Suns appear on flags across South America, East and Central Asia, and a few other places. They fall into a handful of recognisable styles.
The Sun of May (South America)
A golden sun with a human face and alternating straight and wavy rays, named for the May Revolution of 1810 in Buenos Aires. It appears on the flags of Argentina (centre) and Uruguay (in the canton), and historically links to the whole region's independence from Spain. Bolivia's and other coats of arms include a plainer radiant sun.
Rising and radiant suns (Asia)
- Japan — a plain red disc, the sun, referencing the country's name ("origin of the sun").
- Bangladesh — a red disc, offset slightly toward the hoist, representing the sun rising over Bengal and the blood of the independence war.
- Taiwan (not a UN member) — a white sun with twelve rays on blue, in the canton.
- Nepal — a stylised white sun below the moon on its double-pennon flag.
- Kyrgyzstan — a yellow sun with 40 rays, its centre showing the crossed roof-frame of a yurt.
- Kazakhstan — a golden sun above a soaring steppe eagle, on sky blue.
- Kiribati — a golden sun rising over stylised ocean waves, with a frigatebird above.
- The Philippines — a golden sun with eight rays (for the eight provinces that first revolted) and three stars, in the white triangle.
Starbursts and stylised suns
- North Macedonia — a golden sun with eight broad rays widening to the edges, on red.
- Rwanda — a golden sun in the upper fly corner, on blue above yellow and green.
- Namibia — a golden sun with twelve triangular rays in the blue upper-hoist triangle.
- Malawi — a rising red sun on the top black band.
- Antigua and Barbuda — a rising golden sun on black, above blue and white bands.
- Argentina and Uruguay — the Sun of May, as above.
Sun flags are spread across three continents — a good reason to use Guess the Flag's continent filter and drill them region by region.
Find the suns →