Mullet (heraldry)
Encyclopedia
In heraldry
, the term star may refer to any star-shaped charge
with any number of rays, which may appear straight or wavy, and may or may not be pierced. While there has been much confusion between the two due to their similar shape, a star with straight-sided rays is usually called a mullet while one with wavy rays is usually called an estoile.
While a mullet may have any number of points, it is presumed to have five unless otherwise specified in the blazon
, and pierced mullets are commonand often called spur rowels or spur revels; estoiles, however, are presumed to have six rays and (at 1909) had not been found pierced by one 'authority' though Burkes General Armory contains the entry "Pitt or Pytts (Kyre-Ward, cos Salop and Worcester) Barry of six or and az. on a chief of the second three estoils pierced of the first." In Scottish heraldry
, an estoile is the same as in English heraldry
, but it has been said that mullet refers only to a mullet pierced (also called a spur revel), while one that is not pierced is called a star; though see below for 17th and 19th century variations of the same coat.
, star is sometimes said to be the usual term (though mullet seems to be the choice of the US's only heraldic authority, the Institute of Heraldry), and these nearly always appear with five straight-sided points.
The term mullet or molet refers to a star with straight sides, typically having five or six points, but may have any number of points specified in the blazon. If the number of points is not specified, five points are presumed in Gallo-British heraldry, and six points are presumed in German-Nordic heraldry. Unlike estoiles, mullets have straight (rather than wavy) rays and may have originally represented the rowel of a spur
, rather than a celestial star
. The term is said to be derived from French
molette, a spur-rowel, although it was in use in heraldry even before rowel spurs.
The term estoile refers to wavy-sided stars, usually of six points, though they may also be blazoned with a different number of points, often eight (e.g. "Portsmouth County Council" pictured here), and many variants feature alternating straight and wavy rays (e.g. "Honford" pictured here). The term derives from Old French
estoile 'star', in reference to a celestial star
(cf. Modern French
étoile), from Latin
stella 'star'.
Stars are comparatively rare in European heraldry during the medieval period. An early reference of dubious historicity is reported by Johannes Letzner
, who cites Conradus Fontanus (an otherwise unknown authority) to the effect that one Curt von Meinbrechtshausen, a knight of Saxony
, in 1169 after committing a murder lost his rank and arms, described as an eight-pointed star beneath a chevron.
Examples of stars in a late medieval heraldry of the Holy Roman Empire include those of Wentz von Niederlanstein (1350), Gemm (attested 1352), Geyer von Osterberg (1370), Enolff Ritter von Leyen (d. 1392).
Under the system of cadency
in use in England and Ireland since the late 15th century, a third son bears a mullet (unpierced) as a difference.
Stars become much more popular as heraldic charges in the early modern era, especially in then-recent family coats of arms of burghers and patricians, as well as in coats of arms of cities (e.g. Maastricht
, Bozen
, Kaufbeuren
).
The coat of arms of Valais originates in 1613, when six stars representing its six districts were added to the party per pale coat of arms of the Bishop of Sion
.
Of the higher nobility in Siebmachers Wappenbuch
(1605), the landgrave of Hessen
and the counts of Waldeck
and Erbach
have stars in their coats of arms.
Stars are nearly ubiquitous in United States heraldry
and vexillology
and nearly always appear unpierced with five straight-sided points. In the flag of the United States
, each star represents one state
. The flag adopted in 1777 is the attributed origin of the thirteen stars, representing the thirteen colonies
, appearing on the Great Seal
since 1780.
A mullet "barbed to chief" appears in the arms of the 240th Signal Battalion of the United States Army
.
and other communist states the unity of the Communist Party.
When arranged in groups, they often enumerate provinces or other components of the nation (such as ethnic groups). In the flags of Nauru and the Marshall Islands, this enumeration is done by the points of a single star rather than by a number of stars.
Some flags
of countries on the southern hemisphere show a depiction of the Southern Cross consisting of four or five stars.
The star and crescent
symbol is found in flags of states succeeding the Ottoman Empire
, which used flags with this symbol during 1793-1923.
The 50 stars of the US flag is the largest number on any national flag. The second-largest number of stars on a current national flag is twelve (alongside a crescent) in the flag of Uzbekistan
.
The twelve stars on the Flag of Europe (1955) represent the figure twelve as "the symbol of completeness and perfection".
While the flag of Europe has twelve stars, no member country of the European Union
has a star in its flag. The flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina
is the only flag of a European country has a star as part of the design of its national flag, besides the flag of the partially recognized Republic of Kosovo
, and the stars in the coat of arms of Moldova
and in the coronet
of the coat of Arms of Croatia
, which are shown as inescutcheon in the respective flags.
