A flag is a piece of A variety of fabric. From the left: evenweave cotton, velvet, printed cotton, calico, felt, satin, silk, hessian, polycotton. Cloth or fabric is a flexible artificial material made up of a network of natural or artificial fibres (thread or yarn) formed by weaving or knitting (textiles), or pressed into felt. Cloth... cloth flown from a pole or mast, usually intended for signaling or identification. Flags were initially created for signalling (as in The semaphore line was a signalling system invented by the Chappe brothers in France. It is different from the naval semaphore system that uses hand-held flags, which was invented later. Claude Chappe began development when he and his four brothers lost their livelihoods because of the French Revolution. They... semaphore), and for the identification of those who displayed them, and are still used for that purpose today. Flags are also used in messaging or Generally speaking, advertising is the paid promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas by an identified sponsor. Marketers see advertising as part of an overall promotional strategy. Other components of the promotional mix include publicity, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotion. History Advertisements painted on the side of buildings... advertising, or for decorative purposes, though at this less formal end the distinction between a flag and a simple cloth banner is blurred. Generally, a piece of cloth is a flag if it is flown like a flag, with one side attached, though many flags are recognisable if displayed in other forms.

The study of flags is known as Vexillology is the study of flags. A person who studies flags is called a vexillologist. The term was coined around 1960 by Dr. Whitney Smith of the United States, currently the foremost vexillologist in the world and author of many books and articles on this subject. The word vexillology is... vexillology, from the Latin vexillum meaning flag or For other meanings of the term banner, see banner (disambiguation). A banner is a flag or other piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or other message. Banner-making is an ancient craft. The word derives from L. Lat. bandum, a cloth out of which a flag is made... banner.

History

Although flag-like symbols have been used by ancient cultures for thousands of years, the origin of flags in the modern sense is a matter of dispute. Some believe flags originated in The Great Wall of China, stretching over 6,700 km, was erected beginning in the 3rd century BC to guard the north from raids by men on horses. China  listen? ( Traditional: 中國; Simplified: 中国; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chung-kuo) is a nation located chiefly in continental East... China, others held that the The Roman Empire is not the Holy Roman Empire (843-1806). Roman Empire between AD 60 and 400 with major cities. During this time only Dacia and Mesopotamia were added to the Empire but were lost before 300. The Roman Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman... Roman Empire's vexillum was the first true flag.

During the The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. The Middle Ages of Western Europe are commonly dated from the end of the Western Roman Empire... Middle Ages, flags were used mainly during battles to identify individual leaders: in World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. It is conventionally considered a continent, which, in this case, is more of a cultural distinction than a geographic one. ( National Geographic, however, officially recognises... Europe they were the A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). In former times, a knight was a warrior or nobleman; today a knight is a person who has been given a royal recognition. In the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth nations the knight... knights, in Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377,835 km² 0.8% Population  - Total ( 2004)  - Density Ranked 10th 127,333,002 337/km² GDP  - Total (PPP, 2005)  - Total (nominal)  ... Japan they were the Japanese samurai in armour, 1860 photograph. Samurai (侍 or sometimes 士) is a common term for a warrior in pre-industrial Japan. A more appropriate term is bushi (武士) (lit. warrior or armsman) which came into use during the Edo period. However, the term samurai now usually refers to... samurais, and in The Great Wall of China, stretching over 6,700 km, was erected beginning in the 3rd century BC to guard the north from raids by men on horses. China  listen? ( Traditional: 中國; Simplified: 中国; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chung-kuo) is a nation located chiefly in continental East... China they were the General is a military rank, in most nations the highest rank, although some nations have the higher rank of Field Marshal. The title is used by land and sometimes air forces. In the navies of the world, the equivalent rank is Admiral. Its equivalent rank in the Royal Air Force... generals under the imperial army.

From the time of No authentic contemporary portrait of Columbus has been found; this late 19th-century engraving is one of many conjectural images For information about the director, see the article on Chris Columbus. Christopher Columbus ( 14511 – 20 May 1506) was an Italian explorer and trader who crossed the Atlantic Ocean and... Christopher Columbus onwards, it has been customary (and later a legal requirement) for ships to carry flags designating their nationalities; these flags eventually evolved into the national flags and Flags are particularly important at sea, where they can mean the difference between life and death, and consequently where the rules and regulations for the flying of flags are strictly enforced. Flags (and pennants) are flown for signalling and for identification. Ensigns Ensigns are national maritime flags flown by ships... maritime flags of today. Flags also became the preferred means of communications at sea, resulting in various systems of flag signals (see The system of international maritime signal flags is a way of representing individual letters of the alphabet on ships or in nautical situations. The flags can also be used to signal other things than alphabetical messages. For example, divers will often raise the flag representing the letter A as a... International maritime signal flags).

