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    Indonesia vs Monaco vs Poland: red and white bicolours

    Short answer:Red on top is Indonesia or Monaco; white on top is Poland. Between Indonesia and Monaco, only the proportions differ — Indonesia is 2:3 and Monaco is 4:5 — so context usually decides.

    Indonesia and Monaco present the same design: a red band above a white band. Poland is the same two colours in the opposite order. Because the colours carry no distinguishing detail, only the band order and the shape of the flag help.

    Side by side

    Flag of Indonesia

    Indonesia

    Red over white, ratio 2:3

    • Known as Sang Saka Merah-Putih; adopted at independence in 1945.
    • The longer 2:3 shape is the only reliable visual difference from Monaco.
    Full Indonesia flag page →
    Flag of Monaco

    Monaco

    Red over white, ratio 4:5 (noticeably squarer)

    • The colours come from the heraldic colours of the House of Grimaldi.
    • Because the two flags are otherwise identical, they are distinguished in practice by context, not by design.
    Full Monaco flag page →
    Flag of Poland

    Poland

    White over red — the reverse order

    • Ratio 5:8.
    • The state flag variant adds the crowned white eagle on the white band; the plain version is the civil flag.
    Full Poland flag page →

    How to tell them apart, in order

    1. 1.Check which colour is on top. White on top means Poland.
    2. 2.If red is on top, compare the shape: a squarer flag points to Monaco, a longer one to Indonesia.
    3. 3.If an eagle is present, it is the Polish state flag, not the civil flag.

    Worth knowing

    Singapore also places red above white but adds a crescent and five stars in the hoist, so it is not part of this group.

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