Flags whose reverse differs from the obverse

This article contains a list of flags for which the reverse (back) is different from the obverse (front). It includes current as well as historic flags of both nations and national subdivisions such as provinces, states, territories, and cities (including a few that are not recognized by the United Nations or whose sovereignty is in dispute). When the flag is that of a nation, the Subdivision column is blank. For present-day flags the Dates column is typically blank.

The list below includes flags for which the back is the mirrored reverse (exact copy) of the front. It does not include flags whose back is the mirror image (horizontally flipped) of the front, as is the case with most asymmetric flags (for example, a blue rectangle with 50 stars appears at the top left corner of the US flag; however, when viewed from behind, it is seen at the top right corner). Mirrored reverse flags are much less common and contain an element for which a simple mirror image would be problematic, such as text (e.g. Saudi Arabia's flag includes the shahada, an Islamic creed) or a geographic feature (e.g. the 1970s Bangladeshi flag included a yellow map of the country). Flags with truly different images on each side are even rarer. The only UN-recognized nation whose present-day flag contains a unique image on each side is Paraguay.

Flags by nation

List of flags

Nation	Subdivision	Dates	Obverse	Reverse	Notes
Argentina	San Juan				List of Argentine flags
Bangladesh	—	1971–1972			List of Bangladeshi flags
Brazil	—	—			Flag of Brazil
Bulgaria	Stara Zagora
Germany	—	1918-1919			Communist Party of Germany
Hungary	Dorog
Iran	—	1980-present			Flag of Iran
Moldova	—	1990–2010			Flag of Moldova
Moldova	Transnistria				Flag of Transnistria
Paraguay	—				Flag of Paraguay
Philippines	—	1898–1901			Flag of First Philippine Republic Obverse has "Fuerzas Expeditionarias del Norte de Luzon" inscribed Reverse has the words "Libertad Justicia e Igualdad" inscribed.
Saudi Arabia	—				Flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Soviet Union	—	1923–1991			While the flag of the Soviet Union was officially two-sided, in practice the flag was usually made through and through. All flags of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union did not bear the hammer and sickle on their reverse side.
Spain	Arapiles
United States	Alabama	1861–1865			Flag of Alabama
	Massachusetts	1908–1971			In 1971 the pine tree design on the reverse of the flag of Massachusetts was replaced by the obverse design; a shield depicting an Algonquian Native American with bow and arrow, with the arrow pointed downwards signifying peace.
	Minnesota	1893–1957			Flag of Minnesota
	Oregon	1925–present			The flag of Oregon is currently the only double-sided state flag.
	Raleigh, North Carolina	1960–present			Flag of Raleigh, North Carolina
	Richmond, Virginia	1914–1933			Flag of Richmond, Virginia
	West Virginia	1905–1907			Carmine red fringe (see Flag of West Virginia#1905 flag)
	West Virginia	1907–1929			Old gold fringe (see Flag of West Virginia#1907 flag)

See also

• Glossary of vexillology
• Vexillology