Beginning at the (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. During this period, the power of England and the United Provinces increased; while that of Spain and Portugal declined. Similarly, the power... 17th Century, European knights were replaced by centralized A nations army is its military, or more specifically, all of its land forces. Within a national army, armies are formations composed of several corps. Militaries An army is a countrys military. The word army (armée in French) can refer to any armed force (for example... armies, and flags became the means to identify not just nationalities but also individual military units. Flags became much more elaborate, and were seen as objects to be captured or defended. Eventually these flags posed too much danger to those carrying them, and by Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. Battle aftermath. Remains of the Chateau Wood World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, the War of the Nations, and the War to End All Wars, was a world conflict occurring from 1914 to... World War I these were withdrawn from the battlefields, and have been used only at ceremonial occasions ever since.

National flags

Main article: A national flag is a flag which symbolises a country and which can usually be flown by citizens of that country. Both public and private buildings such as schools and courthouses often fly the national flag. In some countries the national flags are only flown from non-military buildings on... National flag

One of the most popular uses of a flag is to symbolize a A nation is an imagined community of people created by a national ideology, to which certain norms and behavior are usually attributed. Added to this is usually the idea that a national (a person of the national ideology) should speak a certain language. The language itself might however be a... nation or This article describes a type of political entity. Country is also a short form for the countryside or the country music genre. A country, a land, or a state, is a geographical area that connotes an independent political entity, with its own government, administration, laws, often a constitution, police, military... country. Some A national flag is a flag which symbolises a country and which can usually be flown by citizens of that country. Both public and private buildings such as schools and courthouses often fly the national flag. In some countries the national flags are only flown from non-military buildings on... national flags have been particularly inspirational to other nations, countries, or subnational entities in the design of their own flags. Some prominent examples include:

