Random Surprising Meanings Behind Countries' Unique Flags (15 items)

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  (#6) Australia

  The Union Jack of the United Kingdom appears in the top left quadrant of the Australian flag. Directly below it is a large, seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star, which takes up the lower left quadrant. Each point on the stylized star represents the six original states that make up the nation, as well as one additional point for all of Australia's territories. The right half of the flag uses four Commonwealth stars, and one five-pointed star, to depict the Southern Cross constellation, which can be seen in the night sky across the continent.

  The Union Jack, which serves as a flag within this flag, is complex in its own right. The crossed stripes are a blend of three other flags: the red cross of St. George for England, the diagonal cross of St. Patrick for Ireland, and the diagonal white cross of St. Andrew for Scotland.
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  (#12) Argentina

  The Argentinian flag features two light blue bands of color with a band of white in the middle. The design is said to represent the clear blue skies and snow-covered peaks of the Andes. In the center of the flag is a sun with a human face. This image represents the Incan sun god, Inti, and pays tribute to the country's rich cultural heritage. It is also known as the "Sun of May," in honor of an event that took place on May 25, 1810. During a gathering of protesters demanding independence, the sun broke through the clouds.
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  (#1) Nepal

  Nepal posseses the only flag in the world that doesn't conform to a rectangular shape. The Nepalese flag is made of two overlapping triangular pendants, which may represent the peaks of the Himalayas. The red coloring of the flag is the same shade as Nepal's national flower, the rhododendron, and is outlined in blue, which represents harmony.

  There are varying explanations for Nepal's uniquely-shaped flag. The government's official position is that, instead of mountains, the two triangles represent the nation's two primary religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. The crescent moon in the upper triangle stands for both tranquility and the cool shade in the shadow of the country's enormous mountains, while the sun represents the heat of the lowland parts of Nepal. The sun and moon are also supposed to stand for the nation's aspirations toward longevity, or the desire to exist as long as the moon and the sun themselves.
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  (#15) Afghanistan

  • Kabul

  Despite undergoing more changes in the last century than any other flag in the world, the flag of Afghanistan has maintained its black, red, and green color scheme for each iteration. The most recent version features a central image, drawn in white, of a mosque flanked by flags and encircled by sheaves of wheat. The image represents the nation's primary religion, Islam, and its agricultural heritage.

  The flag celebrates the country's sovereignty with the numerals for the solar Islamic calendar year 1298 written below the mosque. This corresponds to 1919 in the Gregorian calendar - the year that Afghanistan gained independence from British control. The other messages in the central image include the Shahada, the Islamic creed, and the Arabic expression, "God Is Great." The name of the country is also spelled out in Arabic on a scroll below the mosque.
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  (#7) Austria

  While Austria's flag may not appear to be particularly unique, it's modeled after a piece of blood-drenched clothing. The flag, possibly one of the oldest national flags still in use, features two red horizontal bands at the top and bottom, with a band of white across the center. According to Austrian legend, the design is modeled on the tunic of Duke Leopold V following a violent battle during the third crusade. His white shirt soaked in gore, Leopold removed his belt to reveal a band of unstained fabric beneath.

  Though possibly fictional, the story has served as the inspiration for Austria's red and white flag for over 800 years.
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  (#11) Gibraltar

  This white and red flag is dedicated to Gibraltar's historical role in international diplomacy and conquest. The image on the flag depicts a red castle, which symbolizes Gibraltar's fortress-like geography and honors the massive limestone ridge known as the Rock of Gibraltar. The golden key below it represents the nation's strategic importance as the metaphorical key to the Mediterranean.

  The image also serves as Gibraltar's coat of arms, which was granted to the country by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain in 1502. 

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