Ever tried to name every country in the world during a pub quiz? It's a nightmare. Most of us stall out around 140, usually forgetting the small island nations in Oceania or the "Stans" of Central Asia. But there is something deeper here than just memorization.
The names of all countries with flags are more than just labels on a map; they are the condensed DNA of history, revolution, and cultural pride. Honestly, when you look at the 195 sovereign states recognized by the United Nations today—that's 193 member states plus the Holy See and Palestine—you're looking at a massive visual library of the human story.
The 195: A complete breakdown by region
If you’re looking for a definitive list, you have to look at the world as it stands in 2026. Borders shift, and names change. Remember when Turkey asked the world to start using Türkiye? Or when Swaziland became Eswatini? These aren't just cosmetic tweaks. They are assertions of identity.
Africa (54 Countries)
Africa has the highest number of countries. You've got the pan-African colors—red, yellow, and green—dominating the landscape. These colors were inspired by the Ethiopian flag, the only African nation to avoid European colonization (mostly).
- Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Asia (48 Countries)
Asia is home to some of the oldest continuous cultures and some of the most striking flag designs. Think of Japan—the "Land of the Rising Sun"—with its simple red disc. Or Bhutan, featuring the Druk (Thunder Dragon) across its field.
- Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey (Türkiye), Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen.
Europe (44 Countries)
In Europe, the "Nordic Cross" (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, etc.) and the classic tricolors (France, Italy, Germany) rule. Denmark holds the record for the oldest continuously used national flag, the Dannebrog, which legend says fell from the sky in 1219.
- Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic (Czechia), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City.
Americas (35 Countries)
From the stars and stripes of the United States to the maple leaf of Canada, the Western Hemisphere uses flags to tell stories of independence.
- Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Oceania (14 Countries)
This region is heavily influenced by the sea. Many flags, like Fiji or Tuvalu, still feature the British Union Jack in the canton, reflecting colonial history.
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- Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
Why "All Countries" is a trick question
You see, the number of countries is actually a moving target.
If you ask the Olympics, they recognize 206 "National Olympic Committees." This includes territories like Puerto Rico or American Samoa which have their own flags but aren't technically independent sovereign nations. FIFA recognizes even more—211 member associations. That's why you see Scotland, Wales, and England playing separately in the World Cup, even though they all share the United Kingdom's passport.
Then there is Taiwan.
Most of the world trades with Taiwan, yet only a handful of nations officially recognize it as a "country" due to the complex political situation with China. It has its own flag, its own president, and its own military, but it doesn't have a seat at the UN.
The Weird and the Wonderful: Vexillology 101
Vexillology is the fancy name for the study of flags. And it’s full of trivia that makes for great conversation.
Take Nepal. It’s basically the rebel of the group. Every other national flag in the world is a quadrilateral (four-sided). Nepal said "no thanks" and went with two stacked triangles representing the Himalayan peaks and the two main religions: Hinduism and Buddhism.
Then there’s the "Identity Crisis" of 1936. At the Berlin Olympics, Haiti and Liechtenstein showed up and realized their flags were identical—blue on top, red on bottom. They were so embarrassed that Liechtenstein added a crown to their flag the very next year to tell them apart.
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Switzerland and Vatican City are also outliers. They are the only two countries with perfectly square flags. If you see a rectangular Swiss flag, it’s technically the "civil ensign" used by ships on the water, not the official national flag on land.
Common design families
Flags aren't designed in a vacuum. Most belong to "families" based on shared history:
- Pan-Arab Colors: Red, black, white, and green (e.g., Jordan, UAE, Kuwait).
- Pan-Slavic Colors: Red, white, and blue (e.g., Russia, Serbia, Czechia).
- Nordic Cross: The off-center cross seen in Scandinavia (e.g., Iceland, Norway, Finland).
- Tricolors: Inspired by the French Revolution's Tricolore, symbolizing liberty, equality, and fraternity.
Practical insights for your next journey
If you’re traveling or just want to be a better global citizen, knowing these flags is actually useful. In some countries, the flag is sacred. In the United States, there's a specific code for how to fold it. In Saudi Arabia, the flag is never flown at half-mast because it contains the Shahada (declaration of faith).
To truly master the names of all countries with flags, stop trying to memorize a list. Start looking at the stories. When you see a flag with an AK-47 on it (Mozambique), it tells you about a brutal struggle for independence. When you see a flag with a Bible on it (Dominican Republic), it tells you about the nation's spiritual foundation.
If you want to dive deeper into this, the best move is to get a high-quality physical world map or a vexillology app. Digital screens often distort the official colors—for instance, the blue on the Netherlands flag is a very specific "Cobalt Blue," which is different from the "Luxembourg Blue." Seeing them side-by-side in print is often the only way to spot the difference.
Start by learning one region a week. Before you know it, you won't just be naming countries; you'll be reading the history of the world through its colors.