Flags of the world
All 235 flags from the Flagglobe deck on one page, grouped by continent — the same list the globe draws from, laid out to read instead of dealt as questions.
Each entry has the country or territory the flag belongs to, its capital where it has one, area and population, one thing worth knowing about it, and the three hints the game offers during a round: the region, the coastline and neighbours, the language. The population figures and the facts are written for this site; area, capitals and borders come from the world-countries dataset, the flag artwork from the flag-icons set, and the names match the Natural Earth borders on the globe. Territories without a flag of their own — six of the 241 on the globe — are not listed.
Use it to look something up, or to learn: Learning opens the same card on the globe when you click a country, and Practice deals only the flags you have not placed yet. Jump to a continent: Europe · Asia · Africa · Americas · Oceania · Antarctica.
Europe · 50
Play these flags on a flat map: Europe · European capitals
Åland
A Swedish-speaking, demilitarised autonomous archipelago of Finland.
In Northern Europe · An island nation · Speaks Swedish
Albania
The two-headed eagle on its flag comes from the 15th-century national hero Skanderbeg.
In Southeast Europe · Has a coastline · borders Greece and North Macedonia · Speaks Albanian
Andorra
Ruled jointly by two co-princes: the Bishop of Urgell in Spain and the President of France.
In Southern Europe · Landlocked · borders France and Spain · Speaks Catalan
Austria
Its red-white-red flag is among the oldest national flags, traced back to the 13th century.
In Central Europe · Landlocked · borders Germany and Italy · Speaks Bavarian
Belarus
Białowieża Forest on its western border is Europe's last primeval lowland forest.
In Eastern Europe · Landlocked · borders Russia and Ukraine · Speaks Belarusian, Russian
Belgium
Brussels hosts the headquarters of both the European Union and NATO.
In Western Europe · Has a coastline · borders France and Germany · Speaks German, French
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics; the Old Bridge of Mostar dates to 1566.
In Southeast Europe · Has a coastline · borders Serbia and Croatia · Speaks Bosnian, Croatian
Bulgaria
The Cyrillic alphabet was developed in the First Bulgarian Empire in the 9th century.
In Southeast Europe · Has a coastline · borders Türkiye and Romania · Speaks Bulgarian
Croatia
The necktie originates here: 'cravat' comes from Croatian mercenaries of the 17th century.
In Southeast Europe · Has a coastline · borders Hungary and Serbia · Speaks Croatian
Cyprus
Legend places the birth of Aphrodite at Petra tou Romiou on its southern coast.
In Southern Europe · An island nation · Speaks Greek, Turkish
Czechia
Drinks more beer per person than any other country; Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle complex.
In Central Europe · Landlocked · borders Germany and Poland · Speaks Czech, Slovak
Denmark
The Dannebrog is the oldest continuously used national flag; legend dates it to 1219.
In Northern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Germany · Speaks Danish
Estonia
Has voted online since 2005 and offers e-residency to foreigners.
In Northern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Russia and Latvia · Speaks Estonian
Faroe Islands
Eighteen islands with more sheep than people — the name may mean 'sheep islands'.
In Northern Europe · An island nation · Speaks Danish, Faroese
Finland
Around 188,000 lakes and about 3 million saunas for 5.6 million people.
In Northern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Russia and Sweden · Speaks Finnish, Swedish
France
The most visited country in the world; with its overseas regions it spans twelve time zones.
In Western Europe · Has a coastline · borders Spain and Germany · Speaks French
Germany
Has over 1,500 kinds of sausage and about 1,300 breweries.
In Western Europe · Has a coastline · borders France and Poland · Speaks German
Greece
Has about 6,000 islands, of which around 200 are inhabited.
In Southern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Türkiye and Bulgaria · Speaks Greek
Guernsey
A self-governing Crown Dependency; Victor Hugo wrote Les Misérables here in exile.
In Northern Europe · An island nation · Speaks English, French
Hungary
Budapest has more thermal springs than any other capital, over 100 of them.
In Central Europe · Landlocked · borders Ukraine and Romania · Speaks Hungarian
Iceland
Runs almost entirely on geothermal and hydro power, and has no mosquitoes.
In Northern Europe · An island nation · Speaks Icelandic
Ireland
The harp, not the shamrock, is the official national emblem; it appears on every euro coin minted here.
In Northern Europe · Has a coastline · borders United Kingdom · Speaks English, Irish
Isle of Man
Its parliament, Tynwald, has met since 979 — the oldest continuous parliament in the world.
In Northern Europe · An island nation · Speaks English, Manx
Italy
Has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country.