• The Flag Ratio: 28:37 Flag Ratio: 10:19 (the black portion is not part of the flag) The national flag of Denmark is more commonly known as the Dannebrog. The name means Danish cloth. The Dannebrog is red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag... flag of Denmark (disambiguation). The Kingdom of Denmark is geographically the smallest Nordic country and is part of the European Union. It is located in Scandinavia, which is in northern Europe. Denmark borders the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, and consists of a peninsula attached to Northern Germany named Jutland (Jylland... Denmark. Their flag, called the Flag Ratio: 28:37 Flag Ratio: 10:19 (the black portion is not part of the flag) The national flag of Denmark is more commonly known as the Dannebrog. The name means Danish cloth. The Dannebrog is red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag... Dannebrog, inspired the cross design of other The Nordic countries (Greenland not shown) The Nordic countries is a term used collectively for five countries in Northern Europe. The Nordic countries have an aggregate population of about 24 million. The Nordic Countries are also the member countries of the Nordic Council: Denmark Finland Iceland Norway Sweden In addition... Nordic countries. Examples: the Flag ratio: 8:11 The flag of the Faroe Islands is a Scandinavian cross. The flag of the Faroes was first made by Faroese students in Copenhagen and later brought to the Faroes where it was first hoisted 22 June 1919. It is said, that the student Jens Olivur Lisberg... Faroe Islands, Flag ratio: 11:18 The Flag of Finland hearkens back to the beginning of the 20th century, and is modelled on the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. The symbolic colours of Finland are blue and white. Blue represents lakes and sky, and white respresents snow and the white nights of the... Finland, The Civil flag of Iceland. It has an aspect ratio of 25:18. The first article in law nr. 34 set on June 17, 1944, which is the day Iceland became a republic is entitled Law of the national flag of Icelanders and the state seal describes the flag of... Iceland, The flag of Norway is red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog, the flag of Denmark. The proportions of the elements of the... Norway, Flag ratio: 5:8 The merchant flag of Sweden (1844-1905), with the Sweden-Norway union badge. Swedish union flag 1844-1905 The flag of Sweden dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to be inspired by the Coats of Arms of Sweden, which feature three yellow crowns... Sweden, Åland.
• The The Flag of Switzerland consists of a red square with a bold, equilateral white greek cross in the center of the flag. The length of each arm is 1/6 longer than its width. The flag is based on that of the Canton of Schwyz, the colors and shape of... flag of The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. The country has a strong tradition of political and military neutrality, but also of international co-operation, and is home to many international organisations. Confoederatio Helvetica (CH), the Latin version... Switzerland, with its colours reversed, gave rise to the emblem of the The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the worlds largest group of humanitarian non-governmental organizations, often known simply as the Red Cross, after its original symbol. The Movement is composed of, but must be distinguished from: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a committee... International Red Cross, which is a safe conduct in war zones under international law.
• The Flag Ratio: 1:2 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland uses as its national flag the Royal Banner commonly known as the Union Jack, or more properly Union Flag as it only becomes a Jack when flown at sea. The current design of the Union Flag or... Union Flag of the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and a member of the British Commonwealth and European Union. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, UK or, inaccurately, as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent parts. Three of these parts... United Kingdom, more commonly (and correctly, when used by warships at sea) called the "Union Jack" or "Union Flag". British colonies typically fly a flag based on one of the ensigns based on this flag, and many former colonies have retained the design to acknowledge their cultural history, show gratitude to the UK, or possibly to reflect their participation in the Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, most of which were once governed by the United Kingdom and are its former colonies. It was formerly known as the British Commonwealth (or British Commonwealth of Nations), and many still call... Commonwealth. Examples: Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Australia is blue with the flag of the United Kingdom (the Union Flag) in the canton (the upper hoist-side quadrant), and a large seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star (six points representing the six original states and one point for... Australia, Categories: Stub | Fiji | Fiji-related stubs | National flags | Blue Ensigns ... Fiji, Flag ratio: 2:1 The Flag of New Zealand was introduced in 1869. It was initially used only on Government ships, but was soon adopted as the de facto national flag. It was officially made the national flag by Parliament in 1902. It is a dark blue ensign with the... New Zealand, Flag ratio: 1:2 The current Flag of Tuvalu was instated when the country became independent in 1978, after the separation from the Gilberts in 1976. Like many former and current British dependencies, the Tuvaluan flag is a light blue ensign based on the Union Flag, which is shown in... Tuvalu, and curiously Ka Hae Hawai‘i, or the Flag of Hawai‘i Ka Hae Hawai‘i, or the Flag of Hawaii, is the official standard symbolizing Hawaii as a kingdom, protectorate, republic, territory and state. Ka Hae Hawai‘i is the only state flag in the United States... Hawaii.
• The The term tricolore can refer to: the Flag of France (in French, le drapeau tricolore or, rarely, le tricolore) the Flag of Italy (in Italian: il tricolore) the Flag of Russia (in Russian: триколор) a tricolour banner or flag which has three colours... national flag of The French Republic or France ( French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. France is a democracy organised as a... France, also called the The term tricolore can refer to: the Flag of France (in French, le drapeau tricolore or, rarely, le tricolore) the Flag of Italy (in Italian: il tricolore) the Flag of Russia (in Russian: триколор) a tricolour banner or flag which has three colours... Tricolore, which inspired other nations to adopt differenced A tricolour is a flag or banner having three colours, usually in approximately equal size (horizontally or vertically) and lacking additional symbols. One of the first tricolours is the Tricolore of France. List of typical tricolours Below is a list with other typical tricolours organized by continent. African The flag... tricolours in sympathy with the revolutionary spirit with which the flag was designed in 1794. Examples among many: The Irish tricolour (flag ratio: 1:2). The National Flag of Ireland (Irish: An Bhratach Náisiúnta), also known as the Irish tricolour, is the national flag of the Republic of Ireland. The flag was first adopted as the national flag of the Irish Free State in 1922. When... Republic of Ireland, The Flag of Italy The Flag of Italy (vexillological symbol ), also known as Tricolore, is a tricolour containing three vertical bands of green, white, and red (left, or hoist side, to right). Together with the national anthem, La Canzone degli Italiani (better known as Fratelli dItalia) is the symbol... Italy, Flag ratio: 4:7 The flag of Mexico was first introduced in 1821 as a basic green, white, and red tricolor. In 1823 the Mexican coat of arms, which represents the 1325 founding of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlán (on the site occupied by the countrys modern capital, Mexico... Mexican Republic.
