Every country has a flag and a reason behind its origin and each flag is unique representing the country’s pride, culture, history, region, and diversity. Flying in offices, schools, and hotels each flag has a design and a unique story behind its design. Let’s have a look at the history behind the design of a country’s national flag.
Austria
Austria has only 2 colors in its flag with white and red stripes. History says that Duke Leopold V. of Austria returned from war his white battledress. He was totally soaked with blood. When he took off his belt the cloth underneath was still white. This is how the red and white stripes are designed on the flag. The flag is one of the few that are older than the Union Jack. It also dates back to the year 1230.
Aruba
Aruba is an island on the north coast of Venezuela. The interesting thing about the Aruba national flag is that it has a lot of disputes referring to the actual meaning. The 4-pointed star represents the four languages Spanish, Dutch, English, and Papiamento. The sky blue in the flag represents the sky and sea. There is a debate on the yellow lines on the flag, some say it represents the Aruba Gold industry while some refer it to as freedom or abundance. You can find your favorite flags on Ultimate Flags.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh is very familiar to us. It has a green background and Red circle at the center. The green color represents the greenery of the country and youthfulness while the red color symbolizes the rising sun, the sacrifices made by its citizens for the country.
A talented artist named Quamrul Hassan suggested the green and red colors for the flag. Then, the daughter of Bangladesh’s first president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, added the red circle. This circle represents the struggle and sacrifice of the people.
On March 2, 1971, during the fight for independence, the flag was raised for the first time. It was a symbol of hope. After nine months of hard fighting, Bangladesh finally became its own country on December 16, 1971.
The flag was officially adopted on January 17, 1972, to celebrate the victory and freedom of Bangladesh. It’s more than just a piece of cloth; it’s a powerful symbol of the people’s courage, their desire for freedom, and their dreams for a fair and free country. The people of Bangladesh are very proud of their flag and what it represents.
Canada
Canada’s national flag is also called as “Maple Leaf Flag”. There was no maple leaf on the flag until World War I . During World War I, then prime minister of Canada Lester Pearson petitioned to include the maple leaf in the flag as he noticed many battalions have included maple leaf on their insignia.
In the 1960s, Canada was experiencing a period of growing independence and seeking its own unique identity, distinct from its colonial past. The existing flag, the Red Ensign, featured the Union Jack and the Canadian coat of arms, but it was considered by many as a relic of Canada’s colonial history.
The quest for a new flag was marked by extensive public debates and discussions. Finally, on February 15, 1965, the red and white flag that we now know as the “Maple Leaf” was officially adopted as Canada’s national flag. It features a red maple leaf on a white square, flanked by two vertical red bars. The flag’s design, created by George F. G. Stanley and John Matheson, was chosen for its simplicity and strong symbolism.
The red maple leaf is an iconic symbol of Canada and represents the country’s natural beauty and vibrant seasons. The adoption of this flag was a significant step towards Canada’s affirmation of its unique identity as a modern and independent nation.
Today, the Canadian flag, with its striking red and white design, is recognized and respected around the world. It symbolizes Canada’s values of unity, diversity, and its place on the global stage as a peaceful and welcoming nation. The history of Canada’s national flag is a testament to the country’s journey towards greater autonomy and its embrace of a symbol that represents the nation’s proud heritage and its bright future.
France
France has a tricolored flag. It’s also referred as “French Tricolore”. They have designed the flag Cockade. King Louis XVI wore a Blue, White, Red colored cockade while addressing a revolutionary Gathering at Paris, from then the flag was designed with those colors.
South Africa
Although the colors of the flag has no significant meaning. The colors are used as per reference from Political party in the country. Red, Green and Black are derived from the Nelson Mandela’s party, the African National Party and the former Boer republics. The ‘Y’ shape in the flag is due to the Convergence of culture in the nation.
Vietnam
Vietnam flag has a yellow start with a red background. The red in the flag represents the blood spilled as the country fought for its independence. The 5 points of the yellow star represents the union of workers, young people, soldiers, peasants and intellectuals working together to build Socialism.
India
The history of the Indian national flag is closely intertwined with the country’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule. Prior to the adoption of the current tricolor design, India had various flags representing different aspects of its national identity.
The First Flag (1906): The first modern Indian flag was designed by Sister Nivedita and popularized by prominent freedom fighters like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal. It featured green and yellow horizontal stripes with eight lotus blossoms on the top stripe and a sun in the center. This flag was used to rally the Indian masses against British colonial rule.
The Red Fort Flag (1947): The flag with saffron and green horizontal stripes was raised on August 15, 1947, when India gained its independence from British rule. However, it didn’t have the Ashoka Chakra at the time. The white stripe was inserted to represent religious and ethnic minorities in India and to symbolize the unity of the nation.
The Final Design (1947): On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the current tricolor design with the Ashoka Chakra. This design was chosen after much deliberation, and it has remained the national flag of India since its official adoption.