In Southern Europe · Has a coastline · borders France and Austria · Speaks Italian
Jersey
The largest of the Channel Islands, closer to France than to Britain.
In Northern Europe · An island nation · Speaks English, French
Latvia
Riga's Art Nouveau district is the largest concentration of the style anywhere.
In Northern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Russia and Belarus · Speaks Latvian
Liechtenstein
One of two doubly landlocked countries; it has more registered companies than citizens.
In Western Europe · Landlocked · borders Austria and Switzerland · Speaks German
Lithuania
By one calculation the geographic centre of Europe lies just north of Vilnius.
In Northern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Russia and Poland · Speaks Lithuanian
Luxembourg
The world's only Grand Duchy, and one of the richest countries per person.
In Western Europe · Landlocked · borders France and Germany · Speaks German, French
Macedonia
Lake Ohrid is one of Europe's oldest and deepest lakes, over a million years old.
In Southeast Europe · Landlocked · borders Greece and Bulgaria · Speaks Macedonian
Malta
Its megalithic temples predate Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.
In Southern Europe · An island nation · Speaks English, Maltese
Moldova
The Mileștii Mici winery holds the world's largest wine collection, in 200 km of tunnels.
In Eastern Europe · Landlocked · borders Ukraine and Romania · Speaks Romanian
Monaco
The most densely populated country and the second smallest; the Grand Prix runs through its streets.
In Western Europe · Has a coastline · borders France · Speaks French
Montenegro
Its name means 'black mountain'; the Bay of Kotor is Europe's southernmost fjord-like bay.
In Southeast Europe · Has a coastline · borders Serbia and Croatia · Speaks Montenegrin
Netherlands
About a quarter of the country lies below sea level, and there are more bicycles than people.
In Western Europe · Has a coastline · borders Germany and Belgium · Speaks Dutch
Norway
Has over 1,000 fjords; Svalbard holds the Global Seed Vault.
In Northern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Russia and Sweden · Speaks Norwegian Nynorsk, Norwegian Bokmål
Poland
The Wieliczka salt mine has been worked since the 13th century and has a cathedral underground.
In Central Europe · Has a coastline · borders Russia and Ukraine · Speaks Polish
Portugal
Grows about half of the world's cork; Lisbon is older than Rome.
In Southern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Spain · Speaks Portuguese
Romania
The Palace of Parliament in Bucharest is the heaviest building in the world.
In Southeast Europe · Has a coastline · borders Ukraine and Bulgaria · Speaks Romanian
Russia
The largest country on Earth, spanning eleven time zones; Lake Baikal holds a fifth of the world's fresh water.
In Eastern Europe · Has a coastline · borders China and Kazakhstan · Speaks Russian
San Marino
The world's oldest republic, founded in 301 AD according to tradition.
In Southern Europe · Landlocked · borders Italy · Speaks Italian
Serbia
Belgrade has been fought over in about 115 wars and razed 44 times.
In Southeast Europe · Landlocked · borders Romania and Bulgaria · Speaks Serbian
Slovakia
Has more castles per person than any other country, over 100 of them.
In Central Europe · Landlocked · borders Ukraine and Poland · Speaks Slovak
Slovenia
More than half the country is forest; Postojna Cave has a railway running inside it.
In Central Europe · Has a coastline · borders Italy and Hungary · Speaks Slovenian
Spain
The Sagrada Família in Barcelona has been under construction since 1882.
In Southern Europe · Has a coastline · borders France and Morocco · Speaks Spanish
Sweden
Has about 267,000 islands, and a right to roam that lets anyone camp on almost any land.
In Northern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Finland and Norway · Speaks Swedish
Switzerland
Has four national languages and one of only two square national flags.
In Western Europe · Landlocked · borders France and Germany · Speaks French, Swiss German
Ukraine
The largest country entirely in Europe; Kyiv's Saint Sophia Cathedral has stood since the 11th century.
In Eastern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Russia and Poland · Speaks Ukrainian
United Kingdom
Big Ben is the bell, not the tower; the Tube is the world's oldest underground railway, from 1863.
In Northern Europe · Has a coastline · borders Ireland · Speaks English
Vatican
The smallest country in the world, at 0.44 km², with about 800 residents.
In Southern Europe · Landlocked · borders Italy · Speaks Italian, Latin
Asia · 50
Play these flags on a flat map: Asia · Asian capitals
Afghanistan
Kabul sits at about 1,800 m — one of the highest capital cities in the world.
In South Asia · Landlocked · borders China and Iran · Speaks Dari, Pashto
Armenia
The first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion, in 301 AD.
