5 National Flags With Animals on Them — and the Stories Behind Each

Most flags are built from stripes, crosses and stars. A few carry a living creature at their center — and in every case, the animal is there because of a story the nation still tells about itself. Here are five.

Papua New Guinea — the bird-of-paradise

A golden bird-of-paradise, the nation's bird, soars across black on Papua New Guinea's flag, with the Southern Cross in white beneath it. The design came from a fifteen-year-old girl, Susan Karike, who won a national contest in 1971. The flag rose over a newly independent nation on September 16, 1975.

Mexico — the eagle and the serpent

At the center of Mexico's flag, an eagle perches on a cactus, devouring a serpent — the sign the Aztecs followed to found their capital, Tenochtitlan, centuries before Mexico existed. Mexico's independence movement began on September 16, 1810, when a parish priest rang a bell before dawn and called the people to rise: the Grito de Dolores.

Sri Lanka — the sword-wielding lion

The lion on Sri Lanka's flag dates back to the island's ancient founding legend, and the four bo leaves represent Buddhist virtues. The stripes of green and saffron were added later, honoring the island's Muslim and Tamil communities. The lion first flew over an independent nation on February 4, 1948.

Egypt — the Eagle of Saladin

Egypt's flag carries a golden eagle at its heart, the Eagle of Saladin, watching over the nation. Red stands for the revolution, white for the peace that followed and black for the dark days left behind. Egypt declared its independence on February 28, 1922.

Bhutan — the thunder dragon

Bhutan calls itself the Land of the Thunder Dragon, and its flag splits diagonally: yellow for the king's authority, orange for the Buddhist faith that shapes daily life. Across it a white dragon, the Druk, guards the nation with jewels in its claws. Its snarl isn't anger — it's a promise to protect. The kingdom was founded on December 17, 1907.

Read the full story behind each flag: Papua New Guinea, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Egypt and Bhutan — or explore any other country on our free Flag Story Cards page. Each design is also available in our flag collections.