• The -1... flag of the The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America¹, the States, or (archaically) Columbia — is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii... United States, also nicknamed The Stars and Stripes or Old Glory. In the same way that nations looked to France for inspiration, many countries were also inspired by the Before the Revolution: The 13 colonies are in red, the pink area was claimed by Great Britain after the French and Indian War, and the orange region was claimed by Spain. The American Revolution refers to the series of events, ideas, and changes that resulted in the political separation of... American Revolution which they felt was symbolized in this flag. Examples: Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Cuba was adopted on May 20, 1902. By 1899 various movements to liberate Cuba from Spanish rule emerged, mainly among Cuban exiles in the USA (where New York became an active center of Cuban resistance). Anti-Spanish Cuban exiles under the leadership of... Cuba, Description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center. Protocol dictates that it can hang horizontally or... Chile, Flag ratio: 10:19~ The Liberian flag bears close resemblance to the flag of the United States, showing the ex-American slave origins of the country. The Liberian flag has similar red and white stripes, as well as a blue square with a white star in the corner. The eleven... Liberia, Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Malaysia was adopted on September 16, 1963. It is an interesting combination of a flag inspired by that of the United States with the crescent and star, a traditional symbol of Islam. Malaysias flag is similar to that of the United States... Malaysia.
• The Flag of Russia The flag of Russia is a tricolour. It consists of three equal horizontal fields, white on the top, blue in the middle and red on the bottom. The flag of Russia is the source of the Pan-Slavic colors. Moscow Coat of Arms Popular myth traces the... flag of The Russian Federation ( Russian: Росси́йская Федера́ция, transliteration: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya or Rossijskaja Federacija), or Russia (Russian: Росси́я, transliteration: Rossiya or Rossija), is a country that stretches... Russia, the source for the The Pan-Slavic colours, red, blue and white, are colours used on the flags of most Slavic states and peoples. Their use symbolizes the common origin of the Slavic peoples. National flag of all Slavs approved on the Pan-Slav convention in Prague in 1848 The origin of these colors... Pan-Slavic colors adopted by many The Slavic peoples are the most numerous ethnic and linguistic body of peoples in Europe. They speak Slavic languages and reside chiefly in the east of that continent, but are also found in Asia. Ethno-cultural subdivisions One can customarily divide the Slavs into the following subgroups: East Slavs: Russians... Slavic states and peoples as their symbols. Examples: Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Slovakia was adopted on January 1, 1992. The original version lacked the emblem, which was added in September, to distinguish the flag from the Flag of Russia. Categories: Slovakia | National flags ... Slovakia, Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Serbia and Montenegro was adopted on April 27, 1992, as the flag of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The current flag is a tricolor of red, white, and blue, and as such is very similar to a great number of flags around the world... Serbia and Montenegro, Flag ratio: 1:2 The Croatian flag (vexillological symbol: ) consists of three equal size, horizontal stripes in the pan-Slavic colours red, white and blue. In the middle there is the Croatian coat of arms. The red-white-blue tricolour has been used as Croatian flag since 1848. While Croatia... Croatia.
• This article needs cleanup. Please edit this article to conform to a higher standard of article quality. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (Ityopiya, Amharic ኢትዮጵያ) is a country situated in an area known as the Horn of Africa. It has one of the most... Ethiopia was seen as a model by emerging African states of the 1950's and 1960's, as it was one of the oldest continually independent states in Africa. Accordingly, its Flag ratio: 1:2 Old flag was adopted by February 5 , 1996 The Flag of Ethiopia was adopted on February 6, 1996. It is commonly seen without the blue disc and emblem. Many Ethiopians dont recognize the blue disc and the emblem, it only came later with woyane who... flag became the source of the Two sets of three colours are referred to as the Pan-African colours. The term Pan-African colours sometimes refers to red, gold,and green. These colors are now found on the flags of many African nations, and originate in Ethiopia, from where they have relevance for Rastafarianism. Except for... Pan-African colours. Examples: Flag ratio: 3:5 The flag of Togo was adopted on April 27, 1960. Categories: Togo | National flags ... Togo, Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Senegal was adopted on August 20, 1960. This article is a substub, the first step on the way to becoming a full article. You can help by expanding it. Categories: Substubs | Senegal | National flags ... Senegal, Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Ghana was adopted in 1957. It was replaced with a variant with a white stripe in the middle from 1964 to 1966. The flag was designed by Mrs. Theodosia Okoh to replace the flag of the United Kingdom upon attainment of independence in... Ghana, Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Mali was adopted on March 1, 1961. It consists of the Pan-African colors: red, yellow, and green. Categories: Mali | National flags ... Mali.
