Right here's the threat that (only like nine) people voted for - but here's my ranking of European flags! I'm including microstates and Kosovo in this ranking, so sit back and enjoy a complete randomer's ranking for no reason!
51. Malta

This flag is just somewhat basic, and while red and white is a good colour combo, the vertical combo looks really...uncomfortable? the grey victoria cross doesn't really do it any favours either...
50. Liechtenstein

It's a shame I'm putting this so low, because we don't see the flag that often. The blue looks nice on the top, but the crown in the top left makes it look very Malta-esque and I'm not sure I can vibe with that..maybe centre it and it'll rise for sure!
49. Monaco

I swear I do like some two-colour flags, but the ratio of this flag just doesn't do it for me. Also when your flag blatantly copies another flag (and Monaco's not the only guilty party here), it doesn't hold you in good stead, does it?
48. Norway

I know - controversial choice, but the red-white-blue -white red combo is very...aggressive? There's something about this flag that almost makes me not want to look at it, but it's saving grace is the white, because if it was just red and blue - it would be HIDEOUS
47. Portugal

This flag is lovely but also at the same time very messy. I'm not too sure why the red section has to be so big, but at the same time - the green is very off-putting. The coat of arms is nice but the gold circle bit loses it points... SORRY PORTUSTANS!
46. Croatia

Again, I like the idea of the flag, but the overall layout is quite messy. The five points of the crown with all sorts of shades and depictions on top of the checkered shield makes it immediately distinctive, but the bands are quite derivative
45. Belgium

Okay but why did they have to choose *that* ratio for this flag when a normal 3:2 ratio would do just as well? I do like what they were trying to do with the colour scheme - however, I feel like they need a bit of a darker yellow and richer red just to oomph it
44. Austria

I like the simplicity of this flag, but it's just kind of there? Also, in a rare switch up, I think having the coat of arms would actually elevate this flag and make it a bit more interesting.
43. Serbia

In a complete switch to Austria, the coat of arms really make this flag more complicated than it needs to be. If the coat of arms got taken off, it would be so much nicer and aesthetic
42. Netherlands

One of many flags that looks like a mix of other flags, so not really original but I do like what they have done. Instantly recognisable, and conjures up good times and stability, you can't go wrong! Also, that shade of blue is ๐Ÿ˜ฉ
41. Denmark

Ratio again plays a part in the reason this is so low, but also the white cross is quite thin? if the cross was thicker and the ratio was a bit more conventional, this would have go up massively in this ranking
40. United Kingdom

This flag is one of the most aggressive flags I've ever seen in my life. The crosses upon crosses makes it very intimidating (which i guess in the olden days was the point), but nowadays it is iconic for its impact on other flags
39. Spain

We're back to the need to remove the coat of arms, the way in which the red bands are spaced apart, alongside the golden yellow tinge, I would have this in the top 10, just get on removing those coat of arms Spain, simplicity works!
38. Russia

Again, another iconic flag that inspired many of the flags that we have today! There's not really much you could do to improve that iconicness, although I would like to darken that blue a little bit and that'll just be a true finishing touch
37. Slovenia

One of the aforementioned inspired pan-Slavic colour flags, I like it for what it is, but if I could really change one thing, I'd make the coat of arms a little bigger and make the overall flag look a little more Slovakia-esque? Am I making sense?
36. Azerbaijan

I like the cresent moon and the eight-pointed star in the flag, and the colour scheme for the bands are definitely distinctive. A little unsure of the shade of blue, but there's a striking style for sure
35. Armenia

I think this flag has a nice warm aura to it, the orange in bottom complements the blue in the middle and the sharpness of the red. A little basic for my liking but I couldn't see anything else elevating it? Just a good halfway flag
34. Sweden

The shade of blue in this flag is absolutely gorgeous, but the yellow brings it down a little; if it was to be more gold or dulled, it would have been so much higher. Iconic in a way, and a flag representing so many lovely people - we stan Sverige
33. Bulgaria