The flags of Somalia
and Vietnam
show a single star in a solid field.
The current national flag
s featuring stars include are:
Not bearing heraldic stars as such, the 1915 Flag of Morocco
and the 1996 flag of Ethiopia
have a pentagram each, and the 1948 flag of Israel
a hexagram or "star of David".
The 1962 Flag of Nepal
has what would technically be described as a 12-pointed mullet, but is intended to depict the Sun.
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
, the term star may refer to any star-shaped charge
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
with any number of rays, which may appear straight or wavy, and may or may not be pierced. While there has been much confusion between the two due to their similar shape, a star with straight-sided rays is usually called a mullet while one with wavy rays is usually called an estoile.
While a mullet may have any number of points, it is presumed to have five unless otherwise specified in the blazon
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
, and pierced mullets are commonand often called spur rowels or spur revels; estoiles, however, are presumed to have six rays and (at 1909) had not been found pierced by one 'authority' though Burkes General Armory contains the entry "Pitt or Pytts (Kyre-Ward, cos Salop and Worcester) Barry of six or and az. on a chief of the second three estoils pierced of the first." In Scottish heraldry
Scottish heraldry
Heraldry in Scotland, while broadly similar to that practised in England and elsewhere in western Europe, has its own distinctive features. Its heraldic executive is separate from that of the rest of the United Kingdom.-Executive:...
, an estoile is the same as in English heraldry
English heraldry
English heraldry is the form of coats of arms and other heraldic bearings and insignia used in England. It lies within the Gallo-British tradition. Coats of arms in England are regulated and granted to individuals by the College of Arms. They are subject to a system of cadency to distinguish...
, but it has been said that mullet refers only to a mullet pierced (also called a spur revel), while one that is not pierced is called a star; though see below for 17th and 19th century variations of the same coat.
Terminology
The use of the word star in blazons, and how that charge appears in coat armory, varies from one jurisdiction to another. In Scots heraldry, both star and mullet interchangeably mean a star with five straight rays; the official record from 1673 gives Murray of Ochtertyre azur three Starrs argent ... (Public Register, vol 1 p 188), while the Ordinary of Arms produced by a late 19th century Lyon King of Arms 'modernizes' the original as Az. three mullets arg. .... In Canadian heraldry the usual term is mullet, but there is also the occasional six-pointed star (e.g. in Vol. IV, at p. 274 and in online version of the Canadian Public Register), which is what others would blazon as a six-pointed mullet. In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, star is sometimes said to be the usual term (though mullet seems to be the choice of the US's only heraldic authority, the Institute of Heraldry), and these nearly always appear with five straight-sided points.
The term mullet or molet refers to a star with straight sides, typically having five or six points, but may have any number of points specified in the blazon. If the number of points is not specified, five points are presumed in Gallo-British heraldry, and six points are presumed in German-Nordic heraldry. Unlike estoiles, mullets have straight (rather than wavy) rays and may have originally represented the rowel of a spur
Spur
A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids and to back up the natural aids . The spur is used in every equestrian discipline...
, rather than a celestial star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
. The term is said to be derived from French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
molette, a spur-rowel, although it was in use in heraldry even before rowel spurs.
The term estoile refers to wavy-sided stars, usually of six points, though they may also be blazoned with a different number of points, often eight (e.g. "Portsmouth County Council" pictured here), and many variants feature alternating straight and wavy rays (e.g. "Honford" pictured here). The term derives from Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
estoile 'star', in reference to a celestial star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
(cf. Modern French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
étoile), from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
stella 'star'.
Classical heraldry
Johannes Letzner
Johannes Letzner was a Renaissance-era German protestant priest and historian of Lower Saxony, in particular of Brunswick-Lüneburg....
, who cites Conradus Fontanus (an otherwise unknown authority) to the effect that one Curt von Meinbrechtshausen, a knight of Saxony
Duchy of Saxony
The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein...
, in 1169 after committing a murder lost his rank and arms, described as an eight-pointed star beneath a chevron.
Examples of stars in a late medieval heraldry of the Holy Roman Empire include those of Wentz von Niederlanstein (1350), Gemm (attested 1352), Geyer von Osterberg (1370), Enolff Ritter von Leyen (d. 1392).
Under the system of cadency
Cadency
In heraldry, cadency is any systematic way of distinguishing similar coats of arms belonging to members of the same family. Cadency is necessary in heraldic systems in which a given design may be owned by only one person at once...
in use in England and Ireland since the late 15th century, a third son bears a mullet (unpierced) as a difference.
