Flags by symbol · 11 flags
Flags With Text
11 flags in our collection include writing, mottos or letters. Several carry Arabic script, while Brazil and Haiti use Portuguese and French mottos.
Iran 
Brazil 
Haiti 
Afghanistan 
Iraq 
Saudi Arabia 
Belize 
US Virgin Islands 
Mayotte 
St. Barthélemy 
French Southern Territories Why do some flags have writing?
Writing on a flag is rare, because it can be hard to read from a distance and makes the flag hard to reproduce. When it does appear, it is usually a national motto or a religious phrase. Flag experts often advise against text on flags for that reason, but a handful of countries chose to include it as a mark of identity.
Flags with text
- Saudi Arabia: the shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, in white Arabic script over a sword on green.
- Afghanistan: the shahada in black on a white field.
- Iran: "Allahu Akbar" written 22 times in Kufic script along the edges of the green and red stripes, with the emblem in the center.
- Iraq: "Allahu Akbar" in green Kufic script on the white stripe.
- Brazil: "Ordem e Progresso" (Order and Progress) on a band across the blue globe.
- Haiti: "L'Union Fait la Force" ("Unity makes strength") on a ribbon in the arms.
- Belize: the motto "Sub Umbra Floreo", "Under the shade I flourish", around the arms.
- US Virgin Islands: the letters V and I on either side of the shield.
- French Southern Territories: the initials TAAF in the canton.
- Mayotte: the departmental council's banner shows the arms on white with the words "Département de Mayotte"; the arms carry the motto "Ra Hachiri" ("We are vigilant").
Notes
The Islamic statement of faith makes the Saudi flag unusual: because it carries the shahada, it is never flown at half-mast. To keep the Arabic script readable, the flag is made so that the text reads the right way round from either side.
Mottos on other flags are usually short. Brazil's "Ordem e Progresso" comes from the positivist philosophy of the 19th century, and Haiti's "L'Union Fait la Force" is a call for national unity. Letters can also be a signature, as with the initials V and I on the flag of the US Virgin Islands. Compare these with flags that use stars or crescents, which can be understood in any language.
Frequently asked questions
Which flag has writing on it?
Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Brazil and Haiti are among the flags with text.
What does the Brazilian flag say?
It says "Ordem e Progresso", which means "Order and Progress".
What is written on the Saudi Arabian flag?
It shows the shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, above a sword.
How many countries have text on their flag?
In our collection 11 flags carry writing. Seven are countries: Afghanistan, Belize, Brazil, Haiti, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The other four are territories: Saint Barthélemy, the French Southern Territories, the US Virgin Islands and Mayotte.
What is written on the Haitian flag?
The motto "L'Union fait la Force", meaning "Unity is strength", appears on a white ribbon under the coat of arms in the center of the flag. The coat of arms shows a royal palm and a trophy of weapons on a green hill. See Haiti.
What is the motto on the Belize flag?
The Latin motto "Sub Umbra Floreo", meaning "Under the Shade I Flourish", is written in the lower part of the coat of arms in the center. The arms show mahogany trees and tools recalling the logging industry. See Belize.