Flag of Switzerland

What the flag looks like

A square red flag with a white cross in the center whose arms do not touch the edges; each arm is one-sixth longer than it is wide.

What it means

The white cross derives from the old banner of the canton of Schwyz and is commonly read as a Christian symbol; the flag stands for the Confederation's unity.

How to remember it

A square red flag with a floating white plus sign: Switzerland is a plus, and its cross never touches the edges, unlike Denmark's.

Fun facts

• Switzerland and Vatican City have the only square national flags; Swiss boats use a rectangular version.
• The Red Cross emblem, created in 1864 in Geneva, reverses the colors of the Swiss flag in honor of Switzerland.

Switzerland at a glance

Capital

Bern

Region

Western Europe

Population

9.0 million

Area

41,284 km²

Languages

French, Swiss German, Italian, Romansh

Currency

Swiss franc (Fr.)

Flag adopted

1889

Flags often confused with Switzerland

• Denmark: Switzerland and Denmark both have a white cross on red. Switzerland's flag is square with a short centered cross; Denmark's cross reaches the edges and sits towards the hoist.
• Tonga: Switzerland and Tonga both show a cross on red and white. Switzerland has a white cross in the center of a square flag; Tonga has a red cross in a white box in the upper-left corner.