Stars become much more popular as heraldic charges in the early modern era, especially in then-recent family coats of arms of burghers and patricians, as well as in coats of arms of cities (e.g. Maastricht
Coat of arms of Maastricht
The coat of arms of Maastricht is a symbol of the city of Maastricht, Limburg, The Netherlands. It consists of a red escutcheon with a five-pointed white star that is adorned by a coronet of gold whilst being held by an angel...
, Bozen
Bozen
Bozen may refer to:*Bolzano, a bi-lingual northern Italian provincial capital city of which Bozen is the official German name*Bözen, a Swiss municipality*Bożeń, a village in Poland*Bozen Green, a village in Hertfordshire, England...
, Kaufbeuren
Kaufbeuren
Kaufbeuren is an independent city in the Regierungsbezirk of Schwaben, southern Bavaria. The city is completely enclaved within the district of Ostallgäu.- Culture and Objects of Interest :* Townhall * Crescentiakloster...
).
The coat of arms of Valais originates in 1613, when six stars representing its six districts were added to the party per pale coat of arms of the Bishop of Sion
Bishop of Sion
The Diocese of Sion is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It is the oldest bishopric in the country and one of the oldest north of the Alps. The cathedral at Sion, "Notre-Dame du Glarier" was fortified by walls and crowns one of the two hills on which...
.
Of the higher nobility in Siebmachers Wappenbuch
Siebmachers Wappenbuch
Siebmachers Wappenbuch refers to two heraldic multivolume book series of armorial bearings or coats of arms of the nobility within the Holy Roman Empire .The Old Siebmacher...
(1605), the landgrave of Hessen
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
and the counts of Waldeck
Waldeck (state)
Waldeck was a sovereign principality in the German Empire and German Confederation and, until 1929, a constituent state of the Weimar Republic. It comprised territories in present-day Hesse and Lower Saxony, ....
and Erbach
Erbach im Odenwald
-Location:The town lies in the Odenwald at elevations between 200 and 560 m in the valley of the Mümling.-Neighbouring communities:Erbach borders in the north on the town of Michelstadt, in the east on the market town of Kirchzell , in the south on the community of Hesseneck and the town of...
have stars in their coats of arms.
United States
United States heraldry
Heraldry in the United States of America was first established by European settlers who brought with them the heraldic customs of their respective countries of origin. As the use of coats of arms may be seen as a custom of royals and nobility, it has been debated whether the use of arms is...
and vexillology
Vexillology
Vexillology is the scholarly study of flags. The word is a synthesis of the Latin word vexillum, meaning 'flag', and the Greek suffix -logy, meaning 'study'. The vexillum was a particular type of flag used by Roman legions during the classical era; its name is a diminutive form of the word velum...
and nearly always appear unpierced with five straight-sided points. In the flag of the United States
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
, each star represents one state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
. The flag adopted in 1777 is the attributed origin of the thirteen stars, representing the thirteen colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
, appearing on the Great Seal
Great Seal of the United States
The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States federal government. The phrase is used both for the physical seal itself , and more generally for the design impressed upon it...
since 1780.
A mullet "barbed to chief" appears in the arms of the 240th Signal Battalion of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
Modern flags
In the design of modern flags, stars (mullets, usually five-pointed) when standing alone often represent concepts like "unity" or "independence", in the case of the communist star of the flag of the Soviet UnionFlag of the Soviet Union
The flag of the Soviet Union consisted of a plain red flag, with a setting or cross-peen hammer crossed with a sickle and a red star in the upper canton...
and other communist states the unity of the Communist Party.
When arranged in groups, they often enumerate provinces or other components of the nation (such as ethnic groups). In the flags of Nauru and the Marshall Islands, this enumeration is done by the points of a single star rather than by a number of stars.
Some flags
Southern Cross Flag
Southern Cross Flags are flags which depict the Southern Cross. "Southern Cross" is the English name of Crux, a constellation visible in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also depicted in coats of arms of various countries and sub-national entities...
of countries on the southern hemisphere show a depiction of the Southern Cross consisting of four or five stars.
The star and crescent
Star and crescent
A star and crescent featuring in some combination form the basis of symbols widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia....
symbol is found in flags of states succeeding the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, which used flags with this symbol during 1793-1923.
The 50 stars of the US flag is the largest number on any national flag. The second-largest number of stars on a current national flag is twelve (alongside a crescent) in the flag of Uzbekistan
Flag of Uzbekistan
The flag of Uzbekistan was approved at the Seventh Extraordinary Session of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan, on November 18, 1991.- Symbolism :According to the Uzbek embassy:...
.
The twelve stars on the Flag of Europe (1955) represent the figure twelve as "the symbol of completeness and perfection".