In Western Asia · Landlocked · borders Iran and Türkiye · Speaks Armenian
Azerbaijan
Baku lies 28 m below sea level — the lowest-lying national capital on Earth.
In Western Asia · Landlocked · borders Russia and Iran · Speaks Azerbaijani, Russian
Bahrain
An island kingdom joined to Saudi Arabia by the 25 km King Fahd Causeway.
In Western Asia · An island nation · Speaks Arabic
Bangladesh
One of the most densely populated large countries, on the delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra.
In South Asia · Has a coastline · borders India and Myanmar · Speaks Bangla
Bhutan
Measures Gross National Happiness alongside GDP, and absorbs more carbon than it emits.
In South Asia · Landlocked · borders China and India · Speaks Dzongkha
Brunei
A small sultanate on Borneo whose wealth comes almost entirely from oil and gas.
In Southeast Asia · Has a coastline · borders Malaysia · Speaks Malay
Cambodia
Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, appears on its flag.
In Southeast Asia · Has a coastline · borders Thailand and Vietnam · Speaks Khmer
China
The many sections of the Great Wall add up to more than 20,000 km.
In East Asia · Has a coastline · borders Russia and India · Speaks Chinese
Georgia
Wine has been made here for about 8,000 years — the oldest known winemaking anywhere.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Russia and Türkiye · Speaks Georgian
Hong Kong
One of the most densely populated places on Earth, with more skyscrapers than any other city.
In East Asia · Has a coastline · borders China · Speaks English, Chinese
India
The most populous country in the world since 2023, with 22 official languages.
In South Asia · Has a coastline · borders China and Pakistan · Speaks English, Hindi
Indonesia
About 17,000 islands and the largest Muslim population of any country.
In Southeast Asia · Has a coastline · borders Papua New Guinea and Malaysia · Speaks Indonesian
Iran
Known as Persia until 1935; home to 27 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Persepolis.
In South Asia · Has a coastline · borders Pakistan and Türkiye · Speaks Persian
Iraq
Ancient Mesopotamia — where writing, the wheel and the first cities appeared.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Saudi Arabia and Iran · Speaks Arabic, Aramaic
Israel
Revived Hebrew as an everyday spoken language in the 20th century.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Egypt and Syria · Speaks Arabic, Hebrew
Japan
An archipelago of over 14,000 islands; Greater Tokyo is the largest metropolitan area on Earth.
In East Asia · An island nation · Speaks Japanese
Jordan
Petra, the rose-red city carved into rock, was the Nabataean capital 2,000 years ago.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Saudi Arabia and Iraq · Speaks Arabic
Kazakhstan
The largest landlocked country; Baikonur launched the first human into space in 1961.
In Central Asia · Landlocked · borders Russia and China · Speaks Kazakh, Russian
Kuwait
Sits on about 6% of the world's oil reserves; the Kuwaiti dinar is the highest-valued currency unit.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Saudi Arabia and Iraq · Speaks Arabic
Kyrgyzstan
About 90% mountains; Issyk-Kul is the world's second-largest alpine lake.
In Central Asia · Landlocked · borders China and Kazakhstan · Speaks Kyrgyz, Russian
Laos
The only landlocked country in Southeast Asia; the Mekong forms much of its western border.
In Southeast Asia · Landlocked · borders China and Myanmar · Speaks Lao
Lebanon
The cedar on its flag has been a national emblem for millennia; Byblos is among the oldest cities.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Syria and Israel · Speaks Arabic, French
Macao
The most densely populated territory on Earth; its casinos out-earn Las Vegas.
In East Asia · Has a coastline · borders China · Speaks Portuguese, Chinese
Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004.
In Southeast Asia · Has a coastline · borders Indonesia and Thailand · Speaks English, Malay
Maldives
The flattest country on Earth, averaging only 1.5 m above sea level.
In South Asia · An island nation · Speaks Divehi
Mongolia
The least densely populated country; about a quarter of its people are still nomadic herders.
In East Asia · Landlocked · borders Russia and China · Speaks Mongolian
Myanmar
Bagan holds over 2,000 Buddhist temples and pagodas built between the 11th and 13th centuries.
In Southeast Asia · Has a coastline · borders China and India · Speaks Burmese
Nepal
Home to Mount Everest and eight of the ten highest peaks; the only non-rectangular national flag.
In South Asia · Landlocked · borders China and India · Speaks Nepali
North Korea
Pyongyang's Ryugyong Hotel, 105 storeys tall, has stood unfinished since 1992.
In East Asia · Has a coastline · borders Russia and China · Speaks Korean
Oman
Frankincense from its southern Dhofar region was traded across the ancient world.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Saudi Arabia and Yemen · Speaks Arabic
Pakistan
K2, the world's second-highest mountain, stands on its northern border.