In a similar vein to the Pan-Slavic flags, but just different enough with the green stripe instead. I like character of the flag; and you can easily recognise it too. Also that gradient from light to dark, faded to sharp, it's a nice flag!
32. Hungary

I don't really know how people get this confused with Bulgaria's flag (although Ukraine got it wrong in 2005), but the look of the flag just looks intriguing and I want to know more. Similar to Bulgaria that it just diverges enough to have its own identity.
31. Romania

This is ultimately a Chad copy so I should really tank the shit out of this, but there's something about the use of the primary colour scheme and we have to appreciate that. But one of you two needs to change the flag, idc who...
30. Lithuania

I like the audacity Lithuania had to put these colours together, and in comparison to the other Baltic nations it does stand out! The darkness of the green helps the lightness of the yellow, so they have done pretty well here, there's just others I like more.
29. Italy

An iconic flag for sure, and I LIKE the divergence from the French tricolour with the green stripe instead. Again, a little basic but it's this high because of how recognisable it is, and the lovely people the flag represents
28. Greece

This is definitely an improvement from the abomination of a single white cross on blue background, so this has a bit more culture to it. The white contrasting with the sea/sky blue just brings a sense of sun, warmth and refreshment, and that's what we need in a flag!
27. Switzerland

Who would think that having such a basic flag would work so perfectly? We have to love the shade of red and the white cross just almost gives off the positive, neutral vibes Switzerland exudes. Iconic flag, can't deny it
26. Poland

I told you I like two-colour flags! There's something that just works having this design, like the light white contrasting with the heavy red, it gets right what Monaco gets wrong. No need to include the coat of arms on the top though, simplicity works remember!
Okay i'm gonna take a break on this thread; who do you think is going to come out on top? ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฑ ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฉ ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡พ ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฆ ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ช ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ฎ ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ๐Ÿ‡ฝ๐Ÿ‡ฐ ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ป ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡บ ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฉ ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ช ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฐ ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฒ ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
IT'S ANOTHER FRIDAY WHICH MEANS IT'S TIME TO CONTINUE THIS (apparently popular????) THREAD
25. Kosovo

Of course this is a controversial flag, due to the country's status, but it's recognised in my country sooo...I like the gold and blue combination, and the map too! Like a mix of Cyprus and Bosnia, and we have to stan that combo
24. San Marino

I really like the white mix with the light blue shade on the bottom, almost symbolising the sky and clouds. The coat of arms has the potential to look a little dated, but it shows the history of the country in a simple way
23. Andorra

A strangely perfect mix of France and Spain, with the inclusion of Catalonia in its coat of arms, I probably have this quite high because - let's be real - how often do we ever see Andorra's flag... but the shade of blue is ๐Ÿ‘Œ
22. France

Such an iconic flag that still carries across the world today! I like the contrast with the blue and red with the white separating the two...I do realise that it's essentially the vertical version of the Dutch flag, but it's my ranking so shh
21. Ireland

My own country! I really appreciate the symbolism of the colours and I think the colour combination is gorgeous. I do wish that it wasn't the 2:1 ratio, but Ireland's very slow in places so with time hopefully they'll correct it
20. Turkey

Again, another iconic flag that carries a lot of history behind it, with lots of changes and variants along the way. The cresent really fits with the colour and I love the tilted star too, it really spices things up
19. Montenegro

It's a really strange thinking that this flag is so controversial and polarising? The gold frame and vermillion field on the inside is just a classic combination that you never see anymore! The double headed eagle is a lovely touch - also Happy Independence Day!
18. Germany

A gorgeous use of colours that Belgium is using wrongly! The black in contrast with the gold stripe at the bottom, it looks both intimidating and progressive, as a true leader
17. Slovakia

This is the best use of the Russia-inspired flags, and gets right what flags like Slovenia and Serbia get wrong. The coat of arms is simple, yet steeped in history and perfectly proportioned so it doesn't take up a lot of the space. Overall a lovely flag to look at!
16. Finland

