The general parts of a flag are: canton—the upper inner section of the flag; field or ground—the entire flag except the canton, and the field and hoist ends; fly end—the furthest edge from the hoist end; and hoist end—the edge used to attach the flag to the hoist.

Flag proportions are generally described as a ratio of height to width (or length) of the flag. A 1:2 flag is 1 unit tall for every 2 units wide. Many countries have a precise specification for the proportions of their flag. These run the gauntlet, from square (Switzerland) to very long (Montenegro).

Ratios of 3:5 and 2:3 are the most common. Many flag manufacturers will standardize their flag production on one of these two ratios. We chose the 3:5 ratio for our standardized proportion because we feel it provides the best base size for maintaining the integrity of each nation's flag design.

Parts of the flag:

Parts of a Flag
Ratio of 2:3

Some Examples of Ratios and Proportions:

1:1 Square.

1:2 Double Square.

3:2 Banner or Standard.

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There are diverse ways to design flags, this depends on the culture and times. Some examples:

	Triangular Shape
	Kite Tail. Commonly associated north Europe.
	Swallowtail. Commonly associated north Europe.
	Double Triangle. Associated with the Oriental Culture.
	Triangular flamed. Associated Chinese Culture.
	Pointed Shape.
	Rounded Shape.