Unique Flags – More Than Stars and Stripes
When it comes to unique flags people often think of the Stars and Stripes. But there’s a lot more to the world of national flags than the starry spangles and candy stripes that Betsy Ross supposedly put together. Vexillophiles, or flag enthusiasts, know that each nation’s emblem reveals a little something about its history and culture.
For example, the flag of Vanuatu is a mix of traditional and modern design. The black background is split into two horizontal bands of red and green, which represent the country’s rich natural resources. In the center is a boar’s tusk, a symbol of wealth and power, and above it are two fern fronds to show that Vanuatu is also home to abundant plant life.
Discovering the World of Unique Flags: Beyond Traditional Designs
The same can be said for the other flags on this list. The flag of Bhutan, for example, features Druk, or Thunder Dragon, the national symbol of the 12th-century Drukpa Buddhist sect. Wales, meanwhile, honors the legendary Cadwaladr (Cedar of God), whose name is mentioned multiple times in the Bible and used as a royal title by several kings of the 7th-century Kingdom of Israel.
Many of these unique flags also have unusual shapes, like Switzerland and Vatican City, which are both square, and Togo, which has a ratio that’s over two and a half times longer than it is wide. Others have elements that stand for specific things, such as the stars on the China flag, which once stood for different social classes, or the eagle and olive branches on the Lebanon flag, which are symbolic of peace and piousness.
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