January 16, 2008, 12:48 pm

Rate the Flags

by Henry Woodbury
Filed under: Design

Here’s an entertaining effort to rank the quality of national flags:

To my surprise, there is no international body responsible for upholding simple standards of vexillilic aesthetics. Nor do the UN or Interpol have the power to call in and punish those responsible for such atrocities as the Brazilian or Cypriot flags. I suppose there is probably a conspiracy of rich western nations (those with permanent seats on the UN security council, no doubt) to prevent such crimes from being brought to justice; however, in the meantime I am giving letter grades to the existing flags of the world.

Falkland Islands FlagThere’s a sound methodology (Rule 1: Do not write the name of your country on your flag), and a list of common failings, leading to grades such as this D minus, for the Falkland Islands:

Writing!
Colonial nonsense
Graven images
Too busy

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