Last modified: 2006-06-17 by phil nelson
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Editor's Note: In November, Jorge Candeias began reviewing certain items regarding flag types on FOTW. This series is still on-going as the November material was being edited.
Back in September (2003), I downloaded all the image zipfiles from FOTW and the result was a snapshot of the image files at that stage of development of the website.
These image zipfiles also include a lot of obsolete images, no longer linked from the pages but still part of the zips due to errors and omissions in deletes.
However, there are so many of them that they can be used to collect a few data about how common the various types of flags really are around the world. With a few caveats:
Caveat # 1 - Due to differentiated country representation in FOTW, not only because the editors work at different paces, but also because the contributors have widely different degrees of information from different countries of the world, some flags more common in those countries better represented in the site will have their abundance overestimated, and vice-versa.
Caveat # 2 - FOTW GIFfers are a lot faster in the GIFfing of simple flags than when the flag is complex. This leads to under-representation of the more complex types of flags and, consequently, to the underestimation of their abundance.
Caveat # 3 - The types of flags I selected are debatable, and so are the choices about the placement of some flags. I will try to make my choices clear, but sometimes some subjectivity and deciding simply on the basis of what "feels right" is inevitable. This happens mostly in subtypes of the more generic types (we won't deal with them for a while, though), but will come up here and there from the top. Despite being debatable, and althogh that debate will be welcome, I won't change anything in methodology from your input - I just don't have the time to do it all over again. That input will seve solely to clarify some choices and how valid they are (or aren't). Some help in terminology will be welcome, though.
Caveat # 4 - For all the reasons above, these figures should never be looked at as anything other than estimates and preliminary numbers. The are *not* definitive in any way.
Excluding icons and somesuch, we have basically 38 713 files divided amongst 5 types of images in FOTW: flags, construction sheets, roundels, symbols (COAS, seals and other related symbols) and maps. In September the respective numbers were:
Flags 31 354 80,99% Symbols 5 885 15,20% Construction sheets 1 094 2,83% Maps 216 0,56% Roundels 164 0,42%
That number includes also those images to colour that are to be found at the mist folder.
The basic division of flags is, of course, in their shapes. Here, I've grouped together square and rectangular flags in the largest cathegory and will always deal with them together. A special type of rectangular flags, though, will be treated separately: vertical flags.
Rectangular 26 548 84,11% Vertical 1 974 6,25% Swallotails 1 790 5,67% Triangular 776 2,46% Trapezoidal 110 0,35% Streamers 108 0,34% Hanging 101 0,32% Bizarre shapes 54 0,17% With tongues 31 0,10% With a round fly 21 0,07% With not straight fly 16 0,05% With streamer 13 0.04% Wimpels 13 0.04% Paralellograms 10 0,03%
Some of these cathegories are self-explanatory (and the bigger ones will be delt with in closer detail later on), but some aren't.
- "Trapezoidal" flags are those shaped as triangles with the tip
(fly) cut off.
- "Hanging" flags are gonfannons and the like. I've only included here
those images that show the horizontal hanging system, the rest was put under
"vertical flags".
- "Bizarre shapes" are all those weirdly shaped flags that don't add
up to at least 10 instances each.
- Flags "with tongues" are flags of the general structure of the
venetian flag.
- Flags "with a round fly" are just that: flags shaped as shields with
round flies. Some algerian flags are good examples.
- Flags "with not straight fly" are those that would be rectangular,
if it wasn't for some chunks taken off the fly, excluding similar categories,
like swallowtails. A good example is the ancient flag of Valencia, Spain
- Flags "with streamer" are a somewhat artificial cathegory of flags,
whose GIFs in FOTW include a streamer above.
- "Paralellograms" are those flags shaped as the ASCII-drawing below.
They are mostly from Poland.
The rectangular flags are subdivided as:
Plain fields 8 701 33,04% Bicolours 4 693 17,82% Tricolours 3 744 14,22% Striped 2 936 11,15% Tribands 2 719 10,32% Crosses 1 604 6,09% Bordered 989 3,76% Quartered 571 2,17% Gyronnies 147 0,56% Lozengies 92 0,35% Checquered 71 0,27% Semees 40 0,15% With bizarre fields 16 0,06% Interwoven 14 0,05%
I have spotted some errors in the meanwhile, so these numbers will take precedence over those posted back then. I will make subdivisions whenever in a given type or subtype can be spotted one or more subgroups with more than 10 flag images.
