How many countries have stars in there flags?

Answer 1

Depending on what is counted, there are between 68 and 91 sovereign countries with at least one star on their flag—this will be explained further here, and there is a list of all these countries below.

First of all, it depends on whether or not a depiction of the sun is considered to be a depiction of a star (scientifically, the sun is a star like any other). This makes a huge difference, and even then there is some ambiguity. If the answer is “yes,” then it is questionable whether to include the flags of Japan, Bangladesh, Niger, and Mongolia. These countries have simple colored discs on their flags which, by cultural traditions, do represent the sun, although it would not be apparent to an outside observer (Palau and Laos also have prominent discs on their flags, but these represent the moon, not the sun). If the answer is “no,” then it is questionable whether to include the flag of Nepal, which has two depictions that are said to represent the sun by tradition, although to an outside observer these would probably pass as non-sun stars.

Second of all, it depends on what exactly is counted as a country. There are 193 U.N. member states and two observer states, but there are other countries that are still partially recognized. Most notably, Kosovo, Taiwan, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic have star(s) on their flags (In Taiwan’s case, it is the sun). These countries, although not UN members or observers, have significant international recognition (there are other disputed territories that have flags with a star, but none are recognized by more than a handful of countries, so they’re not included here).

Lastly, it depends on which variations of the countries’ flags are included. For a small number of countries, there is a distinction between a state flag and a civil flag, often differing by one version having a coat of arms. The state flags of Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and El Salvador have depictions of the sun (and for Bolivia and Costa Rica, other stars as well) in their state flags—present in the coats of arms—but not on their civil flags, which lack a coat of arms.

Here is a complete list of significantly recognized countries with at least one star on their civil, state, and/or national flag, including the depiction of the sun, and including Kosovo, Taiwan, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (FYI, many lists found on the internet regarding this topic are inaccurate and incomplete; certain countries’ flags, like that of Moldova, have one or more stars which are small and not easy to see, but are present):

Algeria

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda (sun only)

Argentina (sun only)

Australia

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh (sun only, depicted as simple disc)

Bolivia (state flag only, in coat of arms)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Brazil

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cape Verde

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Chile

China

Comoros

Costa Rica (state flag only, in coat of arms)

Croatia (in coat of arms, present on all versions)

Cuba

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Djibouti

Dominica

Ecaudor (state flag only, sun only, in coat of arms)

El Salvador (State flag only, sun only, in coat of arms)

Equatorial Guinea (in coat of arms, present in all versions)

Ethiopia

Ghana

Grenada

Guinea-Bissau

Honduras

Israel

Japan (sun only, depicted as simple disc)

Jordan

Kazakhstan (sun only)

Kiribati (sun only)

Kosovo (partially recognized state)

Kyrgyzstan (sun only)

Liberia

Libya

Malawi (sun only)

Malaysia

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Micronesia

Moldova (in coat of arms, present in all versions)

Mongolia (sun only, depicted as simple disc)

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia (sun only)

Nauru

Nepal (sun only, two depictions as multi-pointed stars)

New Zealand

Nicaragua (sun only, in coat of arms, present in all versions)

Niger (sun only, depicted as simple disc)

North Korea

North Macedonia (sun only)

Pakistan

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay (on obverse side only, in coat of arms, present in all versions)

Philippines

Rwanda (sun only)

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Samoa

Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (partially recognized state)

São Tomé and Príncipe

Senegal

Singapore

Slovenia (in coat of arms, present in all versions)

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Sudan

Suriname

Syria

Taiwan (sun only, partially recognized state)

Tajikistan

Timor-Leste

Togo

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

United States

Uruguay (sun only)

Uzbekistan

Venezuela

Vietnam

Zimbabwe