In the near future we will be hearing about the two flag referendums taking place in New Zealand. In March 2014 New Zealand’s Prime Minister, John Key, said the country would hold a referendum on whether or not to change the national flag should he be re-elected. He was, and said referendum will now take […]
Tag Archives | Alex Crouch
Flag of the Vatican City
As I’m sure we’re all aware, the Vatican City is the world’s smallest country in both size and population. Perhaps this is why its flag is one of the most instantly recognisable in the world. Despite the papacy dating back to 33AD, it was not until the signing of the 1929 Lateran Treaty by Pope […]
Flag of Namibia
Twenty-five years ago this coming Saturday (21st March) Namibia gained independence from South Africa and officially adopted their national flag. It was the flags of the South West Africa People’s Organization (S.W.A.P.O.) and the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (D.T.A.) that provided the basis for the flag we know today, which was chosen from 835 publically submitted […]
Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations
Today (9th March) is Commonwealth Day. The current flag for the Commonwealth of Nations was introduced just 16 months ago (November 2013) and contained a number of small but significant changes made to the original flag – first adopted on 26th March 1976. Three year earlier at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Ottawa, […]
Flag of Wales: a blood-red dragon on a field of green
Y Ddraig Goch (The Red Dragon) has officially been the flag of Wales since 1959, though the principality being represented by a dragon dates back to 830. The Red Dragon itself can be dated back to the Roman occupation of Britain or Arthurian Legend. Merlin prophesied of a battle between a red and a white […]
Flag of Latvia: from the blood of heroes
It was 25 years ago this Friday (27th February) that Latvia re-adopted their current flag, the same one they’d used from the day the country declared its independence from Russia: 18th November 1918. But the story behind Latvia’s flag dates back over 700 years. Legend has it the leader of a Latvian tribe was killed […]
Flag of Gambia
The flag of Gambia celebrates its 50th anniversary on Wednesday 18 February. The date also marks the golden anniversary of Gambia’s independence from the United Kingdom. A blue stripe flows right through the centre of the flag, just as the river Gambia bisects the country. The red stripe symbolises the savannah and the sun. Given […]
Flag of Canada
Canada’s iconic Maple Leaf flag celebrates its golden jubilee this coming Sunday. It was officially unveiled on 15th February 1965 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, having been proclaimed as the new flag of Canada by the Queen just over two weeks before. It was the brainchild of George Stanley, a Dean of the Arts at […]
Flag of Chile
The flag of Chile is approaching its bicentenary, having been adopted on 18th October 1817 – roughly five months before independence from Spain was declared. Only the flags of Denmark (1370), the Netherlands (1572), U.K. (1606) and U.S.A. (1777) are older by adoption date. Chile’s flag, known as La Estrella Solitaria (The Lone Star) is […]
Flag of Australia
Australia’s national flag was adopted on 3rd September 1901. Edward VII officially recognised it 17 months later. It was designed by Ivor Evans (a 14-year-old schoolboy from Melbourne), Leslie John Hawkins (a teenage optician’s apprentice from Sydney), Egbert John Nuttall (an architect from Melbourne), Annie Dorrington (an artist from Perth) and William Stevens (a ship’s […]
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