Every White Flag With a Red Cross We Could Find (and Then Some)

1. England

The national flag of England displays a bold red cross on a white background. The design comes from Saint George's Cross, which dates back to the early Middle Ages.

As England's patron saint, Saint George represents bravery and the fight for justice, ideals that have become synonymous with the English spirit. This emblem is also incorporated into the Union Jack, uniting British flags under one overarching design and symbolizing the historical union of nations.

2. Georgia

Georgia's flag, also known as the Five Cross Flag, features a central red cross with smaller red crosses in each white quadrant. The red cross symbolizes Saint George, the patron saint of Georgia, whose courage and strength have long inspired the nation.

This red cross flag is a proud emblem of Georgia's Christian heritage and national identity, often displayed during celebrations and official events.

3. Tonga

The flag of Tonga has a red cross in the upper left corner on a white background, with the remaining space colored red.

This flag is unique among the Pacific islands and represents Tonga's strong Christian heritage, with the red cross emblem symbolizing faith and sacrifice. The red background highlights the importance of these values to the Tongan people and their culture.

1. Switzerland

The Swiss national flag flips the typical color scheme with a white cross on a red flag background. A square flag, it symbolizes Switzerland's commitment to peace, neutrality and humanitarianism — values the Swiss hold dear.

The Swiss flag, with its cross emblem, became so iconic it even inspired the International Red Cross (which flips the color scheme), an organization born in Switzerland that carries forward these ideals.

2. Denmark

Denmark's national flag, known as the Dannebrog, is the oldest continuously used flag design in the world, featuring a white cross on a red background.

The design is what's called a Nordic Cross, meaning the cross extends to the edges of the flag, and the center is offset, closer to the hoist side (where it attaches to the flagpole).

Legend has it that this red flag fell from the sky during a battle, turning the tide for the Danish forces. The Dannebrog is a symbol of national pride and resilience, proudly flown at official buildings and on special occasions across Denmark.

1. The United Kingdom

While not over a completely white background, the flag of the United Kingdom combines St. George's cross, a diagonal white cross (the technical term for this is a saltire) on a blue background for Scotland and a red saltire over a white field, which is the flag of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

Thus, it symbolizes the union of England, Ireland and Scotland.

2. Great Britain

Very similar in design to the United Kingdom flag, Great Britain's flag also called the Union Flag or the Union Jack (somewhat confusingly, this is also the term often used for the UK flag), is just like the flag of the United Kingdom, minus the diagonal red cross of St. Andrew.

Essentially, it combines the England flag with the Scotland flag.

3. Alabama

In the United States, each state has its own flag. The state flag of Alabama features a red cross on a white background, but it's diagonal (that's a saltire, remember). This is also based on St. Andrews Cross, and was used as a battle flag in the American Civil War.

4. Genoa

Genoa's flag, also featuring St George's Cross, is a red cross on a white background. Although Genoa isn't an independent nation today, this red on white cross flag remains a significant historical emblem of the Italian city's identity.

Interestingly, the English crown historically paid a tribute to Genoa to use this flag for their ships, making it a recognized symbol even beyond Italian borders.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.