The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 2015 to 2025 World

Flag World, in 11 editions.

The entry for World published Flag in 11 editions of 36, from 2015 to 2025. The text changed in 8 editions. Each is shown as published. Flag in every entry.

editions changed the text
8
the first edition with it
2015
the latest edition with it
2025

Published as “Flag description” (2015 to 2024) and “Flag” (2025).

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.

2022 edition

Changed since 2021

Open the 2022 entry

Published as “Flag description”

  • while a "World" flag does not exist, the flag of the United Nations (UN) - adopted on 7 December 1946 - has been used on occasion to represent the entire planet;
  • technically, however, it only represents the international organization itself;
  • the flag displays the official emblem of the UN in white on a blue background;
  • the emblem design shows a map of the world in an azimuthal equidistant projection centered on the North Pole, the image is flanked by two olive branches crossed below;
  • blue was selected as the color to represent peace, in contrast to red usually associated with war;
  • the map projection chosen includes all of the continents except Antarctica

note 1: the flags of 12 nations: Austria, Botswana, Georgia, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Latvia, Micronesia, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Switzerland, and Thailand have no top or bottom and may be flown with either long edge on top without any notice being taken

note 2: the most common colors found on national flags are: red (including deep red; ~75%), white (~70%), and blue (including light blue; ~50%); these three colors are so prevalent that there are only two countries, Jamaica and Sri Lanka, that do not include one of them on their flag; the next three most popular colors are: yellow/gold and green (both ~45%) and black (~30%)

note 3: flags composed of three colors are by far the most common type and, of those, the red-white-blue combination is the most widespread

while a "World" flag does not exist, the flag of the United Nations (UN) - adopted on 7 December 1946 - has been used on occasion to represent the entire planet; technically, however, it only represents the international organization itself; the flag displays the official emblem of the UN in white on a blue background; the emblem design shows a map of the world in an azimuthal equidistant projection centered on the North Pole, the image is flanked by two olive branches crossed below; blue was selected as the color to represent peace, in contrast to red usually associated with war; the map projection chosen includes all of the continents except Antarctica
note: note 1: the flags of 12 nations: Austria, Botswana, Georgia, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Latvia, Micronesia, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Switzerland, and Thailand have no top or bottom and may be flown with either long edge on top without any notice being taken
note 2: the most common colors found on national flags are: red (including deep red; ~75%), white (~70%), and blue (including light blue; ~50%); these three colors are so prevalent that there are only two countries, Jamaica and Sri Lanka, that do not include one of them on their flag; the next three most popular colors are: yellow/gold and green (both ~45%) and black (~30%)
note 3: flags composed of three colors are by far the most common type and, of those, the red-white-blue combination is the most widespread

Cite this page

Central Intelligence Agency. “World: Flag.” The World Factbook, 2015–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/world/flag.

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