Which flags have writing on them? Words, mottos and inscriptions
Quick answer: 17 national flags in the Trivillion flags quiz include writing. Saudi Arabia shows the shahada, Iraq the words Allahu Akbar and Brazil the motto Ordem e Progresso. Most others carry a motto inside the coat of arms, such as Spain’s Plus Ultra and Haiti’s L’Union fait la force.
Every flag with writing
The words and what they mean:
| Country | Writing | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasul Allah | There is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God |
| Iraq | Allahu Akbar | God is greatest |
| Iran | Allahu Akbar, repeated 22 times | God is greatest |
| Brazil | Ordem e Progresso | Order and progress |
| Paraguay | República del Paraguay; Paz y Justicia | Republic of Paraguay; peace and justice |
| Ecuador | Ecuador | The country’s name |
| El Salvador | Dios, Unión, Libertad | God, union, liberty |
| Nicaragua | República de Nicaragua, América Central | Republic of Nicaragua, Central America |
| Guatemala | Libertad 15 de Septiembre de 1821 | Liberty, 15 September 1821 |
| Dominican Republic | Dios, Patria, Libertad | God, homeland, liberty |
| Belize | Sub Umbra Floreo | Under the shade I flourish |
| Haiti | L’Union fait la force | Unity makes strength |
| San Marino | Libertas | Liberty |
| Andorra | Virtus Unita Fortior | Strength united is stronger |
| Kiribati | Te Mauri, Te Raoi ao Te Tabomoa | Health, peace and prosperity |
| Equatorial Guinea | Unidad, Paz, Justicia | Unity, peace, justice |
| Spain | Plus Ultra | Further beyond |
Arabic writing on flags
Saudi Arabia’s flag shows the shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, above a sword. Because the words are sacred, the flag is not flown at half-mast and is made so that the text reads correctly from both sides. Iraq’s flag carries the words Allahu Akbar in green, and Iran’s repeats Allahu Akbar 22 times along the edges of its green and red stripes, for the 22nd day of the month of Bahman in the Iranian calendar, the date of the 1979 revolution.
Mottos in Latin and Spanish
Latin mottos appear on the flags of San Marino, Andorra and Belize, and Spain’s Plus Ultra refers to the Pillars of Hercules, once thought to mark the edge of the known world. Many Latin American flags put their country’s name or a date of independence into the coat of arms, as Guatemala does with 15 September 1821.
Brazil’s motto
Brazil’s Ordem e Progresso is written on a white band across its starry globe. The motto comes from the ideas of the French philosopher Auguste Comte, which were popular among the founders of the Brazilian republic in 1889.
Flags with writing
Related reading
More articles and games on the same topic.
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Frequently asked questions
Which flags have writing on them?
17 flags in our quiz, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Brazil, Paraguay, Spain and Haiti.
What is written on the Saudi flag?
The shahada: there is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God.
What does Brazil’s flag say?
Ordem e Progresso, order and progress.
Why is the Saudi flag not flown at half-mast?
Because it carries the shahada.
What does Plus Ultra mean?
Further beyond. It is Spain’s national motto.