In South Asia · Has a coastline · borders China and India · Speaks English, Urdu
Palestine
Jericho, near the Dead Sea, is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities, over 10,000 years old.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Egypt and Jordan · Speaks Arabic
Philippines
Over 7,600 islands; the Banaue rice terraces are about 2,000 years old.
In Southeast Asia · An island nation · Speaks English, Filipino
Qatar
Hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup; nearly 90% of residents are foreign nationals.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Saudi Arabia · Speaks Arabic
Saudi Arabia
Holds Mecca and Medina, Islam's holiest cities; the Rub' al Khali is the largest sand desert.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Yemen and Iraq · Speaks Arabic
Singapore
A city-state that has grown by about 25% through land reclamation since independence.
In Southeast Asia · An island nation · Speaks English, Malay
South Korea
The Hangul alphabet was invented in 1443 by King Sejong so that everyone could learn to read.
In East Asia · Has a coastline · borders North Korea · Speaks Korean
Sri Lanka
Once called Ceylon; still one of the world's biggest tea exporters.
In South Asia · Has a coastline · borders India · Speaks Sinhala, Tamil
Syria
Damascus is often called the oldest continuously inhabited capital in the world.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Türkiye and Iraq · Speaks Arabic
Taiwan
Produces most of the world's advanced semiconductors.
In East Asia · An island nation · Speaks Chinese
Tajikistan
Over 90% mountains; the Pamir Highway is the second-highest international road.
In Central Asia · Landlocked · borders China and Afghanistan · Speaks Russian, Tajik
Thailand
The only Southeast Asian country never colonised by a European power.
In Southeast Asia · Has a coastline · borders Myanmar and Malaysia · Speaks Thai
Timor-Leste
Asia's youngest country, independent since 2002.
In Southeast Asia · Has a coastline · borders Indonesia · Speaks Portuguese, Tetum
Turkey
Istanbul is the only city on two continents; Göbekli Tepe is the oldest known temple, about 11,000 years old.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Iran and Iraq · Speaks Turkish
Turkmenistan
The Darvaza gas crater, the 'Gates of Hell', has burned since 1971.
In Central Asia · Landlocked · borders Kazakhstan and Iran · Speaks Russian, Turkmen
United Arab Emirates
Dubai's Burj Khalifa, at 828 m, is the tallest building in the world.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Saudi Arabia and Oman · Speaks Arabic
Uzbekistan
Samarkand and Bukhara were jewels of the Silk Road; one of two doubly landlocked countries.
In Central Asia · Landlocked · borders Kazakhstan and Afghanistan · Speaks Russian, Uzbek
Vietnam
The world's second-largest coffee exporter; Hạ Long Bay has about 1,600 limestone islands.
In Southeast Asia · Has a coastline · borders China and Laos · Speaks Vietnamese
Yemen
Socotra island has dragon's blood trees found nowhere else; Sana'a's old city is over 2,500 years old.
In Western Asia · Has a coastline · borders Saudi Arabia and Oman · Speaks Arabic
Africa · 57
Play these flags on a flat map: Africa · African capitals
Algeria
The largest country in Africa; the Sahara covers more than four fifths of it.
In North Africa · Has a coastline · borders Libya and Niger · Speaks Arabic
Angola
Luanda's Portuguese street names come from four centuries as a Portuguese colony, until 1975.
In Central Africa · Has a coastline · borders DR Congo and Namibia · Speaks Portuguese
Benin
Birthplace of Vodun (voodoo), still an official religion here.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Niger and Nigeria · Speaks French
Botswana
Holds about a third of Africa's elephants, most of them in and around the Okavango Delta.
In Southern Africa · Landlocked · borders South Africa and Namibia · Speaks English, Tswana
British Indian Ocean Territory
The Chagos Archipelago; Diego Garcia hosts a joint UK and US military base.
In East Africa · An island nation · Speaks English
Burkina Faso
Its name means 'land of upright people'; hosts Africa's biggest film festival, FESPACO.
In West Africa · Landlocked · borders Niger and Mali · Speaks French
Burundi
Gitega replaced Bujumbura as the political capital in 2019.
In East Africa · Landlocked · borders DR Congo and Tanzania · Speaks French, Rundi
Cabo Verde
Ten volcanic Atlantic islands, uninhabited until the Portuguese arrived in 1456.
In West Africa · An island nation · Speaks Portuguese
Cameroon
Called 'Africa in miniature' for its mix of coast, rainforest, savanna and mountains.