While the flag of Europe has twelve stars, no member country of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
has a star in its flag. The flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina contains a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag...
is the only flag of a European country has a star as part of the design of its national flag, besides the flag of the partially recognized Republic of Kosovo
Republic of Kosovo
Kosovo , officially the Republic of Kosovo is a partially recognised state and a disputed territory in the Balkans...
, and the stars in the coat of arms of Moldova
Coat of arms of Moldova
The coat of arms of Moldova consists of a stylized eagle holding a cross in its beak and a sceptre and an olive branch in its claws. According to the author of the coat of arms, the eagle symbolizes the Latin origin of the people....
and in the coronet
Coronet
A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. Unlike a crown, a coronet never has arches.The word stems from the Old French coronete, a diminutive of coronne , itself from the Latin corona .Traditionally, such headgear is – as indicated by the German equivalent...
of the coat of Arms of Croatia
Coat of arms of Croatia
The coat of arms of Croatia consists of one main shield and five smaller shields which form a crown over the main shield. The main coat of arms is a checkerboard that consists of 13 red and 12 silver fields. It's commonly known as šahovnica or grb...
, which are shown as inescutcheon in the respective flags.
The flags of Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
show a single star in a solid field.
The current national flag
National flag
A national flag is a flag that symbolizes a country. The flag is flown by the government, but usually can also be flown by citizens of the country.Both public and private buildings such as schools and courthouses may fly the national flag...
s featuring stars include are:
| flag | date | # of stars | points | stars represent | description/comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United StatesFlag of the United States The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows... |
1777; 1960 | 50 | 5 | enumerate US states | originally 13 stars, 50 stars since 1960, see Timeline of the flag of the United States Timeline of the Flag of the United States This timeline concerns the Flag of the United States.*1776 January 1 – The Grand Union flag is displayed on Prospect Hill. It has 13 alternate red and white stripes representing the Thirteen Colonies and the British Union Jack, featuring the red cross of England and the white cross of Scotland, in... |
 ChileFlag of Chile The national flag of Chile, consists of two unequal horizontal bands of white and red and a blue square the same height as the white band in the canton, which bears a white five-pointed star in the center. It was adopted on October 18, 1817... |
1817 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "The star represents a guide to progress and honor" |
 TunisiaFlag of Tunisia The flag of Tunisia, adopted as national flag in 1959, was in origin the naval ensign of the kingdom of Tunis, adopted either in 1831 or 1835 by Al-Husayn II ibn Mahmud... |
1831; 1956 | 1 | 5 | star and crescent Star and crescent A star and crescent featuring in some combination form the basis of symbols widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia.... |
based on the Ottoman flag Ottoman Flag The term Ottoman flag refers to any of the flags used by the ruling Sultans of the Ottoman Dynasty. Various flags were used within the Ottoman Empire during its existence, and the sultan also used different personal flags on different occasions of state... |
 TurkeyFlag of Turkey The flag of Turkey is a red flag with a white crescent moon and a star in its centre. The flag is called Ayyıldız or Albayrak . The Turkish flag is referred to as Alsancak in the Turkish National Anthem.... |
1844; 1936 | 1 | 5 | star and crescent Star and crescent A star and crescent featuring in some combination form the basis of symbols widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia.... |
the Republic of Turkey was established in 1923 and its Flag Law was passed in 1936, declaring the continued use of the Ottoman flag Ottoman Flag The term Ottoman flag refers to any of the flags used by the ruling Sultans of the Ottoman Dynasty. Various flags were used within the Ottoman Empire during its existence, and the sultan also used different personal flags on different occasions of state... that had been flown since 1844 (an earlier variant with an eight-pointed star dates to ca. 1793). |
 VenezuelaFlag of Venezuela The current flag of Venezuela was introduced in 2006.The basic design includes a horizontal tricolor of yellow, blue, and red, dating to the original flag introduced in 1811, in the Venezuelan War of Independence.... |
1859; 1930 | 7 | 5 | enumerate provinces | various arrangement of the stars in design changes since 1859. Twenty stars during 1859–1863. |
 HondurasFlag of Honduras This national flag of Honduras was adopted on March 7, 1866, based on the flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.In 1823 Honduras joined the United Provinces of Central America and adopted their flag. In 1866 it was amended; five cerulean stars were placed in the center to represent the 5... |
