Quiz: Is it a pride flag or a country’s flag?

A flag isn’t just a piece of fabric; it’s a canvas filled with meaning, painted with colors and symbols that embody the values, history, and dreams of a community or nation. Whether waving at a parade, hanging from a government building, or displayed in a classroom, flags are crafted to be unforgettable and significant.

Scroll down to skip to our quiz and test your knowledge of pride flags versus country flags—and see how many can properly identify.

Before the quiz, though, let’s review some fun facts about flags and what makes them signfiicant.

The sign of a good flag

A good flag is distinguished by its simplicity, memorability, and symbolism. The best flags feature a few bold colors and a simple design that can be easily recognized from a distance. They avoid overly complicated symbols or text, adhering instead to a few meaningful elements that can be instantly associated with the group or nation they represent.

Effective flags also utilize colors and shapes that have significant cultural or historical relevance, ensuring that they convey deeper meanings while remaining visually striking. While many flags break these rules, the most iconic and universally recognized flags adhere to them, standing the test of time as symbols of pride and unity.

Similarities between pride flags and country flags

Pride and country flags are actually designed with similar principles in mind. It’s all about keeping things simple and meaningful. And the colors and patterns chosen have deeper significance.

Consider the most well-known pride flag: the rainbow flag, which was designed by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. It originally had eight colors, each with their own symbolism: pink for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic/art, indigo for serenity/harmony and violet for spirit.

National flags also follow suit—for example, the colors of India’s saffron, white, and green flag represent courage and sacrifice, peace and truth, and faith and chivalry, respectively.

These flags also share a significant cultural role, acting as beacons of identity. Pride flags are a rallying symbol for the LGBTQ+ community, highly visible at events like Pride, championing rights and inclusivity. Country flags similarly symbolize national identity and are prominent during celebrations of national pride and in international engagements, such as the Olympics.

Now onto the quiz…

Take this quiz on Queerty.