MORE UNUSUAL THINGS ON FLAGS
Added on: 27th Apr 2015
CYPRUS
Since August 1960, Cyprus has used a national flag which
features the map of the island with two olive branches underneath.
The olive branches as well as the purely white background
symbolize peace and the orange colour of the map
represents its large deposits of copper ore.
UGANDA
Native to the African savannah, the grey crowned crane takes the
centre spot in Uganda’s flag. The three colours are representative
of the African people (black), Africa’s sunshine (yellow), and African
brotherhood (red) and the raised leg of the crane symbolizes
the forward movement of the country.
GRENADA
Used since 1974, the national flag of Grenada is bordered with a thick
red frame containing 6 yellow stars that stand for the country’s
six parishes. The central star, encircled by a red disk, represents
Saint George, Grenada’s capital. The strange little symbol on the left
is a nutmeg, one of Grenada staples. As far as the flag’s colours are
concerned; red stands for courage and vitality; yellow for wisdom and
warmth; and green for vegetation and agriculture.
MONGOLIA
The national flag of Mongolia features 3 vertical bands, one of which
holds Mongolia’s national symbol, the Soyombo. If you look closely
at the symbol, you should be able to recognize representations of fire,
sun, moon, earth, water, and the Yin-Yang symbol. The central blue band
signifies the sky, while the red bands represent the ability of Mongolia
to thrive in its harsh environment.
SAUDI ARABIA
The world´s dominant oil producer, Saudi Arabia, is another country with
a weapon on its national flag. Similar to Libya and other countries,
the green background represents Islam and the sword is the symbol of
the country´s military power and also of the House of Saud, the founding
dynasty of the country. The Arabic inscription placed above the sword is
the Shahada – Islamic declaration of faith.
ECUADOR
The national flag of Ecuador consists of three coloured bands and an
extremely complex and intricate coat of arms in the middle.
In it, there’s a mountain (Mt. Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador),
a river, a steamboat, the sun, spears, both laurel and palm leaves and
several other objects related to the country. On top of it all resides a
condor which symbolizes the power of Ecuador.
ANGOLA
If the design of Angola´s national flag reminds you of the communist
symbol of the former Soviet Union, you’re not alone. The symbol
in the middle of the flag is a crossed cog wheel (representing industry)
and a machete (representing the peasantry and the armed struggle).
The flag was adopted in 1975 when Angola was ruled by a Marxist
government, and thus was supposed to evoke the image of the
hammer and sickle found on the flag of the former Soviet Union.
GIBRALTAR
Gibraltar’s flag features a three-towered red castle and a gold key.
The castle refers to the Kingdom of Castile, a large and powerful
medieval kingdom and the key signifies the fact that Gibraltar has
been considered the entrance to the Mediterranean.
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