How to make country flag map in QGIS

Using graphics software like GIMP/Photoshop, Inkscape/Illustrator, we could fill polygons shapes with an image easily, now how do we do the same in QGIS?

Yes, QGIS is not a graphic software yet it has the capability to fill polygons shapes with an image. Let make use of a flag image to fill a country's polygon shape. I will use Nigerian flag and its boundary polygon shape for this demonstration however, you can prety much use any image with any polygon shape of your chosen.

In other words, all we are doing is to insert image in shape in QGIS. Lets see how we can achieve it.

First get the image flag and the vector polygon of Nigeria administrative boundaries.

Now, from the polygon's property window, open symbology tab and select 'Raster Image Fill' as seen below. You can now set path to the image, set the size of the image, set its opacity, etc as you require fit.

One important setting that determine if the image fills the entire polygon layer or each polygon shape in the layer is the "Coord mode" which can either be det to 'object' or 'viewport'.

With some tweaks and tricks, we can achieve what the graphics tool can do in QGIS. Though this kind of map designs are effectively done in the graphics software.

Happy mapping.