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Flags whose reverse differs from the obverse

This article contains a list of flags for which the reverse (back Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag) is different from the obverse (front Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag). It includes current as well as historic flags of both nations and national subdivisions such as provinces, states, territories, cities and other administrations (including a few that are not recognized by the United Nations or whose sovereignty is in dispute). When the flag is that of a nation, the Subdivision column is blank ( — ).

The list below do not includes flags for which the reverse side is congruent (identical Reverse side is congruent with obverse side) nor is it a mirror image of the obverse side (horizontally flipped Reverse side is mirror image of obverse side). Flag sides are usually mirror copy to satisfy manufacturing constraints. Identical flags are much less common and contain an element for which a simple mirror image would be problematic, such as text (e.g. The Flag of Saudi Arabia includes the shahada, an Islamic creed) or a geographic feature (e.g. The Flag of the United Nations included an Azimuthal equidistant projection of the earth). Flags having a truly different designs on both their sides (two-sided Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag) differ from the norm. The only UN-recognized nation whose present-day flag officially contains a unique image on each side is Paraguay.

Not all impression of two-sided flags are de facto two-sided because of practical manufacturing constraints or, judging from how often it was disregarded in practice, some formal concern of heraldic nature. As such it may very well be prescribed legally from the very beginning and ever ignored in practice by institutions of every type.

Many of those flag are reconstruction based on various degree of evidence.

Flags by nation

[edit]
List of two-sided flags Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Nation Subdivision Dates Obverse Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Reverse Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Notes
 Andorra 1866–present [dubiousdiscuss] Flag of Andorra
 Argentina San Juan 1997–present Flag of San Juan
 Austria-Hungary Common Army 1867–1918 Austro-Hungarian Army
Imperial-Royal Landwehr
Royal Croatian Home Guard
Royal Hungarian Honvéd
 Bangladesh 1971–1972 Flag of Bangladesh
 Belarus Presidential Security Service 1991–present List of Belarusian flags
 Brazil Paraíba 1965–present Flag of Paraíba
Piauí 1922–present Flag of Piauí
São Paulo 1922–present Flag of São Paulo
 British Empire New York Union 1664–1783 George Rex Flag
 Bulgaria Stara Zagora 1996–present Flag of Stara Zagora
 Comoros 1996–2001 Flag of Comoros
 East Timor National Council of Maubere Resistance 1998–2002 Flag of East Timor
 El Salvador 1877–Nov 2 1898 and Nov 30 1898–1912 Flag of El Salvador
 Ethiopian Empire Imperial Standard 1962–1975 Haile Selassie
 Republic of Formosa 1895 [dubiousdiscuss] Flag of the Republic of Formosa
 German Empire 1871–1918 [dubiousdiscuss] Flag of Germany
 Germany Communist Party of Germany 1918–1933 Flag of the Communist Party of Germany
 Greece Alexandros Ypsilantis 1821 [dubiousdiscuss] Flag of Greece
 Hungarian People's Republic Scout Association 1970 [dubiousdiscuss] Flag of Hungary
 Hungary Csernely 1991–present Flag of Csernely
Dorog 1919–present Flag of Dorog
 Iceland President of Iceland 1944–present Flag of Iceland
 Libya 1951–1969 and 2011–present [dubiousdiscuss]Flag of Libya
 Lithuania — and President of Lithuania 1918–1922 Flag of Lithuania
 Luxembourg Army of Luxembourg 1982–present Flag of Luxembourg

On military flag and emblems (I). The Grand Ducal Order. 15 February 1982.

 Madagascar President of Madagascar 1959–1972 Flag of Madagascar
1972–1975
1976–1993
1993–1996
1998–2002
 Moldavian Democratic Republic — and Sfatul Țării 1999–present Flag of Moldova
 Moldavia Infantry Battalion 1346–1859 Flag and coat of arms of Moldavia

We have very little information on ancient Moldavian and Wallachian flags. For Moldavia the most important symbol has always been the wild ox head, which is still to be found on the flag of the new Moldavian republic. In early times the red prevailed on other colours: on standards, the wild ox head appeared on the recto, while the verso represented St. George killing the dragon. It seems that this standard was adopted by Bogdan I and maintained by Stephan the Great and successors. In the following century (XIX) the blue was added. According to an 1813 document, under prince Scarlat Calimachi the princely standard was red, yellow and blue on the recto (without any symbol), while on the verso was St George riding a horse on a blue field. Another document, dated 1814, again reports a red standard. Michael II Sutu (1819–21) had a blue flag with the wild ox head on the recto and red with St George the verso. The two Moldavian flags above from the XV-XVI c. are in Bucharest museum.

