Are you looking to brush up on your trivia knowledge? This article on the four countries with green, white, and orange in their flag (and their meanings) will undoubtedly be one for the books!
The Irish flag waves high in its horizontal tricolour of green, white, and orange.
Acting as a symbol of home, devoid of political stance, the Irish flag is known worldwide, with holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day only further spreading the spirit of the Irish across the far stretches of the globe.
However, did you know that there are, in fact, three other countries which share the majestic colour palette of the Irish tricolour?
These are the four countries with green, white, and orange in their flag and their meanings – including Ireland!
Ireland Before You Die’s interesting facts about the Irish flag:
- The Irish flag is commonly referred to as the “tricolour” or “Bratach na hÉireann” in Irish.
- Each colour of the Irish flag represents different communities and unity on the island of Ireland. The green represents Irish Catholics, the orange Irish Protestants, and the white in the middle represents the unity of the two.
- The design of the flag was actually inspired by the 1948 French Revolution and was created by a group of French women who were sympathetic to Irish nationalism.
- The Easter Rising marked the unofficial acceptance of the tricolour, but it was in 1922 that it was officially enacted as the flag of the Free State.
4. Indian flag – the one with the spinning wheel centre
As you can probably guess from the word go, the new Indian flag – which was adopted on 22 July 1947 – comprises of three colours in a horizontal layout (from top to bottom): orange, white, and green colours.
As per the Indian flag colours, the green stripes stand for trust and chivalry, the orange band represents bravery and sacrifice, and the white stripes represents peace and truth.
One standout aspect that truly differentiates this green, white, and orange flag from the others mentioned on this list has got to be the navy blue spinning wheel design that dominates the flag’s centre point.
The wheel in question is called a national symbol called Ashoka Chakra (a 24-spoke wheel). It symbolises movement and positive transition – a contrast to India’s pre-independence original flag.
3. Ivory Coast flag – the one very easily confused with the Irish flag
The Ivory Coast is another one of the countries with green, white, and orange in their flag.
Founded on 3 December 1959, the national flag of the Ivory Coast follows a simple vertical stripes pattern of (from left to right): orange stripes, white stripes, and green stripes.
In this flag, the orange represents the savanna grasslands, the white is a symbol for the country’s rivers, and the green colours represent the coastal forests.
As you may notice, there are minimal differences between the green, white, and orange flag of the Ivory Coast and Ireland‘s. The only essential contrast is the layout of colours.
2. Niger flag – the flag of the sun
The next of our four countries with green, white, and orange in their flag is the Republic of Niger. When it comes to country flags, this one is most similar to the Indian flag.
First raised on 23 November 1959, this flag follows a similar style to that of India and follows a horizontal arrangement of colours (from top to bottom): orange, white, green.
In contrast to the other country flags on this round-up, the Republic of Niger’s flag features an orange circle imprinted on its centre point, in the middle of the white band.
With regards to its meaning, the orange stripes represent the Sahara desert and the blazing sun, the white stripes stand for purity (although some argue that it symbolises the Niger River), and the green stripes stand for fertile lands and hope.
The orange circle in this green, white, and orange flag tricolour flag stands for independence and the sun.
1. Irish flag – the symbol of home, void of political stance
Ireland is the last entry on our list of the four countries with green, white, and orange in their flag.
First risen on the 21 January 1919, this Irish tricolour flag follows a similar style to that of the Ivory Coast. The flag consists of three vertical panels (from left to right): green, white, and orange.
The green in Ireland’s flag represents the Irish Catholics and those who strive for a united Ireland, as a Republic.
The white band, in the centre of the flag, represents peace. And lastly, the orange line on the Irish flag represents the Irish protestant community who swear allegiance to the British crown.
It is considered that the Irish flag represents equality for all Irish people, regardless of religion or political stance. Although, it is essential to note that in Northern Ireland, the only official flag is the Union Flag, as it is part of the United Kingdom.
READ MORE: IB4UD’s guide to the Irish flag and the story behind it
PLUS: 10 amazing facts about Ireland’s flag you didn’t know
Your questions answered about countries with green, white, and orange in their flag
If you still have questions, we have you covered! In this section, we’ve compiled some of our readers’ most frequently asked questions and popular questions that have been asked online about this topic.
What flag is the opposite of Ireland?
The flag of the Ivory Coast is very similar to the Irish flag in that it is a vertical tricolour made up of green, white, and orange stripes. However, the stripes are in the opposite direction, which is how you can tell the difference between these two flags.
Does Ireland have two flags?
The national flag of the Republic of Ireland is the Irish tricolour, while the national flag of Northern Ireland is the Union Flag as it is part of the United Kingdom.
What is the official flag of Ireland?
The official flag of Ireland is the Irish tricolour. This vertical tricolour was first presented to Thomas Francis Meagher in 1848 by a group of Irish women sympathetic to the Irish cause as a symbol of hope for peace. The French flag is also a tricolour. The French tricolour is made up of red, white, and blue stripes.
READ MORE: our list of 50 weird and wonderful facts about Irish people and culture