In Central Africa · Has a coastline · borders Chad and Nigeria · Speaks English, French
Central African Republic
Lies almost exactly at the geographic centre of Africa.
In Central Africa · Landlocked · borders DR Congo and Sudan · Speaks French, Sango
Chad
Lake Chad has shrunk by about 90% since the 1960s.
In Central Africa · Landlocked · borders Sudan and Libya · Speaks Arabic, French
Comoros
Known as the Perfume Islands for its ylang-ylang, used in Chanel No. 5.
In East Africa · An island nation · Speaks Arabic, French
Congo
Brazzaville and Kinshasa face each other across the Congo River — the closest pair of capitals.
In Central Africa · Has a coastline · borders DR Congo and Angola · Speaks French, Kongo
Côte d'Ivoire
The world's largest cocoa producer, growing about 40% of the global supply.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Mali and Burkina Faso · Speaks French
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The most populous French-speaking country in the world.
In Central Africa · Has a coastline · borders Angola and Tanzania · Speaks French, Kongo
Djibouti
Lake Assal, at 155 m below sea level, is the lowest point in Africa.
In East Africa · Has a coastline · borders Ethiopia and Somalia · Speaks Arabic, French
Egypt
The Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure on Earth for nearly 4,000 years.
In North Africa · Has a coastline · borders Sudan and Libya · Speaks Arabic
Equatorial Guinea
The only African country with Spanish as an official language.
In Central Africa · Has a coastline · borders Cameroon and Gabon · Speaks French, Portuguese
Eritrea
Asmara is a UNESCO site for its 1930s Italian modernist architecture.
In East Africa · Has a coastline · borders Sudan and Ethiopia · Speaks Arabic, English
eSwatini
One of the world's last absolute monarchies; renamed from Swaziland in 2018.
In Southern Africa · Landlocked · borders South Africa and Mozambique · Speaks English, Swati
Ethiopia
Never colonised; its calendar has 13 months and runs about seven years behind the Gregorian one.
In East Africa · Landlocked · borders Sudan and Somalia · Speaks Amharic
Gabon
Rainforest covers nearly 90% of the country.
In Central Africa · Has a coastline · borders Cameroon and Republic of the Congo · Speaks French
Gambia
The smallest country on mainland Africa, following the Gambia River and surrounded by Senegal.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Senegal · Speaks English
Ghana
Lake Volta is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world by surface area.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso · Speaks English
Guinea
Called the water tower of West Africa: the Niger, Senegal and Gambia rivers all rise here.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Mali and Ivory Coast · Speaks French
Guinea-Bissau
The Bijagós archipelago has saltwater hippos and matriarchal island communities.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Guinea and Senegal · Speaks Portuguese
Kenya
The wildebeest migration crosses the Maasai Mara each year; Nairobi has a national park inside the city.
In East Africa · Has a coastline · borders Ethiopia and Tanzania · Speaks English, Swahili
Lesotho
The only country lying entirely above 1,000 m, and completely encircled by South Africa.
In Southern Africa · Landlocked · borders South Africa · Speaks English, Southern Sotho
Liberia
Founded by freed American slaves in 1822 — Africa's oldest republic.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Ivory Coast and Guinea · Speaks English
Libya
Over 90% desert; the Sahara here has recorded some of the hottest temperatures on Earth.
In North Africa · Has a coastline · borders Algeria and Sudan · Speaks Arabic
Madagascar
About 90% of its wildlife, including every lemur, exists nowhere else.
In East Africa · An island nation · Speaks French, Malagasy
Malawi
Lake Malawi has more fish species than any other lake in the world.
In East Africa · Landlocked · borders Tanzania and Mozambique · Speaks English, Nyanja
Mali
Timbuktu was a centre of Islamic scholarship with hundreds of thousands of manuscripts.
In West Africa · Landlocked · borders Algeria and Niger · Speaks French
Mauritania
The Richat Structure, a 40 km 'Eye of the Sahara', is visible from space.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Algeria and Mali · Speaks Arabic
Mauritius
The dodo lived only here and was extinct by 1681 — it still appears on the coat of arms.
In East Africa · An island nation · Speaks English, French
Morocco
Fez has the world's oldest continuously operating university, founded in 859.
In North Africa · Has a coastline · borders Algeria and Spain · Speaks Arabic
Mozambique
The only national flag that shows a modern rifle — an AK-47.
In East Africa · Has a coastline · borders South Africa and Tanzania · Speaks Portuguese
Namibia
The Namib is the oldest desert on Earth; the country has Africa's largest free-roaming cheetah population.
