Antigua and Barbuda
Capital : St. John's
Population : 93 772 inh.
Area : 440 km²
From one country to the next, the flags of the Americas tell the story of independence won from different colonial powers, which explains their wide variety of styles. In South America, several countries share light blue and white bands inherited from the Argentine flag, inspired by the Sun of May still found at its centre: this is the case for Uruguay, and more broadly for several republics born of the wars of independence led by Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín in the early 19th century.
Central emblems often tell a very specific story. Mexico's flag shows an eagle devouring a serpent while perched on a cactus, a scene drawn from the Aztec legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan, present-day Mexico City. Brazil displays the motto "Ordem e Progresso" surrounded by 27 stars representing its states and federal district, arranged to match the sky above Rio de Janeiro on the day the Republic was proclaimed, in 1889. The United States, with its 50 stars and 13 stripes, remains one of the few flags in the world to be updated at regular intervals, each new star marking a state's admission to the Union.
In the Caribbean, palm trees, rising suns and bright colours dominate, reflecting island identities shaped by slavery, colonisation and independence that often came late, sometimes only in the 1960s or 1970s. The list below brings together the flags of the American continent, along with the capital and population of each country.
Flags by Continent
At a glance
Countries & territories
35
Most populous country
United States
Smallest country
Saint Kitts and Nevis
List of the 35 countries of America and their flags
Argentina
Capital : Buenos Aires
Population : 45 696 159 inh.
Area : 2 780 400 km²
Bahamas
Capital : Nassau
Population : 401 283 inh.
Area : 13 880 km²
Barbados
Capital : Bridgetown
Population : 282 467 inh.
Area : 430 km²
Belize
Capital : Belmopan
Population : 417 072 inh.
Area : 22 970 km²
Bolivia
Capital : Sucre
Population : 12 413 315 inh.
Area : 1 098 580 km²
Brazil
Capital : Brasilia
Population : 211 998 573 inh.
Area : 8 510 420 km²
Canada
Capital : Ottawa
Population : 41 288 599 inh.
Area : 15 634 400 km²
Chile
Capital : Santiago
Population : 19 764 771 inh.
Area : 756 700 km²
Colombia
Capital : Bogota
Population : 52 886 363 inh.
Area : 1 140 620 km²
Costa Rica
Capital : San José
Population : 5 129 910 inh.
Area : 51 100 km²
Cuba
Capital : Havana
Population : 10 979 783 inh.
Area : 109 880 km²
Dominica
Capital : Roseau
Population : 66 205 inh.
Area : 750 km²
Dominican Republic
Capital : Santo Domingo
Population : 11 427 557 inh.
Area : 146 839 km²
Ecuador
Capital : Quito
Population : 18 135 478 inh.
Area : 256 370 km²
El Salvador
Capital : San Salvador
Population : 6 338 193 inh.
Area : 21 040 km²
Grenada
Capital : St. George's
Population : 117 207 inh.
Area : 340 km²
Guatemala
Capital : Guatemala City
Population : 18 406 359 inh.
Area : 108 890 km²
Guyana
Capital : Georgetown
Population : 831 087 inh.
Area : 214 970 km²
Haiti
Capital : Port-au-Prince
Population : 11 772 557 inh.
Area : 27 750 km²
Honduras
Capital : Tegucigalpa
Population : 10 825 703 inh.
Area : 112 490 km²
Jamaica
Capital : Kingston
Population : 2 839 175 inh.
Area : 10 990 km²
Mexico
Capital : Mexico City
Population : 130 861 007 inh.
Area : 1 964 380 km²
Nicaragua
Capital : Managua
Population : 6 916 140 inh.
Area : 130 370 km²
Panama
Capital : Panama City
Population : 4 515 577 inh.
Area : 75 320 km²
Paraguay
Capital : Asunción
Population : 6 929 153 inh.
Area : 406 752 km²
Peru
Capital : Lima
Population : 34 217 848 inh.
Area : 1 285 220 km²
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Capital : Basseterre
Population : 46 843 inh.
Area : 260 km²
Saint Lucia
Capital : Castries
Population : 179 744 inh.
Area : 620 km²
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Capital : Kingstown
Population : 100 616 inh.
Area : 390 km²
Suriname
Capital : Paramaribo
Population : 634 431 inh.
Area : 163 820 km²
Trinidad and Tobago
Capital : Port of Spain
Population : 1 368 333 inh.
Area : 5 130 km²
United States
Capital : Washington D.C.
Population : 340 110 988 inh.
Area : 9 831 510 km²
Uruguay
Capital : Montevideo
Population : 3 386 588 inh.
Area : 176 220 km²
Venezuela
Capital : Caracas
Population : 28 405 543 inh.
Area : 912 050 km²
🧠 Quiz – Can you identify this flag?
Frequently Asked Questions
How many countries are there in America?
There are 35 recognized countries in America.
What is the most populated country in America?
United States is the most populous country in America, with 340,110,988 inhabitants.
What is the smallest country in America?
Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest country in America, with an area of 260 km².