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Flags of European Countries And Their Look-Alikes

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The key to cracking the code of vexillology is to understand ‘proportions’ and ‘hues!’ Flags are not just about designs and colors, they are a bit more subtle than that, they are about the hues and the proportions that inform those designs. If you understand that, you’ve hoisted yourself up to glory.

The flags of European countries have tons of look-alikes, many similar designs that make them look the same to the untrained eye and can even put the “vex” in vexillology. Thankfully you have me to take you on a tour of them.

If you’d like a really cool tutorial on the flags of European countries and their designs <= just hit that link. #funwithflags, #flags #vexillology.

the-flags-of-europe-and-their-design-similarities-Europe-flags-map
The Flags of Europe Map

What you want to pay attention to are the PROPORTIONS of the flags in each category as well as the HUES, or shades of colors, used by each country. For example, while the flags of Denmark and Norway may look similar at first glance, the HEX CODES for each red is different as well as the overall PROPORTIONS. Proportions are dimensions expressed in ratios (2:1, 5:8, etc.) and each country’s flag uses a slightly different ratio. If you look closely, the flag of Denmark is taller than the flags of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Keep this in mind as you compare the flags of European countries below in each category and you will begin to distinguish them as different.

THE NORDIC CROSS FLAGS

200px-Flag_of_Denmark.svg
Denmark
200px-Flag_of_Norway.svg
Norway
200px-Flag_of_Sweden.svg
Sweden
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Finland.svg
Finland

BELGIUM AND GERMANY FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Belgium.svg
Belgium
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Germany.svg
Germany

NETHERLANDS AND LUXEMBOURG FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg
Netherlands
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Luxembourg.svg
Luxembourg

ANDORRA, MOLDOVA, ROMANIA, AND CHAD FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Andorra.svg
Andorra
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Moldova.svg
Moldova
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Romania.svg
Romania
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-Flag_of_Chad.svg
Chad

HUNGARY, BULGARIA, ITALY, AND TAJIKISTAN FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Hungary.svg
Hungary
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg
Bulgaria
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Italy.svg
Italy
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Tajikistan.svg
Tajikistan

POLAND, MONACO, INDONESIA, AND SINGAPORE FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Poland.svg
Poland
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Monaco.svg
Monaco
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Indonesia.svg
Indonesia
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Singapore.svg
Singapore

IRELAND AND IVORY COAST FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Ireland.svg
Ireland
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-Flag_of_Côte_d'Ivoire.svg
Ivory Coast

THE SLAVIC FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Russia.svg
Russia
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Slovakia.svg
Slovakia
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Slovenia.svg
Slovenia
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_the_Czech_Republic.svg
Czech Republic
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Serbia.svg
Serbia
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Croatia.svg
Croatia

Umm, and how about the Netherlands again?

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg
Netherlands

AUSTRIA, LATVIA, LEBANON, AND TAHITI FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Austria.svg
Austria
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Latvia.svg
Latvia
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Lebanon.svg
Lebanon
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-Flag_of_Tahiti.svg
Tahiti

SWITZERLAND AND TONGA FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Switzerland_(Pantone).svg
Switzerland
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Tonga.svg
Kingdom of Tonga

LIECHTENSTEIN AND HAITI FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Liechtenstein.svg
Liechtenstein
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Haiti.svg
Haiti

THE VATICAN, SAN MARINO, AND THE CANARY ISLANDS FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_the_Vatican_City.svg
Vatican
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_San_Marino.svg
San Marino
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_the_Canary_Islands.svg
Canary Islands [ESP]

SICILY AND THE ISLE OF MAN FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Sicily.svg
Sicily [Italy]
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_the_Isle_of_Man.svg
Isle of Man [UK]

These last 2 (Sicily and the Isle of Man) aren’t nations but they share a very unique design only found in Europe called a triskelion. They’re there just for fun. In fact, there are many, many more flags around the world that look similar, I’ve just shown you the ones that are European in origin.

For example, compare the flag of India to that of Niger or Italy or Mexico. There are also numerous flags of territories that have the Union Jack in it from the Caribbean to the Pacific, all of which have had some sort of connection to the British Empire. If you dig even deeper down to the level of regional, state, and city flags you will see some startling and even puzzling similarities to international flags! There are a myriad of flag imposter/look-alikes yet to be explored.

LITHUANIA AND MYANMAR FLAGS

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Lithuania.svg
Lithuania (Lietuva)
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Myanmar.svg
Myanmar (Burma)

BELARUS, BURKINA FASO, AND MADAGASCAR

flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Belarus.svg
Belarus
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Burkina_Faso.svg
Burkina Faso
flags-of-european-countries-that-look-similar-200px-Flag_of_Madagascar.svg
Madagascar

UKRAINE AND DALMATIA (CROATIA)

Ukraine
Dalmatia (Croatia)

How would it feel to be connected to one of these flags? Maybe you already know which flags represent your origin, lucky you! Not many people even consider the connection between their DNA and their vexillology, only the lucky, intelligent ones. My own personal discoveries came with my DNA tests on Ancestry, believe it or not! If you would like to, check out Ancesry DNA and all of the wonderful discoveries that await, the genetic map you will get is your own personalized flag map!

Check out this post on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPXGa4t4jss (external link)

WHICH FLAG LOOK-ALIKES ARE YOUR FAVOURITE? WHICH WERE THE MOST SURPRISING? – MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW. TELL US IF WE MISSED ANY.

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