In Southern Africa · Has a coastline · borders Angola and South Africa · Speaks Afrikaans, German
Niger
One of the hottest countries on Earth; the Sahara covers around 80% of it.
In West Africa · Landlocked · borders Algeria and Libya · Speaks French
Nigeria
Africa's most populous country, with over 500 languages spoken.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Chad and Niger · Speaks English
Rwanda
The land of a thousand hills; its parliament has the highest share of women in the world.
In East Africa · Landlocked · borders DR Congo and Tanzania · Speaks English, French
Saint Helena
Napoleon died in exile here in 1821; the island got its first airport only in 2016.
In West Africa · An island nation · Speaks English
São Tomé and Principe
Africa's second-smallest country, almost on the equator and once the world's top cocoa producer.
In Central Africa · An island nation · Speaks Portuguese
Senegal
Dakar is the westernmost capital in mainland Africa; Gorée Island recalls the Atlantic slave trade.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Mali and Mauritania · Speaks French
Seychelles
The coco de mer palm here bears the largest seed in the plant kingdom.
In East Africa · An island nation · Speaks Seselwa Creole French, English
Sierra Leone
Freetown was founded in 1792 as a home for freed slaves.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Guinea and Liberia · Speaks English
Somalia
Has the longest coastline on mainland Africa, over 3,300 km.
In East Africa · Has a coastline · borders Ethiopia and Kenya · Speaks Arabic, Somali
South Africa
Has three capitals — Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein — and eleven official languages.
In Southern Africa · Has a coastline · borders Namibia and Mozambique · Speaks Afrikaans, English
South Sudan
The world's youngest country, independent since 2011; the Sudd is one of the largest wetlands.
In Central Africa · Landlocked · borders DR Congo and Sudan · Speaks English
Sudan
Has more pyramids than Egypt — over 200 at Meroë and other Kushite sites.
In North Africa · Has a coastline · borders Libya and Chad · Speaks Arabic, English
Tanzania
Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, and the Serengeti migration are both here.
In East Africa · Has a coastline · borders DR Congo and Mozambique · Speaks English, Swahili
Togo
One of Africa's narrowest countries: 50 to 140 km wide but 550 km long.
In West Africa · Has a coastline · borders Burkina Faso and Ghana · Speaks French
Tunisia
Carthage, Rome's great rival, stood near modern Tunis; Tatooine in Star Wars was filmed here.
In North Africa · Has a coastline · borders Algeria and Libya · Speaks Arabic
Uganda
The Nile begins its journey at Jinja on Lake Victoria; home to half the world's mountain gorillas.
In East Africa · Landlocked · borders DR Congo and Tanzania · Speaks English, Swahili
Western Sahara
A disputed territory since Spain withdrew in 1975; mostly desert, with large phosphate mines.
In North Africa · Has a coastline · borders Algeria and Mauritania · Speaks Spanish
Zambia
Shares Victoria Falls with Zimbabwe; the Zambezi feeds Lake Kariba, one of the largest man-made lakes.
In East Africa · Landlocked · borders DR Congo and Angola · Speaks English
Zimbabwe
Named after Great Zimbabwe, a medieval stone city; Victoria Falls is the largest sheet of falling water.
In East Africa · Landlocked · borders South Africa and Mozambique · Speaks English, North Ndebele
Americas · 51
Play these flags on a flat map: Americas · Capitals of the Americas
Anguilla
A flat coral island with 33 beaches; its flag shows three dolphins.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Antigua and Barbuda
Claims 365 beaches — one for every day of the year.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Argentina
Home to Aconcagua, at 6,961 m the highest mountain outside Asia.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Brazil and Bolivia · Speaks Guarani, Spanish
Aruba
Lies outside the hurricane belt, with about 360 days of sunshine a year.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks Dutch, Papiamento
Bahamas
About 700 islands and cays, only around 30 of them inhabited.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Barbados
Became a republic in 2021, replacing the British monarch with an elected president.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Belize
The only Central American country whose official language is English.
In Central America · Has a coastline · borders Mexico and Guatemala · Speaks English, Spanish
Bermuda
Bermuda shorts with a blazer and knee socks are genuine office wear on the island.
In North America · An island nation · Speaks English
Bolivia
Has two capitals: Sucre is the constitutional one, La Paz the seat of government.
In South America · Landlocked · borders Brazil and Argentina · Speaks Aymara, Guarani
Brazil
The world's largest Portuguese-speaking country; Brasília was purpose-built as the capital in 1960.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Argentina and Peru · Speaks Portuguese
British Virgin Islands
About 60 islands and cays; the capital Road Town is on Tortola.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Canada
Has the world's longest coastline and more lakes than the rest of the world combined.