Infantry Battalion 1834–1849
 Moldova 1990–2010 Flag of Moldova
Information and Security Service 1999–present
Gagauzia 1995–present [dubiousdiscuss] Flag of Gagauzia
 Nazi Germany 1935–1945 Flag of Germany
 North Korea Korean People's Army 1948 For Guards only
1948–1961
1961–1992 Flag of North Korea
1992–1993
Korean People's Army Ground Force 1993–present
Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force 1993–present
Korean People's Navy 1993–present
Korean People's Army Strategic Rocket Force 2018–present
Korean People's Army Special Operation Force 2018–present
Worker-Peasant Red Guards 2007–present
 Paraguay 1842–1954 Flag of Paraguay
1954–1988
1988–1990
1990
1990–2013
2013–present
 Philippines 1898–1901 Flag of the Philippines
  • Obverse has "Fuerzas Expeditionarias del Norte de Luzon" inscribed
  • Reverse has the words "Libertad Justicia e Igualdad" inscribed.
Thailand Rattanakosin Kingdom Siamese Expeditionary Forces 1917–1919 Flag of the Rattanakosin Kingdom
 Romania Romanian Air Force 1992–present List of flags of Romania
Romanian General Staff
Romanian Land Forces
Romanian Naval Forces
Battle flag 1950–1952
1952–1965
1966–1989
Romanian Air Force 1950–1952
1952–1965
Romanian Patriotic Guards 1977–1989
Romanian Naval Forces 1950–1951
1952–1965
 Russia Mari El 2006–2011 Flag of Mari El
Gorodishchensky District 2002–2012 Flag of the Gorodishchensky District
Russian Armed Forces 2003–present List of Russian flags
Russian Ground Forces 2002–present
Russian Aerospace Forces 2002–present
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 1976–present Flag of Western Sahara
 Saudi Arabia Civil ensign 1980–present Flag of Saudi Arabia
 Soviet Union 1923–1991 Flag of the Soviet Union
Armenian SSR 1952–1990 Flag of Armenian SSR
Azerbaijan SSR 1952–1991 Flag of Azerbaijan SSR
Byelorussian SSR 1951–1991 Flag of Byelorussian SSR
Estonian SSR 1953–1990 Flag of Estonian SSR
Georgian SSR 1951–1990 Flag of Georgian SSR
Karelo-Finnish SSR 1953–1956 Flag of Karelo-Finnish SSR
Kazakh SSR 1953–1992 Flag of Kazakh SSR
Kirghiz SSR 1952–1992 Flag of Kirghiz SSR
Latvian SSR 1953–1990 Flag of Latvian SSR
Lithuanian SSR 1953–1988 Flag of Lithuanian SSR
Moldavian SSR 1952–1990 Flag of Moldavian SSR
Russian SFSR 1954–1991 Flag of the Russian SFSR
Tajik SSR 1953–1992 Flag of Tajik SSR
Turkmen SSR 1953–1992 Flag of Turkmen SSR
Ukrainian SSR 1949–1991 Flag of Ukrainian SSR
Uzbek SSR 1952–1991 Flag of Uzbek SSR
Soviet Army 1946–1992 List of Russian flags
 Spain Almendros 1988–present List of Spanish flags
Arapiles 1993–present
Burgueta 2001–present
Puebla de Almenara 1988–present
Villarrubio 1988–present
 Transnistria 1991–present Flag of Transnistria
 United States Alabama 1861–1865 Flag of Alabama
Massachusetts 1908–1971 Flag of Massachusetts
Minnesota 1893–1957 Flag of Minnesota
Oregon 1859–present Flag of Oregon
Raleigh, North Carolina 1960–present Flag of Raleigh, North Carolina
Richmond, Virginia 1914–1933 Flag of Richmond, Virginia
West Virginia 1905–1907 Flag of West Virginia Carmine red fringe
1907–1929 Flag of West Virginia Old gold fringe