Country flag

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland uses a square national flag, a feature that immediately distinguishes it from most national flags. A white cross is centred on a plain red f...

Where is Switzerland?

The highlighted area marks the country on the world map.

Zoomed location

This country is small on the world map, so this inset shows nearby countries for context.

About Switzerland and its flag

Switzerland uses a square national flag, a feature that immediately distinguishes it from most national flags. A white cross is centred on a plain red field, with generous red space around the cross. The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs identifies 1848 as the year the design became Switzerland's official national flag.

Flag design and meaning

The national flag is square rather than rectangular. Its single white cross is centred on a red ground and is the only graphic element, with no border, shield, lettering, or stars. Official Swiss guidance also sets out proportions for the cross and the prescribed red colour.

White cross on red: The national flag is defined by a centred white cross on a red field. Official Swiss guidance notes that the historical reason for the red field remains disputed among historians.

History and adoption

Official Swiss material traces military use of the emblem to 1339 and identifies 1848 as the point when the design became the official national flag. It also notes that historians disagree about why the field is red. This page therefore treats the colour's origin as unsettled rather than presenting a single explanation.

How to recognise this flag

The square shape is the fastest way to identify Switzerland's national flag.
Look for one bold white cross centred on red, without the offset Nordic-cross layout used by Denmark.