List of national flags by design
A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a country. Flags come in many shapes and designs, which often represent something about the country or people that the flag represents. Common design elements of flags include shapes such as stars, stripes, and crosses, layout elements such as including a canton (a rectangle with a distinct design, such as another national flag), and the overall shape of a flag, such as the aspect ratio of a rectangular flag (whether the flag is square or rectangle, and how wide it is) or the choice  of a non-rectangular flag. Sometimes these flags are used to represent languages. Many countries with shared history, culture, ethnicity, or religion have similarities in their flags that represent this connection. Sets of flags in this list within the same category may represent countries' shared connections, or the design similarity may be a coincidence. Flags of uncommon shapes. <nowiki>*</nowiki> Most common aspect ratio is 2:3, followed by 1:2. Star. One five-pointed star in center. See also the list of flags featuring crescents, below, many of which include a five-pointed star in the crescent. Cross. Union Jack . Additionally, the Union Jack features in many territorial and sub-national flags. These are often Red Ensigns (e.g., ) or Blue Ensigns (e.g., and ). A small number have backgrounds of other colors (e.g. and ) or a unique pattern in the field (e.g. and ). A small number put the Union Jack somewhere other than the canton (e.g. ). Unofficial flags, such as also use it. Divisions. Upper left divided from rest of flag. A canton in a flag is a rectangular area at the top hoist corner of a flag, occupying up to a quarter of the flag's area. The canton of  a flag may be a flag in its own right. For instance, British ensigns have the Union Jack as their canton, as do their derivatives such as the national flags of Australia and New Zealand. Following the practice of British ensigns, a canton sometimes contains a symbol of national unity such as the blue field and white stars of the U.S. flag. In these cases, the canton may be called simply the union. The U.S. flag's canton derives from the British use of the Union Jack in the canton of its possessions (including, historically, the early United States). Subsequently , many New World nations (and other later countries and regions, such as Liberia or Malaysia) that were inspired by the U.S. incorporated elements likewise inspired by the U.S. flag. As a result, many extant uses of a prominent canton derive either from British territorial history, or U.S. influence and inspiration. Four equal rectangles meeting at center. See also #Cross section Other symbols and pictures. Animal. Lion. Historically