• The Flag ratio: 2:3 The Flag of Turkey is called Ay Yıldız in Turkish. It means moon star. The flag has a complex origin since it is an ancient design, being also quite similar to the last flag of the Ottoman Empire, which featured three crescents... flag of The Republic of Turkey is a country located in Southwest Asia with a small part of its territory (3%) in southeastern Europe. Until 1922, the country was the center of the Ottoman Empire. The Anatolian peninsula, between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, forms the core of the country... Turkey which was originally the flag of the The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 12+ million km² Establishment 1299 Dissolution October... Ottoman Empire has been an inspiration for the flag designs of many other Muslim nations. During the time of the Ottomans the A crescent is the shape you get if you cut out of a circle another circle of roughly the same size, but offset to one side. You might also describe it as the shape the lit side of a sphere takes on if, in respect to the viewer, the light... crescent began to become associated with Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. Etymology In Arabic, Islām means submission and is described as a Dīn, meaning way of life... Islam and this is reflected on the flags of Flag Ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Algeria () consists of two equal vertical stripes, green and white, and bears, in the centre, a red crescent and star. The flag was adopted on July 3, 1962. It is similar to earlier ones used by the National Liberation Front (FLN), and... Algeria, Flag ratio: 3:5 This flag design is a new one, and was adopted in 2003. The crescent is retained from the previous flag, but instead of having a crescent on a green field only, the crescent is located in a triangle. Four stripes were added to this new design... Comoros, Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Malaysia was adopted on September 16, 1963. It is an interesting combination of a flag inspired by that of the United States with the crescent and star, a traditional symbol of Islam. Malaysias flag is similar to that of the United States... Malaysia, Flag ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Mauritania was adopted on April 1, 1959. The colors of green and gold are considered Pan-African colors. Green is also to symbolize Islam, and the gold for the sands of the Sahara desert. The crescent and star are symbols of Islam... Mauritania, Flag ratio: 2:3 The National flag of Pakistan was designed by Ameer-ud-Din Khidwai, and was adopted upon independence on August 14, 1947. The green section represents Muslims, while the white section represents non-Muslim minorities. The crescent represents progress; the star symbolizes light and knowledge. A common... Pakistan, and Categories: Tunisia | National flags | Stub ... Tunisia
• The Red, black, and white, sometimes with green, are the Pan-Arab colors and have their origins in the flag of the Arab Revolt. The first three, core colors are featured in the flags of Egypt and Yemen; together with green they are also on the flags of Palestine, Syria, Sudan... Pan-Arab colors, green, white, red, and black, seen on the flags of Flag ratio: 1:2 The national flag of Jordan is based off the flag of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The flag consists of three horizontal bands (black, white and green) that are all connected by a red triangle on the left edge. The... Jordan, Categories: Stub | National flags | Kuwait ... Kuwait, Flag ratio: 1:2 Former flag (1956-1970) The flag of Sudan was adopted on May 20, 1970, and consists of a red-white-black tricolor with a green triangle next to the hoist. Prior to the 1969 military coup of Gaafar Nimeiry, a blue-yellow-green tricolor design was... Sudan, Flag ratio: 2:3 Old flag (1946-58, 1961-63) The flag of Syria was adopted in 1980. It is also the flag of the former United Arab Republic. History The first national flag of Syria after independence in 1944 was a green-white-black horizontal tricolour, with three red... Syria, the Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of the United Arab Emirates was adopted on December 2, 1971. Categories: United Arab Emirates | National flags ... United Arab Emirates, Flag of Western Sahara This is the flag of the Western Sahara. External link Flag of Western Sahara on flagspot.net Categories: Western Sahara ... Western Sahara, and Flag ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Yemen was adopted on May 22, 1990 the same day that North Yemen and South Yemen unified. The pattern of red, white and black stripes was also present on the flags of North and South Yemen, and are traditional Arab colors found... Yemen.
• The The first official flag of the Soviet Union was adopted in July of 1923. It was of a 4 to 1 ratio in proportion and consisted of a red flag with the state coat of arms in the center. This flag was the official flag for four months, and was... Soviet flag, with its golden symbols of the The proletariat (from Latin proles, offspring) is a term used to identify a lower social class; a member of such a class is called a proletarian. Originally it was identified as those people who have no other wealth than their sons; the term was initially used in a derogatory sense... proletariat on a red field, was an inspiration to flags of other communist states, such as Flag ratio: 3:5 From the establishment of the GDR in 1949 to 1959, the flag of the GDR was the same as the Flag of West Germany, and the current Flag of Germany. The Coat of Arms was designed in 1955, and was added to the GDR national flag... East Germany, The Flag of the Peoples Republic of China The Flag of the Peoples Republic of China (), the Five-Starred Red Flag (五星红旗 in pinyin: wǔ xīng hóng qí), was designed by Zeng Liansong (曾联松 zēng lián... People's Republic of China, Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Vietnam was adopted on November 30, 1955. The flag ratio is 2:3 with a yellow five-pointed star in the center, symbolizing the leadership of the Vietnamese Communist Party. Red represents success and revolution. The five points of the stars represent the... Vietnam, The national flag of Angola is split horizontally into an upper red half and a lower black half. The red is for the blood spilt by Angolans during their independence struggles, while the black is for the continent of Africa. The symbol in the middle is of a crossed cog... Angola, Flag of the SFRY, ratio 1:2 Flag of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia consisted of three equal horizontal bands coloured in pan-Slavic colors - blue (top), white and red - with yellow bordered red star, symbol of communism, at the flags centre. It was created during Second... Yugoslavia, and Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Mozambique was adopted on May 1, 1983. It includes the image of an AK47 and is the only national flag in the world to feature a rifle. Categories: National flags | Mozambique ... Mozambique.
• The Flag ratio: 4:3 The national flag of Nepal is the only non-rectangular national flag, and one of only two official governmental flags in the world that is non-rectangular (the other is the flag of the U.S. state of Ohio; see Flag of Ohio). The flag is... flag of Nepal is the only non-rectangular national flag in the world.

