flag of this central European country is simple, composed solely of three horizontal stripes of red (top), white (center), and green (bottom). The flag has been the official Hungarian flag since 1957, when the previous flag that included the national coat of arms was retired.
The flag’s colors originate from the Middle Ages, the Hungarian flag being red, green, and white since the 13th century.
5. Iran
Located in the Middle East, Iran is one of the nations that utilizes red, green, and white horizontal stripes in their flag’s design. The Iranian flag is unique in that the stripes’ borders are made up of the Takbir written in Kufic script a total of 22 times.
The national emblem is known as a Tawhid, which resembles a sword surrounded by four curves and topped with a shadda and was incorporated into the national flag in 1980.
6. Italy
Italy is one of the countries on our list that uses vertical stripes rather than horizontal ones. The order of the stripes are green (left), white (center), and red (right).
The current simple tricolor was first declared Italy’s national flag in 1946, following the conclusion of the Second World War.
Italy’s flag has gone through multiple alterations throughout the country’s long history, though the colors have remained largely the same. The current flag was first presented in 1796 during a presentation to the National Guard and underwent several adaptations before being officially declared Italy’s flag in 1947.
7. Kuwait
Located in the Middle East along the Persian Gulf, Kuwait has a flag with a black trapezoid along its hoist side with red, green, and white horizontal stripes composing the rest of the flag.
Kuwait’s current flag became the national flag in 1961, replacing the previous flag that only used red and white.
8. Madagascar
This island nation located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of southeastern Africa has a flag that incorporates both vertical and horizontal bands; a vertical white band runs along the flag’s hoist side while the remainder of the flag is made up of two horizontal stripes: red at the top and green at the bottom. All three bands, the white included, are of equal length and width.
9. Mexico
Perhaps one of the most recognizable flags, Mexico’s national flag is composed of vertical bands of (left to right) dark green, white, and red. In the flag’s center against the white stripe is the Mexican national seal – a golden eagle perched on a cactus while devouring a rattlesnake.
This large Latin American country’s seal is inspired by early Aztec mythology, when the Aztec people saw a golden eagle on a cactus eating a rattlesnake and knew it was a sign from their gods that they’d found the location where they’d build their capital city of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City).
10. Suriname
The intricate flag of this South American country includes two green horizontal bands that border both the top and bottom borders of the flag; one wide red band in the flag’s center; and two narrow white stripes sandwiched between the green bands and the widest red stripe in the flag’s center. A yellow star sits squarely in the flag’s center against the red stripe.
The flag has been Suriname’s national flag since 1975.
11. Tajikistan
This landlocked country in central Asia is composed of three horizontal stripes and a yellow coat of arms: a red stripe at the top, a white stripe in the center, and a green stripe at the bottom. The center white stripe is slightly wider than both the red and green stripes and contains the yellow coat of arms.
