Which flags have a sun on them? The full list
Quick answer: 17 national flags in the Trivillion flags quiz show a sun: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mongolia, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, North Macedonia, the Philippines, Rwanda and Uruguay.
Every flag with a sun
The full list, with how the sun is drawn:
| Country | Sun | Rays |
|---|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | Rising sun | 16 |
| Argentina | Sun of May, with a face | 32 |
| Bangladesh | Red disc | None |
| Ecuador | Sun in the coat of arms | Yes |
| Japan | Red disc | None |
| Kazakhstan | Golden sun above an eagle | 32 |
| Kiribati | Rising sun over the sea | 17 |
| Kyrgyzstan | Sun with a tunduk | 40 |
| Malawi | Rising sun | 31 |
| Mongolia | Sun in the soyombo | None |
| Namibia | Golden sun | 12 |
| Nepal | Sun in the lower pennant | 12 |
| Niger | Orange disc | None |
| North Macedonia | Sun of Liberty | 8 |
| Philippines | Golden sun | 8 |
| Rwanda | Golden sun | 24 |
| Uruguay | Sun of May, with a face | 16 |
What the rays mean
The number of rays often counts something. The eight rays on the Philippines’ flag stand for the first eight provinces that revolted against Spanish rule. Kyrgyzstan’s 40 rays stand for the 40 Kyrgyz tribes, and the lines in the middle show the tunduk, the crown of a traditional yurt. Kiribati’s sun rises over the Pacific with a frigatebird above it.
The Sun of May
Argentina and Uruguay both show the Sun of May, a sun with a human face. It recalls the May Revolution of 1810 in Buenos Aires, when the sun is said to have broken through the clouds, and it is often linked to Inti, the Inca sun god.
Red discs and rising suns
Japan’s flag, the Hinomaru, is a red disc on white, and the country’s name in Japanese means origin of the sun. Bangladesh’s red disc stands for the sun rising over Bengal and the blood of those who died for independence; it is set slightly towards the hoist so it looks centred when the flag flies. Malawi and Antigua and Barbuda show rising suns for a new beginning.
Nepal, the flag that is not a rectangle
Nepal’s flag is the only national flag that is not rectangular. Its two stacked pennants show a moon above and a sun below, and they are commonly linked to the hope that the nation will last as long as the sun and moon.
Flags with a sun
Related reading
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Frequently asked questions
Which flags have a sun?
17 flags in our quiz, including Japan, Argentina, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines and Nepal.
What is the Sun of May?
A sun with a face on the flags of Argentina and Uruguay, recalling the May Revolution of 1810.
How many rays does Kyrgyzstan’s sun have?
40, one for each Kyrgyz tribe.
Is the red circle on Japan’s flag the sun?
Yes. The flag is called the Hinomaru, circle of the sun.
Which flag is not rectangular?
Nepal’s.