Starting with a rare type: the flags with round flies, or lanceolates. These can be divided in flags that can be considered as a rectangle with a semicircular fly added to it and those that start curving from the hoist:
Rectangular 13 61,90% Curved 8 38,10% Total 21 By countries, these two subtypes are divided thus: Rectangular Algeria 3 23,08% Spain 3 23,08% Tunisia 3 23,08% Others 4 30,77% Curved Algeria 4 50,0% Tunisia 3 37,5% Others 1 12,5%
The flags with tongues have one major subtype: those that look as if someone simply took a pair of scissors and a rectangular piece of cloth and opened narrow cuts to create the "tongues", as opposed to all the remaining subtypes, that work more as if indentations were removed from the fly, or as if small bits of cloth were sewn to it.
These flag images are divided thus: With cuts 11 35,48% Others 20 64,52% Total 31 By countries, these two subtypes are divided thus: With cuts Italy 11 100% Others Italy 6 30% Religious 5 25% Others 9 45%
Hanging flags
This category grew. This is, as I mentioned earlier, a category that shares with vertical flags many points of contact, and I decided to include here all those flags that were showing the method of hanging, with pole and all. But I got distracted and ended up putting in vertical flags many flags that fit the description.
Why did I make the separation? For two reasons: First of all, because vertical flags are those that are higher than long, and many of these fly from poles the normal way; secondly because some flags that hang are not higher than long. Good examples are the roman vexilla.
It would be more accurate and significant to make a study of these flags with relation to how they are displayed, but that's not for a quick visual classification of images, as the one I produced.
I found two major subdivisions of hanging flags: rectangular flags and flags with three tongues:
Three tongues 57 46,34% Rectangular 56 45,53% Others 10 8,13% Total 123 By countries, these three subtypes are divided thus: Three tongues Italy 57 100% Rectangular Italy 31 55,36% Ukraine 11 19,64% Germany 5 8,93% Croatia 3 5,36% Others 6 10,71% Others Italy 9 90% Others 1 10%
The hanging flags with three tongues can be subdivided between those that are symmetrical, with identical tongues on both sides, and those that are asymmetrical
Symmetrical 45 80,36% Asymmetrical 11 19,64% Total 56 They are all Italian, so there's no subdivision by countries The symmetrical flags can be further subdivided thus: Plain 23 51,11% Bicoloured 21 46,67% Others 1 2,22% (all italian) No subdivision of the plain ones reaches 10 items, but the bicoloured ones have more than 10 vertical divisions: Vertical 12 57,14% Others 9 42,86% (all Italian)
The rectangular hanging flags have the same kind of subdivision of the rectangular flags, except that there are far less images and therefore far less subcathegories with more than 10 examples:
Plain 24 42,86% Bicoloured 14 25,00% Bordered 11 19,64% Others 7 12,50% Total 56 By countries, they are subdivided thus: Plain Italy 16 66,67% Ukraine 8 33,33% Bicoloured Italy 13 92,86% Others 1 7,14% (it's a religious flag) Bordered Germany 5 45,45% Italy 4 36,36% Ukraine 2 18,18% Others (1 from each country) Of these subtypes, the only one that is divisible is that of the plain flags, divided by main charge thus: COA 23 95,83% others 1 4,17% (it's a cross) by countries, it goes like this: COA Italy 16 69,57% Ukraine 7 30,43%
Not all the triangular streamers (and pennons) are isosceles triangles, so this is the main subdivision of this cathegory. Furthermore, an error was corrected, removing one image from the pentagonal streamers (lowering the total to 10) and putting it here:
Isosceles 47 95,92% Others 2 4,08% Total 49 By countries, the isosceles streamers subdivide thus: Brazil 3 6,38% Spain 3 6,38% Mexico 3 6,38% Others 38 80,85% The isosceles streamers can be further subdivided like this: Bicoloured 15 31,91% Tribands 11 23,40% Tricoloured 11 23,40% Others 10 21,28% By countries, they split thus: Bicoloured Haiti 2 13,33% Others 13 86,67% Tribands Argentina 2 18,18% Austria 2 18,18% Spain 2 18,18% Honduras 2 18,18% Others 3 27,27% Tricoloured Mexico 3 27,27% Hungary 2 18,18% Others 6 54,55% Others Brazil 3 30% Others 7 70% No subdivision of these groups reaches 10 items.
The subdivision of the swallowtailed streamers is a bit more straightforward than that of the triangular ones. The first step is, again, in the shape, with more than 10 rectangular and pentagonal streamers. Rectangular streamers are those that would be a rectangle if it wasn't for the triangle cut from the fly; similarly, pentagonal streamers are those that would be a pentagon if it wasn't for the cut from the fly (not a triangle this time, but a diamond).
