Cambodia - Current

The flag of Cambodia consists of three horizontal bands, in 1:2:1 proportions of blue, red, blue with a depiction of a three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the centre of the red band.[1][2] The present flag with these colours arranged in horizontal bands, was officially adopted on 29th October 1948 until October 1970, then, once again, at the beginning of 24th September 1993, date of the reestablishment of the Monarchy.[3] The ratio of the flag is 2:3.[4]

The colours of the Cambodian flag have been given many different meanings. The symbolism ranges from blue, symbolizing the royalty, the red, the nation, the white, the religion.[5] Red for the blood, given in the struggle for freedom and independence, Blue for the wealth of the country . Red being the national colour of the Khmer people, expressing willingness for sacrifices, blue the colour of the Khmer royalty representing the power and the wishes of the sovereign. The white temple symbolizes the glorious past of the land. White also stands for the confidence of the people in its sovereign.[6] Right through to red standing for hardiness, bravery, strength and valour, and blue for vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance and justice.[7]

The current Cambodian flag holds the distinction of being the only flag in the world to feature a building in its design. [8]

The flag used today is the same as that established in 1948, although since then 5 other designs have been used. These have almost all made use of the image of the temple of Angkor Wat in one form or another. This famous temple site, which dates from the 12th century, was built by the Mahidharapura monarchs. It has 5 towers, but these were not always all depicted in the stylized version used on flags. [8] Whitney Smith stated, “The temple is considered a symbol of the great civilization of the Khmer people.”[9]



[1] Flag of Cambodia, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Cambodia
[2] The Meaning & History of the Cambodia Flag, http://www.flags-flags-flags.org.uk/cambodia-flag.htm
[3] Flags of the World, http://www.fotw.net/flags/kh.html
[4] The Meaning & History of the Cambodia Flag, http://www.flags-flags-flags.org.uk/cambodia-flag.htm
[5] Flags of the World, http://www.fotw.net/flags/kh.html
[6] http://www.flaggenlexikon.de/index2-e.htm
[7] http://www.flags-flags-flags.org.uk/cambodia-flag.htm
[8] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/i/Flag_of_Cambodiawik
[9] Whitney Smith, Flag lore of all nations, Millbrook Press, 2002.
[fig1] P. Mattew and Eugene Ipavec, Flags of the World, http://www.fotw.net/flags/kh.html
[fig2] Angkor Wat, Andrew Lih, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Angkor_wat_temple.jpg

Burma - Current

The current flag of Burma is red with a blue canton containing a white emblem of a cog wheel and ears of rice encircled with fourteen white stars of equal size. The centre of the cog wheel coincides with the centre of the blue canton. The cog wheel has fourteen cogs of equal size and within it are two ears of rice consisting of 34 grains. At the top of each cog is a star with five vertices. The ratio of the flag seems to be unprescribed as various sources give 5:9, 2:3 and 6:11.[1]

The Symbolism of the flag is given as follows, the 14 stars represent the unity and equality between the 14 member states of the Union.[2] Together, the socialist symbols of the cogwheel and ears of rice represent the country's industry and agriculture, as well as the union of the workers and the peasant class.[3] The red of the flag stands for courage and decisiveness[4] or courage and gallantry.[5] The blue stands for peace and integrity[4] or peace and endurance.[5] The white signifies purity and virtue[4] or purity and honor.[5]

The flag of Burma was adopted on 3rd January 1974 upon the declaration of a socialist republic. The flag originated in the Burmese Resistance, which adopted a red flag with a white star when fighting the occupying Japanese forces during World War II. Upon independence, the star was modified to a blue canton with 5 small stars surrounding one large one. The emblem was changed in 1974 to represent the new socialist ideology in the country. The 5 stars were changed to 14, encircling the cog wheel and a rice plant.[6]

In recent years due to constitutional changes brought about by the National Convention, set up by the ruling junta, there have been proposals put forward for a new flag. The first proposal to come forward was that of a flag “…marked with green, yellow and red stripes in a proportionate ratio. On the left end of the green stripe at the top of the flag is a large white star directing upwards.”[7] The proposed flag lends back to that of the 1940s State of Burma flag, a puppet state set up under Japanese occupation which was a horizontal tricolour of yellow, green and red defaced with a peacock in the centre.