Flags at sea

Main article: Flags are particularly important at sea, where they can mean the difference between life and death, and consequently where the rules and regulations for the flying of flags are strictly enforced. Flags (and pennants) are flown for signalling and for identification. Ensigns Ensigns are national maritime flags flown by ships... Maritime flags

Flags are particularly important at sea, where they can mean the difference between life and death, and consequently where the rules and regulations for the flying of flags are strictly enforced. A national flag flown at sea is known as an Alternate meanings: Ensign (rank), Ensign (magazine) An ensign is a distinguishing token, emblem, badge, or flag such as a symbol of office. The word is derived from the French enseigne from the Latin plural insignia and is more particularly used of a military or naval standard or banner. In nautical... ensign. A courteous, peaceable merchant ship or yacht customarily flies its ensign (in the usual ensign position) together with the flag of whatever nation it is currently visiting at the mast (known as a A courtesy flag (or courtesy ensign) is flown by a ship in foreign waters as a token of respect. It is a small national maritime flag of the host country that is usually worn on the starboard yardarm or crosstree. Categories: Flags | Stub ... courtesy flag). To fly one's ensign alone in foreign water, a foreign port or in the face of a foreign warship traditionally indicates a willingness to fight, with cannon, for the right to do so. This custom is still (2004) taken quite seriously by many naval and port authorities and is readily enforced in many parts of the world by boarding, confiscation, and other civil penalties.

In some countries yacht ensigns are different from merchant ensigns in order to signal that the yacht is not carrying cargo that requires a customs declaration. Carrying commercial cargo on a boat with a yacht ensign is smuggling in many jurisdictions.

There is a system of The system of international maritime signal flags is a way of representing individual letters of the alphabet on ships or in nautical situations. The flags can also be used to signal other things than alphabetical messages. For example, divers will often raise the flag representing the letter A as a... International maritime signal flags for each numeral and letter of the alphabet. Each flag or A pennant is usually a narrow tapering flag most commonly flown by ships at sea. A commissioning pennant is the traditional sign of a warship, and is flown from the masthead while the ship is in commission. A broad pennant in the Royal Navy is a swallow-tailed tapering flag... pennant has an additional meaning when flown individually.

Shape and Design

See also The design and description of flags typically uses specialized flag terminology with precise and technical meanings (a form of jargon). Flag illustrations generally depict flags flying from the observers point of view from left to right, the view known as the obverse; the other side is the reverse. Animals... Flag terminology.

Flag ratio: 4:3 The national flag of Nepal is the only non-rectangular national flag, and one of only two official governmental flags in the world that is non-rectangular (the other is the flag of the U.S. state of Ohio; see Flag of Ohio). The flag is... Flag of Nepal

Flags are usually rectangular in shape, but may be of any shape or size that is practical for flying. Named shapes include square (e.g., the national The Flag of Switzerland consists of a red square with a bold, equilateral white greek cross in the center of the flag. The length of each arm is 1/6 longer than its width. The flag is based on that of the Canton of Schwyz, the colors and shape of... flag of Switzerland and the state Flag ratio: 1:1 The flag of the Vatican City consists of two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band. In heraldry, yellow and white usually represent the two metals, gold and silver... flag of the Vatican City), pennant, double pennant (e.g., the A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. The United States Constitution allocates power between the two levels... state The flag of Ohio was adopted in 1902 and designed by John Eisemann. The large blue triangle represents Ohios hills and valleys, and the stripes represent roads and waterways. The seventeen stars symbolize that Ohio was the 17th state admitted to the union. The white circle with its red... flag of Ohio), swallowtail, triangular or swallowtail burgee, gonfanon and oriflamme. A more unusual flag shape in use includes that of the national Flag ratio: 4:3 The national flag of Nepal is the only non-rectangular national flag, and one of only two official governmental flags in the world that is non-rectangular (the other is the flag of the U.S. state of Ohio; see Flag of Ohio). The flag is... flag of Nepal, which is vaguely in the shape of two stacked triangles.

Flag ratio: 1:2 The Flag of Kiribati: the upper half is red with a gold frigatebird (Fregata minor, in Gilbertese: te eitei) flying over a gold rising sun (otintaai), and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean and the 3 groups... Flag of Kiribati

Common designs on flags include crosses, stripes, and divisions of the surface, or field, into bands or quarters - patterns and principles mainly derived from Heraldry is the science and art of describing of coats-of-arms, also referred to as achievements or armorial bearings. Its origins are in the need to distinguish participants in battles or jousts and to describe the various devices they carried or painted on their shields. However it is important... heraldry. A heraldic coat of arms may also be flown as a banner of arms, as is done on both the state The flag of the U.S. state of Maryland consists of the heraldic banners of the family of George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore. It is the only state flag in the United States to be based on British heraldry. It was officially adopted by the state in 1904. Design The... flag of Maryland and the republic Flag ratio: 1:2 The Flag of Kiribati: the upper half is red with a gold frigatebird (Fregata minor, in Gilbertese: te eitei) flying over a gold rising sun (otintaai), and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean and the 3 groups... flag of Kiribati. Writing is common on some flags---for example, on several flags of U.S. states, or on revolutionary flags of the former The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) .( Russian: Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик... Soviet Union. This practice is generally deprecated, as such writing is usually difficult to read on the reverse of a flag, is expensive to reproduce accurately, and makes the flag too heavy to fly properly (when the lettering is sewn on both sides of a flag). Some flags have a different design on each side, as is demonstrated by the former national Flag ratio: 3:5 The flag of Paraguay was adopted in 1842. The emblems and proportions have varied over time. The Paraguayan flag has three bright stripes on it that are colored red, white, and blue. The colors were influenced by French Tricolore, which is a symbol of liberation. The... flag of Paraguay, the state The flag of Oregon bears upon its obverse the state seal supported by thirty-three stars, the words State of Oregon, and the year 1859. On the reverse side is borne a figure of a beaver. It is generally rare for any flag to have differing imagery on its two... flag of Oregon, and the now-obsolete The first official flag of the Soviet Union was adopted in July of 1923. It was of a 4 to 1 ratio in proportion and consisted of a red flag with the state coat of arms in the center. This flag was the official flag for four months, and was... flag of the Soviet Union.

