Vert - Modern Flags

Modern Flags

Historically, a Green Ensign was flown by Irish merchant vessels from the late 17th century. Green flags flown by revolutionary uprisings include that used in the Vaudois insurrection against Bernese rule in the 1790s (which became the basis of the modern coat of arms of Vaud), the flag of the Irish Saint Patrick's Battalion (1846-1848) and Easter Rising (1916).

In the 20th century, a number of national flags were designed involving green, especially in the Muslim world, based on the traditional symbolism of green in Islam, and as one of the Pan-Arab colours. Green is also common among the national flags of African countries; green is one of the Pan-African colours. Other countries have used the colour green in their flags to represent the "greenness" of their lands and abundance of their nation.

The following contemporary national flags feature a solid green field:

• the Flag of Brazil (1889, Empire of Brazil from 1822): a yellow rhombus on a green field, in the rhombus a blue disc depicting a starry sky spanned by a curved band inscribed with the national motto,
• the flag of Pakistan (1947): a white star and crescent on a dark green field, with a vertical white stripe at the hoist,
• the flag of Mauritania (1959): green, with a golden upward-pointed crescent and star,
• the flag of Zambia (1964): green, at the fly end stripes in red, black and orange and a depiction of an eagle,
• the flag of Bangladesh (1972): a red disc on a green field
• the flag of Saudi Arabia (1973): green, with the shahada inscription and a sword in white.
• the flag of Dominica (1978): green, a cross in yellow, black and white, and a red disc with a depiction of the sisserou parrot,
• the Flag of Turkmenistan (2001): green, with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, a white waxing crescent moon and five white five-pointed stars appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe.

Former national flags with green fields further include the solid green flag of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1977-2011).