three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the
coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE
NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to
the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by
the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in
the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five
blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
Niger
three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green
with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the
white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked
wheel centered in the white band
Nigeria
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
green
Niue
yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars -
a large star on a blue disk in the center and a smaller star on each
arm of the bold red cross
Norfolk Island
three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white,
and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in
the slightly wider white band
Northern Mariana Islands
blue, with a white, five-pointed star
superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional
foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a
wreath
Norway
red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the
edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors
recall Norway's past political unions with Denmark (red and white)
and Sweden (blue)
Oman
three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width
with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national
emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed
swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the
vertical band
Pakistan
green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of
religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and
star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color
green are traditional symbols of Islam
Palau
light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon)
shifted slightly to the hoist side
Panama
divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are
white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and
plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and
white with a red five-pointed star in the center
Papua New Guinea
divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner;
the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise
centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed
stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered
Paraguay
three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue
with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the
emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the
left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star
within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY,
all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears
the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty
and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words
REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
Peru
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red
with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms
features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of
quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all
framed by a green wreath
Philippines
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing
peace and justice) and red (representing courage); a white
equilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality;
the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary
rays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that sought
independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a
small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major
geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;
the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown
upside down with the red band at the top
Pitcairn Islands
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered
on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green,
and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor
Poland
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to
the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white
Portugal
two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and
red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
dividing line
Puerto Rico
five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design
initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag,
with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed
Qatar
maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on
the hoist side
Romania
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the
yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova
Russia
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
Rwanda
three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width),
yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end
of the blue band
Saint Barthelemy
the flag of France is used
Saint Helena
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of
the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted
sailing ship
Saint Kitts and Nevis
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the
black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the
lower triangle is red
Saint Lucia
blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black
arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border
Saint Martin
the flag of France is used
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
a yellow three-masted sailing ship facing
the hoist side rides on a blue background with scattered, white,
wavy lines under the ship; a continuous black-over-white wavy line
divides the ship from the white wavy lines; on the hoist side, a
vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called
ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the
corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four
sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine
pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized
yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three
heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque
Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy
note: the flag of France used for official occasions
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
three vertical bands of blue (hoist
side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three
green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
Samoa
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant
bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern
Cross constellation
San Marino
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue
with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat
of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked
by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word
LIBERTAS (Liberty)
Sao Tome and Principe
three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow
(double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed
side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles
triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African
colors of Ethiopia
Saudi Arabia
green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the
Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as
"There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a
white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design
dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with
the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932
Senegal
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow,
and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow
band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Serbia
three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white;
charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the
hoist side
Seychelles
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red,
white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
Sierra Leone
three equal horizontal bands of light green (top),
white, and light blue
Singapore
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near
the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent
(closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five
white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
Slovakia
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
superimposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red
shield bordered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine
surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered
vertically and offset slightly to the hoist side
Slovenia
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red,
with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav,
Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the
center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and
rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an
inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the
Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th
and early 15th centuries); the seal is in the upper hoist side of
the flag centered on the white and blue bands
Solomon Islands
divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the
lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue
with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the
lower triangle is green
Somalia
light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the
center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN
South Africa
two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue
separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y,
the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y
embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are
separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are
separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
blue, with the flag of the
UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and South
Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion
centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a
penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below
it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the
Lion Protect its Own Land)
Spain
three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width),
and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the
yellow band; the coat of arms is quartered to display the emblems of
the traditional kingdoms of Spain (clockwise from upper left,
Castile, Leon, Navarre, and Aragon) while Granada is represented by
the stylized pomegranate at the bottom of the shield; the arms are
framed by two columns representing the Pillars of Hercules, which
are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the
eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar; the red scroll across the
two columns bears the imperial motto of "Plus Ultra" (further
beyond) referring to Spanish lands beyond Europe
Sri Lanka
yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has
two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other
panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a
sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow
field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between
the two panels
Sudan
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
Suriname
five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white,
red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band
Svalbard
the flag of Norway is used
Swaziland
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width),
and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band
is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff
decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
Sweden
blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the
flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in
the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors reflect those
of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field
Switzerland
red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the
center that does not extend to the edges of the flag; various
medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white
cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation
is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)
Syria
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black,
colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small, green,
five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars
represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to
the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has an
Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and that of Egypt,
which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the
current design dates to 1980
Taiwan
red field with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
Tajikistan
three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of
white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold,
five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe
Tanzania
divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the
lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green
and the lower triangle is blue
Thailand
five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double
width), white, and red
Timor-Leste
red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist
side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that
extends to the center of the flag; a white star is in the center of
the black triangle
Togo
five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom)
alternating with yellow; a white five-pointed star on a red square
is in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African
colors of Ethiopia
Tokelau
a yellow stylized Tokelauan canoe on a dark blue field sails
toward the manu - the Southern Cross constellation of four, white,
five-pointed stars at the hoist side; the Southern Cross represents
the role of Christianity in Tokelauan culture and symbolizes the
country's navigating into the future, the color yellow indicates
happiness and peace, and the blue field represents the ocean on
which the community relies
Tonga
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner
Trinidad and Tobago
red with a white-edged black diagonal band from
the upper hoist side to the lower fly side
Tunisia
red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent
nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are
traditional symbols of Islam
Turkey
red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is
toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just
outside the crescent opening
Turkmenistan
green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist
side, containing five tribal guls (designs used in producing
carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches; a white crescent
moon representing Islam with five white stars representing the
regions or welayats of Turkmenistan appear in the upper corner of
the field just to the fly side of the red stripe
Turks and Caicos Islands
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer
half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell,
lobster, and cactus
Tuvalu
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country
with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands
Uganda
six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red,
black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center
and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the
hoist side
Ukraine
two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow
represent grain fields under a blue sky
United Arab Emirates
three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
United Kingdom
blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron
saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red
cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is
superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron
saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly
called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue
Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including
other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or
provinces, and British overseas territories
United States
13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars
arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and
Puerto Rico
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
the flag of the US is
used
Uruguay
nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom)
alternating with blue; a white square in the upper hoist-side corner
with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with
16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy
Uzbekistan
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and
12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant
Vanuatu
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a
black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by
a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
namele leaves, all in yellow
Venezuela
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and
red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and
an arc of eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band
Vietnam
red field with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center
Virgin Islands
white field with a modified US coat of arms in the
center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms
shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three
arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and
white stripes below a blue panel
Wake Island
the flag of the US is used
Wallis and Futuna
unofficial, local flag has a red field with four
white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three
native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes
of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each
other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the
upper hoist quadrant
note: the flag of France used for official occasions
Yemen
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white
band, and of Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the
white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic
eagle centered in the white band
Zambia
green field with a panel of three vertical bands of red
(hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the
outer edge of the flag
Zimbabwe
seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black,
red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in
black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird
representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a
red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which
symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral
wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands
for the native people
======================================================================
@2085
Field Listing :: Roadways
This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes
the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
Country Comparison to the World
Country
Roadways(km)
Afghanistan
total: 42,150 km
paved: 12,350 km
unpaved: 29,800 km (2006)
Albania
total: 18,000 km
paved: 7,020 km
unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)
Algeria
total: 108,302 km
paved: 76,028 km (includes 645 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,274 km (2004)
American Samoa
total: 221 km (2007)
Andorra
total: 270 km (1994)
Angola
total: 51,429 km
paved: 5,349 km
unpaved: 46,080 km (2001)
Anguilla
total: 175 km
paved: 82 km
unpaved: 93 km (2004)
Antigua and Barbuda
total: 1,165 km
paved: 384 km
unpaved: 781 km (2002)
Argentina
total: 231,374 km
paved: 69,412 km (includes 734 km of expressways)
unpaved: 161,962 km (2004)
Armenia
total: 7,700 km
paved: 7,700 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2006)
Australia
total: 812,972 km
paved: 341,448 km
unpaved: 471,524 km (2004)
Austria
total: 107,262 km
paved: 107,262 km (includes 1,677 km of expressways) (2006)
Azerbaijan
total: 59,141 km
paved: 29,210 km
unpaved: 29,931 km (2004)
Bahamas, The
total: 2,717 km
paved: 1,560 km
unpaved: 1,157 km (2002)
Bahrain
total: 3,498 km
paved: 2,768 km
unpaved: 730 km (2003)
Bangladesh
total: 239,226 km
paved: 22,726 km
unpaved: 216,500 km (2003)
Barbados
total: 1,600 km
paved: 1,600 km (2004)
Belarus
total: 94,797 km
paved: 84,028 km
unpaved: 10,769 km (2005)
Belgium
total: 152,256 km
paved: 119,079 km (includes 1,763 km of expressways)
unpaved: 33,177 km (2006)
Belize
total: 3,007 km
paved: 575 km
unpaved: 2,432 km (2006)
Benin
total: 16,000 km
paved: 1,400 km
unpaved: 14,600 km (2006)
Bermuda
total: 447 km
paved: 447 km
note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2007)
Bhutan
total: 8,050 km
paved: 4,991 km
unpaved: 3,059 km (2003)
Bolivia
total: 62,479 km
paved: 3,749 km
unpaved: 58,730 km (2004)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 21,846 km
paved: 11,425 km (4,714 km of interurban roads)
unpaved: 10,421 km (2006)
Botswana
total: 25,798 km
paved: 8,410 km
unpaved: 17,388 km (2005)
Brazil
total: 1,751,868 km
paved: 96,353 km
unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004)
British Indian Ocean Territory
note: short section of paved road
between port and airfield on Diego Garcia
British Virgin Islands
total: 200 km
paved: 200 km (2007)
Brunei
total: 3,650 km
paved: 2,819 km
unpaved: 831 km (2005)
Bulgaria
total: 40,231 km
paved: 39,587 km (includes 331 km of expressways)
unpaved: 644 km (2005)
Burkina Faso
total: 92,495 km
paved: 3,857 km
unpaved: 88,638 km (2004)
Burma
total: 27,000 km
paved: 3,200 km
unpaved: 23,800 km (2006)
Burundi
total: 12,322 km
paved: 1,286 km
unpaved: 11,036 km (2004)
Cambodia
total: 38,093 km
paved: 2,977 km
unpaved: 35,116 km (2007)
Cameroon
total: 50,000 km
paved: 5,000 km
unpaved: 45,000 km (2004)
Canada
total: 1,042,300 km
paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways)
unpaved: 626,700 km (2006)
Cape Verde
total: 1,350 km
paved: 932 km
unpaved: 418 km (2000)
Cayman Islands
total: 785 km
paved: 785 km (2007)
Central African Republic
total: 24,307 km (2000)
Chad
total: 33,400 km
paved: 267 km
unpaved: 33,133 km (2002)