Which national flag features a white cross on a red square field?

Switzerland’s national flag features a white cross on a red square field.

The Swiss flag is distinctive because its national version is square rather than rectangular, although Switzerland’s civil and maritime ensigns use a rectangular proportion. The white cross has arms of equal length, with each arm longer than it is wide. This geometric design is closely connected with Swiss identity and the Confederation.

The cross developed from medieval military insignia used by Swiss cantons and confederate troops. A common modern version was established in the nineteenth century, while the exact proportions were formally standardized in 1889. Switzerland’s flag also inspired the emblem of the International Committee of the Red Cross, whose colors are reversed.

The Swiss flag is often confused with the flag of Tonga, which also uses a red field and white canton, but Tonga’s design includes a red cross inside the canton. Switzerland’s national flag remains one of the clearest examples of a simple heraldic symbol becoming a national emblem.