Geography Games

Flags With Three Horizontal Stripes (Horizontal Tricolours)

The horizontal tricolour predates the vertical one — the Dutch were flying red-white-blue bands in the 16th century. Around 30 countries use the format today.

Updated August 28, 2026 · See a mistake? Send a correction

Flags With Three Horizontal Stripes (Horizontal Tricolours)

Three equal horizontal bands. The Dutch flag (originally orange-white-blue, later red-white-blue) is the ancestor; it influenced the Russian tricolour and, through it, the whole Pan-Slavic family. Grouping by colour scheme is the way to learn them.

Pan-Slavic (red / white / blue in some order)

  • Russia — white-blue-red.
  • Netherlands — red-white-blue.
  • Luxembourg — red-white-blue (lighter blue, longer flag).
  • Slovakia and Slovenia — white-blue-red with a coat of arms toward the hoist.
  • Serbia — red-blue-white with arms.
  • Croatia — red-white-blue with a checkerboard shield.

Pan-Arab (red / white / black, usually with green)

  • Yemen — plain red-white-black.
  • Egypt — red-white-black with a golden eagle.
  • Iraq — red-white-black with green script.
  • Syria — red-white-black with two green stars.
  • Sudan — red-white-black with a green triangle at the hoist.

Gran Colombia (yellow / blue / red)

  • Colombia — yellow (double width), blue, red.
  • Ecuador — yellow-blue-red with the coat of arms.
  • Venezuela — yellow-blue-red with an arc of eight white stars.

German-influenced and other

  • Germany — black-red-gold.
  • Belgium is vertical, not here; Austria is red-white-red (two colours).
  • Hungary — red-white-green.
  • Bulgaria — white-green-red.
  • Lithuania — yellow-green-red.
  • Estonia — blue-black-white.
  • Armenia — red-blue-orange.
  • The Gambia — red-blue-green separated by thin white fimbriations.
  • Sierra Leone — green-white-blue.
  • India — saffron-white-green with the Ashoka Chakra.
  • Bolivia — red-yellow-green.
  • Ghana — red-gold-green with a black star.
  • Lithuania, Bolivia, Ghana, Guinea (vertical), Mali (vertical) — the Pan-African horizontal set is Ethiopia, Ghana, Bolivia (not African but same colours), Guinea-Bissau (mixed).

Horizontal tricolours are three equal bands, so their colour proportions are near-identical thirds. The flag pie chart game forces you to reason from the exact hues instead.

Learn by colour proportion →

FAQ

Which flag was the first horizontal tricolour?
The Dutch flag, flown in the 16th century during the revolt against Spain — originally orange-white-blue, later standardised as red-white-blue. It influenced the Russian tricolour and the wider Pan-Slavic family.
What are the Pan-Slavic colours?
Red, white and blue, arranged in horizontal bands, derived from the Russian civil flag of 1699. Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia all use them; the coat of arms and band order tell them apart.
How do I tell the red-white-black Arab tricolours apart?
By the green element and any central emblem. Yemen is plain; Egypt has a gold eagle; Iraq has green script; Syria has two green stars; Sudan adds a green triangle at the hoist.

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