The national flags are carrying the nation’s legacy and culture, there is always an engaging story behind them.
However, you’d agree with me that it is not always so obvious what those flags represent.
In the following article, we’ve chosen Top 5 national flags with the most fascinating stories behind them.
Fancy to educate yourself? Then, read on.
The Austrian flag
The Austrian flag looks quite boring at first sight. It consists of three equal horizontal bands of red, white, and red.
The story says that, back in 1230, The Duke of Austria – Leopold V – came back from the war and his all-white battledress was soaking in blood. When he removed the bell, the fabric underneath was still snowy white.
So, red signifies strength and fearlessness, while white symbolizes sincerity and confidence.
The Chilean flag
The Chilean flag, known as La Estrella Solitaria, consists of two identical horizontal stripes in white and red, with a blue square the same height as the white band in the canton. It has a little white five-pointed star right in the middle.
Local people believe that the blue colour is for the Pacific Ocean; white represents the Andes (whose peaks are always covered in snow), and the red colour symbolizes the blood of those who did fight against Spain to achieve independence. When it comes to the white star, it refers to the country’s independence.
The Nigerian flag
Similar to the Austrian one, the flag of Nigeria seems pretty simple at first look. It has just three vertical bands of green, white, green, however, their meaning is very strong.
The two green stripes represent Nigeria’s natural wealth and rich agriculture, while the white band represents the nation’s desire for peace and harmony in Africa and the world.
Besides, the Nigerian flag is very young – designed by a 23-year old student back in 1959 and officially ratified on 1 October 1960.
The flag of Bangladesh
Finally, the national flag of Bangladesh (officially lifted on 17 January 1972) has a red disc on top of a dark green patch.
From one side, the green colour symbolizes the lushness, the divine nature of the country. From the other side, the red disc is believed to have two meanings – the sun rising over Bengal and the blood of those who died for the nation’s independence.
