Flags of South America
Recognise the 12 national flags of South America by their colours and design, one family of flags at a time.
12 cards · Geography
Each Zap teaches up to 5 new cards, so you learn the deck a few at a time.
Checked by the Brain Zap team · reviewed 23 Oct 2026
Sources: Gallery of sovereign state flags (Wikipedia), flag-icons by Lipis, MIT licence (the pictures)
Preview
Yellow diamond with a blue globe on green
Show answerHide answer: Yellow diamond with a blue globe on green
Brazil
Learn more: The globe shows the night sky over Rio de Janeiro on 15 November 1889, when the republic was proclaimed.
Light blue and white bands, with a golden sun
Show answerHide answer: Light blue and white bands, with a golden sun
Argentina
Learn more: The Sun of May recalls the May Revolution of 1810 in Buenos Aires.
White over red, with a white star on a blue square
Show answerHide answer: White over red, with a white star on a blue square
Chile
Learn more: Adopted in 1817. Blue for the sky, white for the snowy Andes, red for the blood of independence.
Yellow top half, then blue and red bands
Show answerHide answer: Yellow top half, then blue and red bands
Colombia
Learn more: The yellow band is as wide as the other two together. Two neighbours share these colours, from Gran Colombia.
Yellow, blue and red bands, with an arc of eight stars
Show answerHide answer: Yellow, blue and red bands, with an arc of eight stars
Venezuela
Learn more: The eighth star was added in 2006, following an 1817 decree by Simón Bolívar.
About this topic
This chapter of Flags of the World covers the national flags of South America. Each card shows a flag and asks which country flies it, with a hint and a short story of where its colours and shapes come from.
South America's flags tell stories of independence from Spain and Portugal. Suns and stars shine on several, and three neighbours share the yellow, blue and red of Gran Colombia.
Learn the family first, then the one detail that sets each flag apart: the order of the colours, a shade of blue, a cross, a star or an emblem. Once you know most of this chapter's flags, the next chapter of the Book starts arriving in your Daily Zap.
All 12 cards
Yellow diamond with a blue globe on green
Brazil
Learn more: The globe shows the night sky over Rio de Janeiro on 15 November 1889, when the republic was proclaimed.
Light blue and white bands, with a golden sun
Argentina
Learn more: The Sun of May recalls the May Revolution of 1810 in Buenos Aires.
White over red, with a white star on a blue square
Chile
Learn more: Adopted in 1817. Blue for the sky, white for the snowy Andes, red for the blood of independence.
Yellow top half, then blue and red bands
Colombia
Learn more: The yellow band is as wide as the other two together. Two neighbours share these colours, from Gran Colombia.
Yellow, blue and red bands, with an arc of eight stars
Venezuela
Learn more: The eighth star was added in 2006, following an 1817 decree by Simón Bolívar.
Yellow, blue and red bands, with a condor coat of arms
Ecuador
Learn more: Its coat of arms tells it apart from its neighbours' tricolours. The condor stands for power and courage.
Red, white and red vertical bands
Peru
Learn more: Legend says San Martín chose the colours in 1820 after seeing flamingos with red wings and white chests.
Red, yellow and green bands, with a coat of arms
Bolivia
Learn more: Red for its heroes' blood, yellow for its mineral wealth, green for its land. Adopted in 1851.
Red, white and blue bands, with an emblem
Paraguay
Learn more: The only national flag with a different emblem on each side: the arms on the front, a treasury seal on the back.
Blue and white stripes, with a golden sun
Uruguay
Learn more: Its nine stripes stand for the nine original departments. The Sun of May is shared with a neighbour.
Green with a red and yellow arrowhead
Guyana
Learn more: The 'Golden Arrowhead' was adopted at independence in 1966: green for forests, gold for mineral wealth.
Green, white and red bands, with a yellow star
Suriname
Learn more: Adopted at independence in 1975. The yellow star stands for unity and a golden future.
Image credits
- Yellow diamond with a blue globe on green: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Yellow diamond with a blue globe on green
- Light blue and white bands, with a golden sun: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Light blue and white bands, with a golden sun
- White over red, with a white star on a blue square: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: White over red, with a white star on a blue square
- Yellow top half, then blue and red bands: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Yellow top half, then blue and red bands
- Yellow, blue and red bands, with an arc of eight stars: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Yellow, blue and red bands, with an arc of eight stars
- Yellow, blue and red bands, with a condor coat of arms: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Yellow, blue and red bands, with a condor coat of arms
- Red, white and red vertical bands: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red, white and red vertical bands
- Red, yellow and green bands, with a coat of arms: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red, yellow and green bands, with a coat of arms
- Red, white and blue bands, with an emblem: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Red, white and blue bands, with an emblem
- Blue and white stripes, with a golden sun: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Blue and white stripes, with a golden sun
- Green with a red and yellow arrowhead: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green with a red and yellow arrowhead
- Green, white and red bands, with a yellow star: flag-icons by Lipis, MIT, MIT Source: Green, white and red bands, with a yellow star
More geography decks
World capitals
The capital cities of 40 countries on every continent, from easy ones to tricky ones like Australia, Turkey and Nigeria.
40 cards · meet them all in 8 days
About 2 min a day
Flags of Eastern Europe
Recognise the 10 national flags of Eastern Europe by their colours and design, one family of flags at a time.
10 cards · meet them all in 2 days
About 1 min a day
Flags of Europe
Recognise 43 national flags of Europe, from the Nordic crosses to the tricolours, by their colours and design.
43 cards · meet them all in 9 days
About 2 min a day