In sports

Flags on the beach in Napier, New Zealand. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. Click on date to download the file or see the image uploaded on that date. (del) (cur) 13:00, 28 Mar 2004...

Flags on the beach in Napier, New Zealand. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. Click on date to download the file or see the image uploaded on that date. (del) (cur) 13:00, 28 Mar 2004...

Flags flown on a beach.

Because of their ease of signalling and identification, flags are often used in A sport consists of a normal physical activity or skill carried out under a publicly agreed set of rules, and with a recreational purpose: for competition, for self-enjoyment, to attain excellence, for the development of skill, or some combination of these. The difference of purpose is what characterises sport... sports.

• In United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. It is one of the more physically demanding sports, with a great deal of physical contact occurring on each play, and requiring rare athletic talent. However, it is also a complex game of... American and This article or section should be merged with Comparison of Canadian and American football Canadian football is a form of football closely related to American football in which two teams of twelve players each compete for territorial control of a field of play 110 yards (100.58 metres) long and... Canadian football, A football (soccer) player is cautioned by a referee A referee is a person who has authority to make decisions about play in many sports. Officials in other sports are known by a variety of titles, including umpire or judge. Origin The term referee originated in association football. Originally the... referees use flags to indicate an error has been made in game play. The phrase used for such an indication is flag on the play. The flag itself is a small, weighted handkerchief, tossed on the field at the approximate point of the infraction; the intent is usually to sort out the details after the current play from scrimmage has concluded. In American football, the flag is usually yellow; in Canadian football, it is usually red.
• In Auto racing (also known as automobile racing or autosport) is a sport involving racing automobiles. Motor racing or motorsport may also mean motorcycle racing, and can include motorboat racing and air racing. It is one of the worlds most popular spectator sports and perhaps the most thoroughly commercialized. History... auto and The variety of sports involving racing motorcycles. FIM is the international sanctioning body for many such events. As motorcycles vary greatly in design, there are several different types of motorcycle racing contest, including: Road racing in its purest form is racing on public roads, such as the Isle of Man... motorcycle racing, flags are used to communicate with drivers. Most famously, a checkered flag of black and white indicates the end of the race, and victory for the leader. A yellow flag is used to indicate caution requiring slow speed and a red flag requires racers to immediately stop. A black flag is used to indicate penalties.
• In The striker (wearing red jersey) has run past the defender (in white jersey) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to stop the ball. Football is the most widely played and watched team sport in the world. The game is often known... Association football (soccer), In Association Football (Soccer), two Assistant Referees (previously known as linesmen) assist the Referee in controlling the match in accordance with the Laws of the Game. Law 6 of the Laws of the Game outlines their general duties, which are subject to the decision of the Referee. These duties typically... assistant referees carry small flags along the touch lines. They use the flags to indicate to the A referee presides over a game of association football (soccer). The referee has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed (Law 5), and the referees decisions regarding facts connected with play are final, so far as... referee potential infringements of the Laws or who is entitled to possession of the ball that has gone out of the field of play, or, most famously, raise the flag overhead to indicate an In association football (soccer), offside is covered by Law 11 of the Laws of the Game. Whilst the law may appear simple, its details and application can be complex. Offside law The application of the offside law is best considered in three steps: Offside position; Offside offense; and Offside sanction... offside offence. Officials called touch judges use flags for similar purposes in both codes of This article discusses the sport Rugby. For other uses see Rugby. General description Rugby football, as a catch-all term, may refer to two related but separate team sports: Rugby League and Rugby Union. Rugby League has become a popular professional and amateur sport in some regions of Great Britain... rugby.
• In addition, fans of almost all sports will wave flags in the stands to indicate their support for the participants. Many sports teams have their own flags, and in individual sports, fans will indicate their support for a player by waving the flag of his or her home country.
• Capture the flag is a traditional outdoor game often played by children where two teams have a flag each and the objective is to capture the other teams flag, located at the teams base, and bring it back to their own base. It is also a popular paintball... Capture the flag is a popular children's sport.

