Fact Finder - Geography

While we mentioned Nepal's non-quadrilateral flag on the global stage, the United States has its own flag exception at the state level. Ohio is the only U.S. state with a flag that is not a rectangle. Instead, it is a 'swallowtail burgee'—a triangular-shaped flag with a notched end. Designed in 1901 and officially adopted in 1902, the flag features five red and white stripes and seventeen stars (signifying Ohio as the 17th state). The 'O' in the center represents both the state's name and its nickname, the 'Buckeye State.' This unique shape makes it instantly recognizable among the sea of rectangular blue-background state flags that dominate US vexillology.