Flags with Circles & Solar/Lunar Discs
Explore flags built around a bold circular disc—including Japan (modern 1999 and historical 1870), Bangladesh, Palau, and Greenland's counterchanged polar sun.
Vexillological background
The circular disc is one of the purest charges in vexillology. Unlike complex coats of arms that lose legibility at distance, a solid or counterchanged circle remains immediately recognizable whether a flag is flying in brisk wind or drooping against a pole.
A key structural distinction within this group is horizontal centering: Japan's 1999 statute places the red sun disc at the exact geometric center, whereas Bangladesh (9/20 from hoist), Palau (7/16 from hoist), Greenland (7/18 from hoist), and Japan's 1870 merchant standard (99/200 from hoist) deliberately shift the disc toward the flagpole.
Flags in this collection (7)
Comparison table
| Entity | Category | Ratio | Layout | Primary colors | Adopted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | countries | 2:3 | centered centered emblem | white, red | 1870-02-27 |
| Bangladesh | countries | 3:5 | centered centered emblem | green, red | 1972-01-17 |
| Palau | countries | 5:8 | centered centered emblem | light blue, yellow | 1981-01-01 |
| Greenland | territories | 2:3 | horizontal centered emblem | white, red | 1985-06-21 |
| Japan (1870–1999) | historical | 7:10 | centered centered emblem | white, red | 1870-02-27 |
| Brazil | countries | 7:10 | centered centered emblem | green, yellow, blue, white | 1889-11-19 |
| South Korea | countries | 2:3 | centered centered emblem | white, red, blue, black | 1949-10-15 |