Numerically this sums up to:
Rectangular 23 51,11% Pentagonal 13 28,89% Others 9 20,00% Total 45 By countries, the distribution goes: Rectangular Norway 6 26,09% Ukraine 4 17,39% USA 3 13,04% Others 10 43,48% Pentagonal Thailand 6 46,15% Albania 3 23,08% Others 4 30,77% Others Germany 4 44,44% USA 2 22,22% Others 3 33,33%
The rectangular streamers can be further subdivided by the type of swallowtail. A normal swallowtail is the one that is shaped as a triangle, but there are other shapes (particularly those shaped as a trapeze):
Normal 20 86,96% Others 3 13,04% By countries, they split thus: Normal Ukraine 4 20% Norway 3 15% USA 3 15% Others 10 50% Others Norway 3 100% The normal ones include more than 10 flags with two fields, called "bicolour" for convenience: Bicolour 13 65% Others 7 35% By countries: Bicolour Ukraine 4 30,77% Germany 2 15,38% Finland 2 15,38% Norway 2 15,38% Others 3 23,08% Others USA 3 42,86% Netherlands 2 28,57% Others 2 28,57% Like the rectangular streamers, the pentagonal ones also split by the type of swallowtail, and pretty much the same way: Normal 12 92,31% Other 1 7,69% By countries, they go: Normal Thailand 6 50% Albania 3 25% Others 3 25% (the "other" is dutch) Trapezoidal flags have all the same shape, so will be subdivided like rectangular flags: Bicolours 30 27,52% Plain 25 22,94% Tricolours 14 12,84% Tribands 11 10,09% Crosses 10 9,17% Others 19 17,43% Total 109 By countries, these six subtypes are divided thus: Bicolours Finland 18 60,00% Signal flags 10 33,33% Others 2 6,67% Plain Signal flags 9 36% Venezuela 7 28% Brazil 2 8% USA 2 8% Others 5 20% Tricolours Finland 7 50,00% Signal flags 4 28,57% Others 3 21,43% Tribands Argentina 3 27,27% Signal flags 3 27,27% Finland 2 18,18% Others 3 27,27% Crosses Signal flags 4 40% Australia 2 20% Others 4 40% Others Signal flags 7 36,84% Finland 4 21,05% Croatia 4 21,05% Others 4 21,05%
The bicoloured trapezoidal flags are divided by orientation of the division: most of these flags are horizontally divided, but there are also other types of division. Numerically this sums up to:
Horizontal 23 76,67% Others 7 23,33% Total 30 By countries, the distribution goes: Horizontal Finland 18 78,26% Signal flags 5 21,74% Others Signal flags 5 71,43% Others 2 28,57% No subdivision of these divisions reaches 10 images.
The best way to divide the plain trapezoidal flags is according to the position (and existence or not) of the main charge. However, only one position went over 10 examples, and so the distribution becomes:
Offset towards the hoist 12 48% Others 13 52% Total 25 By countries, the distribution goes: Offset towards the hoist Signal flags 8 66,67% Others 4 33,33% Others Venezuela 7 53,85% Brazil 2 15,38% Others 4 30,77%
Triangular flags will split further by shape. There are several different types of triangles, being the most common those with the tip vertically centered (isosceles). Other two shapes passed 10 instances: triangles-rectangles with horizontal bottom edges and triangles with round tips. Numerically, they divide thus:
Isosceles 727 93,81% Round tip 14 1,81% Horizontal bottom 12 1,59% Others 22 2,84% Total 775 By countries, these four subtypes are divided thus: Isosceles Germany 84 11,55% France 84 11,55% USA 78 10,73% Mexico 40 5,50% Spain 37 5,09% Others 404 55,57% Round tip France 9 64,29% Guinea 2 14,29% Others 3 21,43% Horozintal bottom Indonesia 3 25,00% Religious flags 3 25,00% India 2 16,67% Others 4 33,33% Others Germany 10 45,45% United Kingdom 4 18,18% India 2 9,09% Others 6 27,27%
Triangles with round tips have all more or less the same shape, so they subdivide by design. However, only one of the various possible flag designs has 10 or more examples, so the distribution becomes:
Plain 12 80% Others 3 20% Total 15 By countries, the distribution goes: Plain France 9 75,00% Guinea 2 16,67% Germany 1 8,33% Others One flag per country
Isosceles triangular flags subdivide by design, and this message will deal only with the major subdivisions and country distribution of those divisions.