In North America · Has a coastline · borders United States · Speaks English, French
Cayman Islands
Home to more registered companies than people.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Chile
Stretches 4,300 km from north to south but averages only 177 km wide.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Argentina and Peru · Speaks Spanish
Colombia
One of the most biodiverse countries on Earth, with more bird species than any other.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Brazil and Peru · Speaks Spanish
Costa Rica
Abolished its army in 1949 and runs almost entirely on renewable electricity.
In Central America · Has a coastline · borders Nicaragua and Panama · Speaks Spanish
Cuba
The largest island in the Caribbean; classic 1950s American cars still fill Havana's streets.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks Spanish
Curaçao
Willemstad's pastel Dutch waterfront is a UNESCO site; the blue liqueur is named after the island.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English, Dutch
Dominica
The Nature Island: nine volcanoes, 365 rivers and the world's second-largest boiling lake.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo, founded in 1496, is the oldest European city in the Americas.
In the Caribbean · Has a coastline · borders Haiti · Speaks Spanish
Ecuador
Named after the equator; the Galápagos Islands inspired Darwin's theory of evolution.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Peru and Colombia · Speaks Spanish
El Salvador
The smallest country in Central America and the only one without a Caribbean coast.
In Central America · Has a coastline · borders Honduras and Guatemala · Speaks Spanish
Falkland Islands
About 3,700 people, roughly half a million sheep and over a million penguins.
In South America · An island nation · Speaks English
Greenland
The world's largest island; its ice sheet is up to 3 km thick.
In North America · An island nation · Speaks Kalaallisut
Grenada
The Spice Isle: a leading nutmeg producer, and a nutmeg appears on its flag.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Guatemala
Heart of the ancient Maya civilisation; Tikal's temples rise above the rainforest.
In Central America · Has a coastline · borders Mexico and Honduras · Speaks Spanish
Guyana
The only South American country with English as its official language.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Brazil and Venezuela · Speaks English
Haiti
The first Black-led republic, independent since 1804 after a successful slave revolution.
In the Caribbean · Has a coastline · borders Dominican Republic · Speaks French, Haitian Creole
Honduras
Copán holds some of the finest Maya sculpture; the term 'banana republic' was coined about Honduras.
In Central America · Has a coastline · borders Nicaragua and Guatemala · Speaks Spanish
Jamaica
Birthplace of reggae and of Usain Bolt; its flag is one of the few without red, white or blue.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English, Jamaican Creole English
Mexico
Gave the world chocolate, corn and chillies; Mexico City is built on a drained lake.
In North America · Has a coastline · borders United States and Guatemala · Speaks Spanish
Montserrat
Its capital Plymouth was buried by volcanic ash in 1997 and abandoned.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Nicaragua
Lake Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America and once held freshwater sharks.
In Central America · Has a coastline · borders Honduras and Costa Rica · Speaks Spanish
Panama
The Panama Canal shortens the voyage between the Atlantic and Pacific by about 13,000 km.
In Central America · Has a coastline · borders Colombia and Costa Rica · Speaks Spanish
Paraguay
Its flag is the only national flag with a different emblem on each side.
In South America · Landlocked · borders Brazil and Argentina · Speaks Guarani, Spanish
Peru
Machu Picchu was built by the Incas around 1450; the potato was first domesticated here.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Brazil and Colombia · Speaks Aymara, Quechua
Puerto Rico
The Arecibo radio telescope was the largest in the world for over 50 years.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English, Spanish
Saint Kitts and Nevis
The smallest country in the Americas by both area and population.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Saint Lucia
The only country named after a woman; the twin Pitons appear on its flag.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
The last piece of New France, just 25 km off Newfoundland.
In North America · An island nation · Speaks French
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed in its harbours; Bequia still builds boats by hand.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Sint Maarten
Shares its island with French Saint-Martin — the smallest inhabited island split between two nations.
In the Caribbean · Has a coastline · borders Saint Martin · Speaks English, French
St-Barthélemy
Was Swedish from 1784 to 1878; the capital Gustavia is named after a Swedish king.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks French
St-Martin
The French north of an island shared with Dutch Sint Maarten since 1648.
In the Caribbean · Has a coastline · borders Sint Maarten · Speaks French
Suriname
The smallest South American country; Dutch is the official language and 90% is rainforest.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Brazil and Guyana · Speaks Dutch
Trinidad and Tobago
Birthplace of calypso, limbo and the steelpan — the only acoustic instrument invented in the 20th century.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Turks and Caicos Islands
Grace Bay on Providenciales is regularly ranked among the best beaches in the world.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
United States of America
Alaska is bigger than the next three largest states combined; the flag has changed 27 times.