At the Beach

In Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world, the only one to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia/ Oceania. It also includes a number of secondary islands, the largest of which is Tasmania, an Australian State. Australia is... Australia beaches protected by lifesavers use a pair of red/yellow flags to mark the section of the beach that the lifesavers guard. If the beach is closed because say the waves are too strong, the poles of the flags are crossed. The flags are coloured with a red triangle and a yellow triangle making a rectangular flag.

Railway flags

Railways use a number of coloured flags, usually with the following meanings:

• red = stop
• yellow = proceed with care
• green or white or blue = proceed.

• a flag of any colour waved violently means stop

At night, the flags are replaced with lanterns showing the same colours.

A Signal is a mechanical or electrical device that indicates to train drivers information about the state of the line ahead, and therefore whether they must stop or may start, or instructions on what speed they may drive their train. Network Rail two-aspect electrical railway signal set at danger... Railway signals are a development of the railway flags.

Flagpoles

The tallest flagpole in the world, at 160 metres.

A flagpole, or flagstaff, can be simple supports made of wood or metal. If it is taller than can be easily reached to raise the flag, a string is used, looping around a pulley at the top of the pole with the ends tied at the bottom. The flag is fixed to one lower end of the string, and is then raised by pulling the other end. The string is then tightened and tied to the pole at the bottom. Very high flagpoles may require more complex support structures than a simple pole, such as guy wires, or to be built as a mast. The highest flagpole in the world, in Map of the Korean DMZ. The DMZ is given in red, the demarcation line runs in the middle of the DMZ (black line). The Demilitarized Zone (or DMZ) in Korea is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South... Gijeong-dong, North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia... North Korea, is 160 metres tall, and the flag weighs about 270 kilograms when dry.

See also

• -1... Gallery of flags
• This is a list of all flags available here, mostly national flags. National flags can be viewed inside the Gallery of national flags or List of national flags. They are classified inside the Lists of flags. The old medium-sized flags are deprecated (they are listed for deletion); they are... List of flags
• This list contains links to other lists of flags Gallery of national flags List of national flags List of flags List of flags of nations not fully sovereign List of flags by number of colors List of flags by color List of flags by design Categories: Lists of flags ... List of Lists of Flags – sorts flags by colour and number of colours
• This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. If an article link referred you here, you might want to go back and fix it to point directly to the intended page. Different countries have a different day called... Flag Day
• The design and description of flags typically uses specialized flag terminology with precise and technical meanings (a form of jargon). Flag illustrations generally depict flags flying from the observers point of view from left to right, the view known as the obverse; the other side is the reverse. Animals... Flag Terminology
• Vexillology is the study of flags. A person who studies flags is called a vexillologist. The term was coined around 1960 by Dr. Whitney Smith of the United States, currently the foremost vexillologist in the world and author of many books and articles on this subject. The word vexillology is... Vexillology
• A vexillological symbol is used by vexillologists to indicate certain characteristics of national flags, such as where they are used, who uses them, and what they look like. The set of symbols described in this article are known as international flag identification symbols, which were devised by Whitney Smith. Usage... Vexillological symbols
• Flag desecration is a blanket term applied to various ways of intentionally defacing or dishonoring a flag, most often a national flag (though other flags are defaced as well). Often, such action is intended to make a political point against a country or its policies. Some countries have laws forbidding... Flag desecration
• The art of flag throwing dates back to the medieval guilds. The guilds banner or flag was considered a symbol of purity a mustnt never touch te ground. There a two major categories of flag throwing: classical and acrobatical Classical The flag is turned left and right around the... Flag throwing

References

• William G. Crampton; The World of Flags; Rand McNally; ISBN 0-528-83720-6 (hardcover, 1994).
• Ultimate Pocket Flags of the World; Dorling Kindersley; ISBN 0-7894-2085-6; (1st American edition, hardcover, 1996).

External links

• Flags of the World (http://www.fotw.net), an outstanding source of vexillological information, contributed to by a group of international volunteers.
• World Flag Database (http://www.flags.net)
• The Flag Institute (UK) (http://www.flaginstitute.org)
• Country Flags (http://reference.allrefer.com/world/facts/flags.html)
• Flags Fantastic - world flags, flag protocol, display & care (http://www.flagsfantastic.com.au)
• History of Flags (http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/other-article-flags.html)
• Open Clip Art Library, flags category (http://openclipart.org/cgi-bin/navigate/signs_and_symbols/flags) ( Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is an XML markup language for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and animated. It is an open standard created by the World Wide Web Consortium, which is also responsible for (X)HTML. There is some overlap in purpose with Macromedia Flash. An overview of... SVG and PNG (Portable Network Graphics), sometimes pronounced as ping, is a relatively new bitmap image format that is becoming popular on the World Wide Web and elsewhere. PNG was largely developed to deal with some of the shortcomings of the GIF format and allows storage of images with greater color depth... PNG formats)