We have quite a few categories here, including for the first time a "unapplicable" category. This will be used whenever the image is clear enough to say that it is (in this case) a triangular flag, but not which kind of triangular flag, or whenever two or more flags are on the same image (in this case, two triangular flags). The subdivisions are:
Plain 208 28,65% Bicolours 116 15,98% Bordered 106 14,60% Crosses 92 12,67% Tricolours 87 11,98% Tribands 66 9,09% Striped 27 3,72% Quartered 18 2,48% Not applicable 3 0,41% Others 3 0,41% Total 726 By countries, the distribution goes: Plain USA 24 11,54% France 15 7,21% Germany 12 5,77% Brazil 11 5,29% Belgium 10 4,81% Croatia 10 4,81% Others 126 60,58% Bicolours France 22 18,97% USA 21 18,10% Germany 7 6,03% USSR 7 6,03% Signal flags 7 6,03% Others 52 44,83% Bordered Germany 34 32,08% USA 12 11,32% Croatia 7 6,60% France 6 5,66% Signal flags 4 3,77% Others 43 40,57% Crosses Spain 15 16,30% France 13 14,13% Italy 9 9,78% Germany 5 5,43% Austria-Hungary 4 4,35% Portugal 4 4,35% Others 42 45,65% Tricolours Mexico 37 42,53% France 10 11,49% Germany 7 8,05% USA 7 8,05% Croatia 5 5,75% Others 21 24,14% Tribands Germany 14 21,21% France 10 15,15% USA 9 13,64% Spain 7 10,61% Signal flags 4 6,06% Others 22 33,33% Striped France 5 18,52% Italy 4 14,81% Germany 3 11,11% Bahamas 2 7,41% USA 2 7,41% Others 11 40,74% Quartered International 4 22,22% South Africa 3 16,67% Others 11 61,11% The others have 1 image per country. Quartered triangular flags are dichotomically distributed amongst those divided per cross and those divided per saltire: Cross 14 77,78% Saltire 4 22,22% Total 18 By countries, the distribution goes: Per cross International 4 28,57% South Africa 3 21,43% Others 7 50,00% Per saltire One flag per country
Stripes come in many shapes and orientations, but in triangular flags only those disposed horizontally have more than 10 examples. Numerically, this means:
Horizontal 15 55,56% Others 12 44,44% Total 27 By countries, the distribution goes: Horizontal France 5 33,33% Germany 3 20,00% Others 7 46,67% Others Italy 3 25,00% Bahamas 2 16,67% Others 7 58,33%
Horizontal stripes, in turn, can be equal or not and, if not, can be symmetrical relatively to the horizontal axis or not (in disposition, not in colour). Of these groups, only the flags with symmetrical unequal stripes reached 10 instances:
Symmetrical unequal 10 66,67% Others 5 33,33% By countries, the distribution goes: Symmetrical unequal France 4 40% Germany 3 30% Others 3 30% Others One image per country
Horizontal tribands may have equal stripes, a narrower central stripe, a wider central stripe or other more exotic arrangements. That's the primary subdivision in horizontal tribands and tricolours. In this case, this means:
Narrow central band 19 51,35% Equal bands 11 29,73% Others 7 18,92% Total 37 By countries, the distribution goes: Narrow central band Germany 3 15,79% Spain 2 10,53% France 2 10,53% Japan 2 10,53% Signal flags 2 10,53% USA 2 10,53% Others 6 31,58% Equal bands Germany 3 27,27% Others 8 72,73% Others Germany 4 57,14% France 3 42,86%
The flags with a narrow central band can be further subdivided by the presence or not of additional major design elements (a hoist triangle or bar, a slanted stripe, etc.), but only simple flags, that is, those that have only the three horizontal bands, pass 10 items:
Simple 11 57,89% Others 8 42,11% By countries, the distribution goes: Simple horizontal tribands Germany 3 27,27% Japan 2 18,18% Signal flags 2 18,18% Others 4 36,36% Others France 2 25% USA 2 25% Others 4 50% Like the flags with a narrow central band, also those with three equal stripes can be "simple" or not, and indeed the simple flags reach 10: Simple 10 90,91% Others 1 9,09% By countries, the distribution goes: Simple Germany 3 30% Others 7 70% The other flag is Algerian and includes a narrow band along the hoist.
Not all of the flags I called "spearpoint" show the same disposition. The majority have the three stripes converging to the fly, but one of them does not, as if the central striped narrowed insufficiently. This leads to the subdivision of this small group in:
Converging to fly 11 91,67% Not converging to fly 1 8,33% Total 12 By countries, the distribution goes: Convergent Spain 4 36,36% USA 2 18,18% Others 5 45,45% The flag that does not converge is Indian.
Tricoloured triangular flags come in different flavours: horizontal tricolours, vertical tricolours and a number of other dispositions. These, however, have all less than 10 examples, so the numbers become:
Vertical 48 55,17% Horizontal 17 19,54% Others 22 25,29% Total 87 By countries, the distribution goes: Vertical (48) Mexico 32 66,67% France 5 10,42% Belgium 2 4,17% Chile 2 4,17% Others 7 14,58% Horizontal (17) Germany 5 29,41% Mexico 5 29,41% Others 7 41,18% Others (22) USA 6 27,27% France 5 22,73% Croatia 4 18,18% Germany 2 9,09% Others 5 22,73%Jorge Candeias, November 2003 Go to: Part 2