Flag of the World Health Organization
What the flag looks like
A light blue field with the white UN emblem, a world map framed by olive branches, overlaid by a gold staff with a serpent coiled round it.
What it means
The UN emblem marks WHO as part of the UN family, and the serpent-entwined staff of Asclepius is an ancient symbol of medicine.
How to remember it
WHO
is the UN
flag with a gold snake-wrapped staff standing up through the middle of the world map.
Fun facts
- The emblem was chosen by the first World Health Assembly in 1948.
- WHO's constitution came into force on 7 April 1948, the date now marked every year as World Health Day.
World Health Organization at a glance
- Founded
- 1948
- Headquarters
- Geneva
- Headquarters
- Geneva
- Region
- Founded 1948
- Languages
- Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
- Flag adopted
- 1961
Flags often confused with the World Health Organization
- United Nations: WHO and the UN are both light blue with the white UN emblem of a world map in olive branches. WHO adds a gold staff with a snake coiled round it, standing up through the middle; the UN's emblem is plain white.