1866 | 5 | 5 | enumerate provinces | based on the flag of the Federal Republic of Central America Federal Republic of Central America The Federal Republic of Central America, known as the United Provinces of Central America in its first year of creation, was a sovereign state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala of New Spain... . The five stars also represent the historical provinces of that state, not subdivisions of Honduras itself. |
 New ZealandFlag of New Zealand The flag of New Zealand is a defaced Blue Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton, and four red stars with white borders to the right. The stars represent the constellation of Crux, the Southern Cross.... |
1869; 1902 | 4 | 5 | Southern Cross | used as a naval ensign since 1869, made the official national flag in 1902. Based on the Australasian Anti-Transportation League Flag Australasian Anti-Transportation League Flag The Australian Anti-Transportation League Flag is a flag used historically by members of the Australasian Anti-Transportation League who opposed penal transportation to the British colonies which are now a part of Australia... of 1859. |
 PhilippinesFlag of the Philippines The national flag of the Philippines is a horizontal flag bicolor with equal bands of royal blue and scarlet red, and with a white equilateral triangle at the hoist; in the center of the triangle is a golden yellow sun with eight primary rays, each containing three individual rays, which represent... |
1898 | 3 | 5 | enumerate island groups | the three stars represent the three major geographical island groups that compose the Philippines: Luzon Luzon Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon... , Visayas Visayas The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast... and Mindanao Mindanao Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The... . |
 AustraliaFlag of Australia The flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton , and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter... |
1901 | 6 | 7; 5 | Southern Cross; Commonwealth Star Commonwealth Star The Commonwealth Star is a seven-pointed star symbolising the Federation of Australia which came into force on 1 January 1901.... |
seven-pointed stars for the Commonwealth Star and the main stars of the constellation, plus a smaller five-pointed star representing Epsilon Crucis. Based on the Australasian Anti-Transportation League Flag Australasian Anti-Transportation League Flag The Australian Anti-Transportation League Flag is a flag used historically by members of the Australasian Anti-Transportation League who opposed penal transportation to the British colonies which are now a part of Australia... of 1859. |
 CubaFlag of Cuba The flag of Cuba was adopted on May 20, 1902, containing a field with three blue stripes and two white stripes, and a red equilateral triangle at the hoist with a white 5-pointed star.... |
1902 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "The white star in the triangle stands for independence". Based on the flag carried by Narciso López Narciso López Narciso López was a Venezuelan adventurer and soldier, best known for an expedition aimed at liberating Cuba from Spain in the 1850s..- Life in Venezuela, Cuba, and Spain:... in 1850. |
 AzerbaijanFlag of Azerbaijan The flag of Azerbaijan is the national flag of Azerbaijan. It consists of an horizontal tricolour of blue, red, and green, with a white crescent and an eight-pointed star centered in the red band. The blue band refers to the nation's Turkic heritage, the red stands for progress, and the green... |
1918 | 1 | 8 | star and crescent Star and crescent A star and crescent featuring in some combination form the basis of symbols widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia.... |
"the eight-pointed star points to the eight letters of the name Azerbaijan (in Arabic script Perso-Arabic script The Persian or Perso-Arabic alphabet is a writing system based on the Arabic script. Originally used exclusively for the Arabic language, the Arabic alphabet was adapted to the Persian language, adding four letters: , , , and . Many languages which use the Perso-Arabic script add other letters... )" |
 PanamaFlag of Panama The flag of Panama was made by Maria Ossa de Amador. It has been officially adopted by the "ley 48 de 1925"; the flag is celebrated on November 4, one day after Panamanian independence from Colombia.... |
1925 | 2 | 5 | ideal | "the blue star stands for the purity and honesty of the life of the country; the red star represents the authority and law in the country" |
 JordanFlag of Jordan The flag of Jordan, officially adopted on 16 April 1928, is based on the flag of the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The flag consists of horizontal black, white, and green bands that are connected by a red chevron. The colors stand are the Pan-Arab Colors, representing... |
1928 | 1 | 7 | ideal | "The seven points symbolize the seven verses of the first surah of the Qur’an. The seven points also represent faith in one God, humanity, humility, national spirit, virtue, social justice, and aspiration. The star also stands for the unity of the Arab nation." |
 VietnamFlag of Vietnam The flag of Vietnam, also known as the "red flag with yellow star" , was designed in 1940 and used during an uprising against French rule in Cochinchina that year. The flag was used by the Việt Minh, a communist-led organization created in 1941 to oppose Japanese occupation... |
1945 | 1 | 5 | ideal | the Communist Star; "The five-pointed yellow star represents the unity of workers, peasants, intellectuals, traders and soldiers in building socialism" |