Finland's flag really sums up the overall landscape of the country - the white for the snow, and the blue representing the thousands of lakes..however, it still fits with the Scandi motif and we have to love them for it
15. Israel

I really like the way this flag is designed - yes it does employ only two colours but the two lines on the top/bottom of the flag and the Star of David, it's an incredibly unique flag and an interesting way to contribute to the star design!
14. Moldova

This is the best attempt at the blue-yellow-red combo (at least in Europe), the coat arms makes things incredibly diverse and intriguing, and while it could come across as busy or messy...it doesnt? It's just enough
13. Kazakhstan

This could be a controversial choice, but the delicate balance between the golden yellow and the turquoise/cyan blue make the flag look really majestic. Plus it includes an eagle flying! And a band on the left that shows the cultural heritage, I'm in love!
12. Estonia

I love it when nature manages to find a way into a flag and this is a fantastic example, you can really see the black trees in contrast to the snow and the dark skies above. Not to mention a unique combination, that also exudes modernity
11. Czechia

Just missing out on the top 10 is this amazingly abstract take on the blue-white-red combo. Steeped in history and recognisable, you can't deny this is an aesthetic flag, and the best part is that if you cut a rectangle of the tripoint, you still have the same flag!
So we're in the top 10! Who's going to make it to #1? We're down to ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฑ, ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡พ, ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฆ, ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡พ, ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช, ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ, ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ป, ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡บ, ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฐ and ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ
10. Luxembourg

I know, I'm surprised this flag has made it so high too, but the reason that this flag makes it so high is the shades of red and blue, the red is almost like a pink, while the blue is a true cyan and having pink and cyan is such an incredibly unique choice, ugh ๐Ÿ˜
9. Iceland

This is hands down the best design to incorporate red, white and blue of every world flag. Some people might take issue with Iceland being so high and Norway being so low, but this is a lot more aesthetically pleasing, and how recognisable the flag is, don't deny it..
8. Ukraine

Yet another fantastic example of how nature finds a way into flags, the fact that the blue sky and yellow fields are so common in Ukraine makes it a true representation of the country, not to mention its simplicity! Absolutely gorgeous
7. Belarus

If you understood why Kazakhstan was so high, this will come as no surprise. Green and red usually would look quite harsh but the accents of white on the vyshyvanka on the left help to make the flag look more palatable. Also, points for including ethnic elements!
6. Albania

This flag is incredibly iconic, historic and every other type of -ic you can think of, the aesthetic pleasure from it symmetry is gorgeous, and black/red as a colour combination will never go out of style. Never change Albania โฃ๏ธ
5. Cyprus

The OG Kosovo flag, this just gives off nothing but happy and lovely vibes! The peaceful white, coupled with the olive branches shows its location, but also the metaphorical peace! The gold of the country's outline, Y'ALL ARE SLEEPING ON THIS FLAG OMG
4. Bosnia & Herzegovina

This is the most abstract way to represent a country, but I really love what it tries to do. The shade of blue with the yellow triangle compliment each other really well, and the illusion of a never ending path of stars shows how much BiH has to offer ๐Ÿ˜
3. Georgia

I was a fan of Georgia's flag pre-2004, but this was such a step up! The number of individual crosses fills the flag but doesn't impose on each other. Simple, but effective, also incredibly iconic - remember when The Shin remade this WITH WINE?! y'all aint ready..
So we're down to two countries! Who do you think is gonna win?
2. Latvia

This flag is amazing. As far as I'm aware, this is the only flag that uses crimson as a colour, and that in itself makes it an incredibly unique flag. The Baltic trio just wouldn't be the same without Latvia's flag, and I think it's so criminally underrated; I love it
1. North Macedonia

Absolutely superb. In this flag, you have happiness in the fact it's a sun, the history of Macedonia as a region (Greece included), and the colour combination. NM's EU campaign is even called "The Sun, too, is a star", and that is...stellar. Best flag: 12/10
And that brings us to the end of this thread (joy for some, sorrow for others)! Thanks so much for joining me, if you had made it this far! ๐Ÿ’ let me know what your opinions are!
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