In North America · Has a coastline · borders Canada and Mexico · Speaks English
United States Virgin Islands
The only part of the United States that drives on the left.
In the Caribbean · An island nation · Speaks English
Uruguay
Won the first FIFA World Cup in 1930 as host; gets over 90% of its electricity from renewables.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Brazil and Argentina · Speaks Spanish
Venezuela
Angel Falls, at 979 m, is the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world.
In South America · Has a coastline · borders Brazil and Colombia · Speaks Spanish
Oceania · 23
American Samoa
The only US territory south of the equator; Pago Pago has one of the deepest natural harbours in the Pacific.
In Polynesia · An island nation · Speaks English, Samoan
Australia
The only nation that covers an entire continent; the Great Barrier Reef is visible from space.
In Oceania · An island nation · Speaks English
Cook Islands
Fifteen islands spread over 2 million km² of ocean, in free association with New Zealand.
In Polynesia · An island nation · Speaks English, Rarotongan
Fiji
More than 330 islands; rugby sevens is the national passion, with Olympic gold in 2016 and 2020.
In Melanesia · An island nation · Speaks English, Fijian
French Polynesia
118 islands across an area of ocean the size of Europe; Tahiti is the largest.
In Polynesia · An island nation · Speaks French
Guam
Where America's day begins — the westernmost US territory.
In the North Pacific · An island nation · Speaks Chamorro, English
Kiribati
Straddles the equator and the 180th meridian; the first country to greet each new day.
In the North Pacific · An island nation · Speaks English, Gilbertese
Marshall Islands
29 coral atolls; Bikini Atoll was the site of 23 nuclear tests.
In the North Pacific · An island nation · Speaks English, Marshallese
Micronesia
607 islands across 2.6 million km² of ocean; the ruins of Nan Madol stand on artificial islets.
In the North Pacific · An island nation · Speaks English
Nauru
The smallest island nation and the only country with no official capital.
In the North Pacific · An island nation · Speaks English, Nauru
New Caledonia
Its lagoon, ringed by the world's second-largest barrier reef, is a UNESCO site.
In Melanesia · An island nation · Speaks French
New Zealand
The first country to give women the vote, in 1893; sheep outnumber people about five to one.
In Oceania · An island nation · Speaks English, Māori
Niue
One of the largest coral islands and one of the smallest nations, in free association with New Zealand.
In Polynesia · An island nation · Speaks English, Niuean
Norfolk Island
Settled in 1856 by descendants of the Bounty mutineers from Pitcairn.
In Oceania · An island nation · Speaks English
Northern Mariana Islands
The nearby Mariana Trench is the deepest point in any ocean, nearly 11 km down.
In the North Pacific · An island nation · Speaks Chamorro, English
Palau
Jellyfish Lake is filled with millions of stingless golden jellyfish.
In the North Pacific · An island nation · Speaks English, Palauan
Papua New Guinea
The most linguistically diverse country, with over 800 languages.
In Melanesia · Has a coastline · borders Indonesia · Speaks English, Hiri Motu
Pitcairn Islands
About 40 people, descendants of the Bounty mutineers — the smallest population of any territory.
In Polynesia · An island nation · Speaks English
Samoa
Skipped 30 December 2011 entirely when it moved west of the International Date Line.
In Polynesia · An island nation · Speaks English, Samoan
Solomon Islands
Nearly 1,000 islands; Guadalcanal was a major Second World War battlefield.
In Melanesia · An island nation · Speaks English
Tonga
The only Pacific island nation never colonised, and still a kingdom.
In Polynesia · An island nation · Speaks English, Tongan
Vanuatu
Land diving on Pentecost Island, with vines tied to the ankles, inspired bungee jumping.
In Melanesia · An island nation · Speaks Bislama, English
Wallis and Futuna
Three traditional kingdoms still function inside this French Pacific territory.
In Polynesia · An island nation · Speaks French
Antarctica · 4
Antarctica
No permanent residents: between 1,000 and 5,000 scientists live on research stations, depending on the season.
In the Antarctic · An island nation · No official language
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
No permanent population; only researchers on Kerguelen, Crozet and Amsterdam islands.
In the Antarctic · An island nation · Speaks French
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Uninhabited; Mawson Peak on Heard Island is an active volcano and Australia's highest mountain.
In the Antarctic · An island nation · Speaks English
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
No permanent residents; Ernest Shackleton is buried at the old whaling station of Grytviken.
In the Antarctic · An island nation · Speaks English
Population figures are rounded and change over time. A mistake spotted here can be sent by email — the address is on the About page.