 PakistanFlag of Pakistan The national flag of Pakistan was adopted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, just three days before the country's independence, when it became the official flag of the Dominion of Pakistan. It was afterwards retained by the current-day Islamic... |
1947 | 1 | 5 | ideal | the star represents "light": Unlike the other flags with the star and crescent Star and crescent A star and crescent featuring in some combination form the basis of symbols widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia.... symbol, the flag of Pakistan is not directly or explicitly based on the Ottoman flag; instead "the crescent and star symbolize progress and light respectively". |
 North KoreaFlag of North Korea The flag of North Korea was adopted on September 8, 1948, as the national flag and ensign. The red star of Communism can be seen on this flag on a white disc. The flag was adopted in 1948, when Northern portion of Korea became a Communist state. The traditional Korean flag was red, white, and blue... |
1948 | 1 | 5 | ideal | the Communist Star |
 People's Republic of ChinaFlag of the People's Republic of China The flag of the People's Republic of China is a red field charged in the canton with five golden stars. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in a semicircle set off towards the fly... |
1949 | 5 | 5 | ideal | "Five Stars on a Field of Red" (紅地五星旗, Hóng dì wǔxīng qí), one large star representing the Communist Party surrounded by four smaller ones depicting the four social classes |
 SamoaFlag of Samoa The flag of Samoa was adopted on February 24, 1949. It consists of a red field with a blue rectangle in the canton. The blue rectangle bears the Southern Cross Constellation: four large white stars and one smaller star.-Historical flags:... |
1949 | 5 | 5 | Southern Cross | |
 SomaliaFlag of Somalia The flag of Somalia was adopted on October 12, 1954. It was designed by Mohammed Awale Liban. Upon reunification of Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland, the flag was used for the nascent Somali Republic.-History:... |
1954 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "Star of Unity" |
 GhanaFlag of Ghana The flag of Ghana was designed to replace the flag of the United Kingdom upon attainment of independence in 1957. It was flown until 1959, and then reinstated in 1966. It consists of the Pan-African colours of red, yellow, and green, in horizontal stripes, with a black five-pointed star in the... |
1957 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "the lodestar of African freedom" |
 Central African RepublicFlag of the Central African Republic The flag of the Central African Republic was adopted on December 1, 1958. It was designed by Barthélemy Boganda, the first president of the autonomous territory of Oubangui-Chari, who believed that "France and Africa must march together." Thus he combined the blue, white and red of the French... |
1958 | 1 | 5 | ? | |
 Syrian RepublicFlag of Syria The flag of Syria was re-adopted in 1980. The flag was formerly the flag of the United Arab Republic.-History:The first modern flag of Syria was adopted in 1920, and was similar to the current flag of Jordan with the green and white colours reversed... |
1958; 1980 | 4 | 5 | enumerate states | The 1958 flag was that of the United Arab Republic United Arab Republic The United Arab Republic , often abbreviated as the U.A.R., was a sovereign union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal... . The two stars originally represented Syria and Egypt as member states of that entity. |
 MauritaniaFlag of Mauritania The flag of Mauritania is the common name for the national flag of Mauritania in north-west Africa. The flag was adopted on April 1, 1959. It was introduced under the instructions of Moktar Ould Daddah, and the subsequent constitution of 22 March 1959.... |
1959 | 1 | 5 | star and crescent Star and crescent A star and crescent featuring in some combination form the basis of symbols widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia.... |
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 SenegalFlag of Senegal The origins of the flag of Senegal lie in the former Mali Federation, whose flag was identical, spare for a stylized black silhouette in the central section. It bears the Pan-African colours. The flag in its modern form was officially adopted on August 20, 1960.-Historical flags:... |
1960 | 1 | 5 | ? | |
 TogoFlag of Togo The flag of Togo was adopted on April 27, 1960. It has five equal horizontal bands of green alternating with yellow. There is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner... |
1960 | 1 | 5 | ? | |
 AlgeriaFlag of Algeria The national flag of Algeria consists of two equal vertical bars, green and white, charged in the center with a red star and crescent... |
1962 | 1 | 5 | star and crescent Star and crescent A star and crescent featuring in some combination form the basis of symbols widely found across the ancient world, with examples attested from the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia.... |
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 MalaysiaFlag of Malaysia -Flag anthem:The Jalur Gemilang flag anthem was introduced in 1997. The lyrics were written by Pak Ngah.-Original lyrics:-Flag anthem:The Jalur Gemilang flag anthem was introduced in 1997. The lyrics were written by Pak Ngah.-Original lyrics:-Flag anthem:... |
1963 | 1 | 14 | enumerate states | a 14-pointed star alongside a crescent, representing the 13 member states plus the federal government |
