Germany is a world leader in many categories, such as finance, manufacturing, and sports (Mia san mia!). However, this has not always been true, as Germany has been through many periods of struggle, occupation, and war. Almost all of these periods have had a unique flag to represent them. Germany has had two prevalent color schemes throughout its existance; … More Germany: A renewed pride
Flags and boats have had a close relationship for several centuries. At sea, flags have many uses, from communication to identification, even threatening others. In fact, our concept of national flags stems from 17th century sailing ships (as explained in A brief history of flags and why we use them). However, the world of maritime flags isn’t as … More Ensigns, jacks, and more: A primer on maritime flags
Japan’s flag, known as the Hinomaru, is a world renowned classic due to its simple yet bold design. Even though it is based on symbolism from the 8th century, modern associations leave the Japanese flag with an uncertain future. The red circle in Japan’s flag represents a rising sun, symbolism that’s been associated with Japan almost since … More Japan: Rich history, uncertain future
As I’ve covered in my state flag ranking post, the number of poorly designed state flags far outweigh the good ones. Let’s look at two flags from neighboring states: Colorado and Kansas. It should be fairly obvious to most that the Colorado flag is simply a better design. But why? Well, someone … More Why your city/state flag is probably terrible and why you should care
South Africa’s current flag was introduced in 1994. In it’s short life, it has become arguably one of the most well known African flags. As we will explore, however, this design was only meant to be a placeholder. South Africa’s first flag was flown in 1910 when the British united the Natal, Cape, Transvaal, and Orange … More South Africa: A new classic
September 11, 2001 will forever be a day remembered by the United States and the world. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93. While Americans have many painful and vivd memories of the attacks, memories of the recovery efforts are often focused on one striking image: … More The Ground Zero flag: a national mystery
The flag of Nepal is arguably the most unique national flag in the world, being that it is the only non-rectangular national flag. With a flag so unique, you would think that there would be a clear story behind it’s creation. Well, the history behind the Nepalese flag design is about as clear as mud. … More Nepal: A “living fossil”
When you’re thinking about pirates (who doesn’t think about pirates?), odds are that you immediately think of a black flag with a skull and crossbones, also known as a Jolly Roger. While the Jolly Roger as we know it had a period of popularity with pirates, it was far from the only flag that they flew. Early … More Pirate flags: the Jolly Roger and beyond
The French Tricolore is one of the most well known flags around the world. While it may seem like a simple and even unoriginal design today, the Tricolore was revolutionary at the time of its creation and served as the inspiration for many other flags. The history of the Tricolore starts in the first days … More The French Tricolore: A template for independence
A special thanks to Rich Campbell for suggesting this post. To get a better sense of the history of the Pakistani flag, we should begin with the colonization of the Indian subcontinent by the British East-India Company (BEIC). While the organization had a presence in the area since 1612, the BEIC didn’t establish a firm foothold in the … More Pakistan
Fun Flag Facts 