For many people reading this article, the Russian tricolor may seem like a new design crafted after the fall of the Soviet Union. In reality, it is among some of the oldest flag designs. The true origins of Russia’s white, red, and blue tricolor are a bit of a mystery. The flag was first hoisted in an official … More Russia and the Soviet Union
Hong Kong is a very interesting place for many reasons. It operates almost completely autonomously as a capitalist state even though it is a part of the communist People’s Republic of China (PRC); it has the fourth greatest population density per square mile of any country or territory in the world; and it has a great example of modern flag … More Hong Kong: One country, two systems
While Sri Lanka didn’t officially have a national flag until 1815, the roots of its flag, the lion imagery, are some of the oldest in the vexillological world. The lion symbolism was brought to Sri Lanka by Vijaya, Sri Lanka’s first king. Vijaya came to the island in 486 BC with 700 followers after being expelled from the Vanga … More Sri Lanka: Royal outcast
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
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”
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 