 SingaporeFlag of Singapore The national flag of Singapore was first adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It was reconfirmed as the national flag when the Republic gained independence on 9 August 1965... |
1965 | 5 | 5 | ideal | five stars alongside a crescent, representing "democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality". According to Lee Kuan Yew Lee Kuan Yew Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades... , the Chinese population wanted five stars (based on the flag of the People's Republic of China) and the Muslim population wanted a crescent moon. |
 BurundiFlag of Burundi The national flag of Burundi was adopted on March 28, 1967. It consists of a white saltire which divides the field into alternating red and green areas. The center of the saltire merges into a white disk, on which there are three red solid six-pointed stars outlined in green... |
1967 | 3 | 6 | ideal | "Unity, Work, Progress" |
 NauruFlag of Nauru Following the indepencence of Nauru, the flag of Nauru was raised for the first time.The flag, chosen in a local design competition, was adopted on independence day, January 31, 1968. It depicts Nauru's geographical position, one degree below the Equator. A gold horizontal stripe representing the... |
1967 | 1 | 12 | enumerate tribes | |
 Papua New GuineaFlag of Papua New Guinea The flag of Papua New Guinea was adopted on July 1, 1971. In the hoist, it depicts the Southern Cross; in the fly, a raggiana bird of paradise is silhouetted. The designer of the flag was 15 year old schoolgirl Susan Huhume who won a nationwide competition for a new flag design in 1971.Red and... |
1971 | 5 | 5 | Southern Cross | |
 Guinea-BissauFlag of Guinea-Bissau The flag of Guinea-Bissau was adopted in 1973 when independence from Portugal was proclaimed.- History :Like the former flag of Cape Verde, the flag is based on that of the Partido Africano para a Independencia da Guine e Cabo Verde , still the dominant party in Guinea-Bissau... |
1973 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "the Black Star of Africa" |
 GrenadaFlag of Grenada The national flag of Grenada was adopted upon independence from the United Kingdom, 7 February 1974. The six stars in the red border stand for the country's six parishes, with the middle star, encircled by a red disk, standing for the capital, Saint George's. The symbol in the hoist represents a... |
1974 | 7 | 5 | enumerate parishes | |
 AngolaFlag of Angola The national flag of Angola came into use at independence on November 11, 1975. It is split horizontally into an upper red half and a lower black half.As in some other African countries, this flag is a modification of the ruling party's flag... |
1975 | 1 | 5 | ideal | in origin imitating the Communist Star |
 CameroonFlag of Cameroon The national flag of Cameroon was adopted in its present form on 20 May 1975 after Cameroon became a unitary state. It is a vertical tricolor of green, red and yellow, defaced with a five-pointed star in its center... |
1975 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "star of unity" |
 SurinameFlag of Suriname The flag of Suriname is formed by five horizontal bands of green , white, red , white, and green . There is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band.... |
1975 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "The star represents the unity of all ethnic groups" |
 São Tomé and PríncipeFlag of São Tomé and Príncipe The flag, although in the pan-African colours, is derived from that of the Liberation Movement. The two black stars express the unity of the two islands.... |
1975 | 2 | 5 | enumerate islands | |
 TuvaluFlag of Tuvalu The current flag of Tuvalu was instated when the country became independent in 1978, after the separation from the Gilbert Islands in 1976.-Features:... |
1976 | 9 | 5 | enumerate islands | The stars are arranged in imitation of the geographic location of the islands of Tuvalu |
 DjiboutiFlag of Djibouti The national flag of Djibouti features two equal horizontal bands of blue and green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the centre... |
1977 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "The red star signifies the unity of the diverse state." |
 Solomon Islands |
1977 | 5 | 5 | enumerate islands | |
 DominicaFlag of Dominica The flag of Dominica was adopted on November 3, 1978, with some small changes having been made in 1981, 1988, and 1990.The flag, adopted in 1978, features the national bird emblem, the sisserou parrot, which also appears on the coat of arms granted July 21, 1961. This parrot is unique to Dominica... |
1978 | 10 | 5 | enumerate parishes | |
 Marshall IslandsFlag of the Marshall Islands The flag of the Marshall Islands, an island nation in the Pacific, was adopted upon the start of self-governance, May 1, 1979.The Marshall Islands were part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands administered by the United States, from which the Marshall Islands and Micronesia split... |
1979 | 1 | 24 | enumerate districts | the points of the stars enumerate the electoral districts |
 Federated States of MicronesiaFlag of the Federated States of Micronesia The flag of the Federated States of Micronesia was adopted on November 10, 1979. The blue field represents the Pacific Ocean, while the four stars represent the four island groups in the federation: Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Yap.... |
1979 | 4 | 5 | enumerate islands | |
 Saint Kitts and NevisFlag of Saint Kitts and Nevis The flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis was adopted on September 19, 1983, consisting of two white stars on a diagonal black band, fimbriated in yellow, separating background colors of green and red. It was the winning entry in a local competition... |
1983 | 2 | 5 | ideal / enumerate islands | "hope and liberty, or Saint Kitts and Nevis" |
 Burkina FasoFlag of Burkina Faso The flag of Burkina Faso is formed by two equal horizontal bands of red and green, with a yellow five-pointed star resting in the center. The flag was adopted on 4 August 1984. The flag is coloured in the popular Pan-African colours of the Ethiopian flag, reflecting both a break with the... |
1984 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "the guiding light of the revolution" |
 UzbekistanFlag of Uzbekistan The flag of Uzbekistan was approved at the Seventh Extraordinary Session of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan, on November 18, 1991.- Symbolism :According to the Uzbek embassy:... |
1991 | 12 | 5 | ideal | a crescent and twelve stars, representing the "ancient calendar cycle" |
 TajikistanFlag of Tajikistan Tajikistan was the last of the former Soviet republics to reveal a new flag , which was adopted in November 1992. The one common link between this and the 1953 SSR flag is the choice of colors - red, white and green. The former Tajik SSR, sometimes referred to as the "Tadzhik SSR" , added white and... |
1992 | 7 | 5 | ? | |
 Cape VerdeFlag of Cape Verde The national flag of Cape Verde was adopted on September 22, 1992, replacing the flag adopted during Cape Verdean independence, fought for with Guinea-Bissau, another former Portuguese colony on mainland West Africa.- Description :... |
1992 | 10 | 5 | enumerate islands | |
 Bosnia and HerzegovinaFlag of Bosnia and Herzegovina The flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina contains a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag... |
1998 | 8 ("∞") | 5 | ideal | a diagonal line of seven five-pointed stars, plus two half-stars cut off by the flag boundary. The stars represent "Europe" and are intended to be "infinite" in number. |
 Comoros |
2001 | 4 | 5 | ? | four stars alongside a crescent |
 TurkmenistanFlag of Turkmenistan The flag of Turkmenistan was adopted on January 24, 2001.It features a green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five carpet guls stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to those on the flag of the United Nations; a white waxing crescent moon, typical of... |
2001 | 5 | 5 | enumerate provinces | five stars alongside a crescent |
 East TimorFlag of East Timor The flag of East Timor was adopted in 2002. It is the same as the 1975 flag.... |
2002 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "the light that guides" |
| South Sudan | 2005 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "the Star of Bethlehem Star of Bethlehem In Christian tradition, the Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star, revealed the birth of Jesus to the magi, or "wise men", and later led them to Bethlehem. The star appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew, where magi "from the east" are inspired by the star to travel to... , represents the unity of the states of South Sudan" |
 Democratic Republic of the CongoFlag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo The flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was adopted on 20 February 2006. A new constitution, ratified in December 2005 and which came into effect in February 2006, promulgated a return to a flag similar to that flown between 1963 and 1971, with a change from a more royal blue to sky blue,... |
2007 | 1 | 5 | ideal | derived from the flag of Congo Free State Congo Free State The Congo Free State was a large area in Central Africa which was privately controlled by Leopold II, King of the Belgians. Its origins lay in Leopold's attracting scientific, and humanitarian backing for a non-governmental organization, the Association internationale africaine... (1885) |
 Burma |
2010 | 1 | 5 | ideal | "unity" |
Not bearing heraldic stars as such, the 1915 Flag of Morocco
Flag of Morocco
The flag of Morocco is made of a red field with a black-bordered green pentagram.Red has considerable historic significance in Morocco, proclaiming the descent of the royal Alaouite family from the Prophet Muhammad via Fatima, the wife of Ali, the fourth Muslim Caliph. Red is also the color that...
and the 1996 flag of Ethiopia
Flag of Ethiopia
The flag of Ethiopia is a flag that was adopted on February 6, 1996. It conforms to the specifications set forth in article 3 of the 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia. The three traditional colours date back to Emperor Menelik and were first used in a flag in 1897...
have a pentagram each, and the 1948 flag of Israel
Flag of Israel
The flag of Israel was adopted on October 28, 1948, five months after the country's establishment. It depicts a blue Star of David on a white background, between two horizontal blue stripes...
a hexagram or "star of David".
The 1962 Flag of Nepal
Flag of Nepal
The national flag of Nepal is the world's only national flag that is non-quadrilateral in shape. The flag is a simplified combination of two single pennons, the vexillological word for a pennant. Its crimson red is the colour of the rhododendron, the country's national flower. Red is also the sign...
has what would technically be described as a 12-pointed mullet, but is intended to depict the Sun.