[Fig 4] - Proposal A


[Fig 5] - Flag of Burma 1943

The symbolism of the new flag was said to be “the colour green…for peace and tranquillity and lush and verdant environment, yellow depicts solidarity…red means valour and decisiveness.”[7] The National Convention felt that the flag was “endowed with essence and meaning.” However they felt something was missing and decided to add a “…white star, which reflects perpetual existence of the consolidated Union…” this was placed on the left end of the green stripe. The flag including the white star bares a remarkable similarity to the flag of the Karen division of Burma. However when the proposal for changing the flag was put forward by the commission working under the National Convention, it was rejected a few days later, by delegates of the National Convention.[8]


[Fig 6] - Flag of Karen Division

The commission went back to the drawing board and in September 2007 came up with a second proposal for a new flag. This time the flag had a large white star overlapping all three stripes and the colour of the stripes in a different order; yellow, green then red, the same order as used in the flag of the State of Burma.[9] This version was included in the new constitution, and was adopted with the 2008 referendum. The new flag will come into use in 2010.[8] The new proposal also resembles the flag of the Shan division of Burma.


[Fig 2] - Proposal B


[Fig 3] - Proposal B Construction Sheet


[Fig 7] - Flag of Shan Division

Many people in Burma are not happy with the design of the new flag, Cin Sian Thang, a Rangoon-based ethnic leader and chairman of the Zomi National Congress said “I felt very sad…only one star in the new flag shows clearly that the military leaders want to drive the country as a unilateral state.”

One Burmese blogger wrote “I don’t like the newly proposed flag either. When I first saw the flag, it first reminded me of African flags, because of its colours.” Others used the new flag to emphasise their views on the current regime: “According to the constitutional convention attendees, the color green represents peace, tranquility, and the verdant landscape of Burma, yellow represents solidarity, and red represents valor and decisiveness.” “…the new flag symbolizes something that may never be achievable in an undemocratic regime controlled by military personnel…. perhaps only the red remains true, as the military government is indeed decisive.”[11]

Another wrote, “Now, Burma is going to get her third flag since independence…the regime is making up a new ugly militant-looking flag to signify the military’s perpetual dominance in Burma. When Burma’s army was first founded, it used a three-colour flag with a peacock in it. And so, the regime is now giving Burma a new flag with the same three-colour stripes to show off their dominance. Moreover, it contains only one big star instead of the usual group of stars. It clearly shows that they see Burma as a solidly unified country. It demonstrates that they have no intention to give federalism to the ethnic groups in Burma. The new flag obviously illustrate SPDC regime’s real intentions and the true nature of their constitution. The ugly flag in fact is a warning sign that a horrible future lies ahead for Burma under perpetual military domination.” [12]


[1] Željko Heimer, Flags of the World, http://www.fotw.net/flags/mm.html
[2] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Burma
[3] World Flags 101.com, http://www.worldflags101.com/m/myanmar-flag.aspx
[4] Dov Gutterman, Flags of the World, http://www.fotw.net/flags/mm.html
[5] World Flags 101.com, http://www.worldflags101.com/m/myanmar-flag.aspx
[6] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Burma
[7] Translation of proposals to be included in drafting the State Constitution presented by the Delegate Group of Intellectuals and Intelligentsia at the Plenary Session of the National Convention held at Pyidaungsu Hall of Nyaunghnapin Camp in Hmawby Township, Yangon Division, on 28th December 2006, Jonathan Dixon, Flags of the World, http://www.fotw.net/flags/mm.html
[8] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Burma
[9] The New Light of Myanmar newspaper for 3rd September 2007, Jan Oskar Engene, Flags of the World, http://www.fotw.net/flags/mm.html
[10] Proposed New Flag in Burma Stirs Controversy, Aye Lae, The Irrawaddy Newspaper, http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8478
[11] Fifty Viss Blog, a collection of thoughts and writings on Burma, http://viss.wordpress.com/2007/01/02/new-flag-for-burma/
[12] Ugly Flag & Nasty Constitution, Dr Tayza, http://shanstatenews1.googlepages.com/2006112806
[fig1] Željko Heimer, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/mm.html
[fig2] António Martins-Tuválkin, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/mm%212007.html
[fig3] António Martins-Tuválkin, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/mm%212007.html
[fig4] António Martins-Tuválkin, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/mm%212007.html
[fig5] Flag of Burma 1943, Hellerick, VexiWiki, http://flags.wikia.com/wiki/File:Burma_1943.png
[fig6] Flag of Karen division of Burma, Oleg B. Kozlov, Encyclopaedia Heraldica, http://eh.stanemte.org/english/3as/burma/bma-div.htm
[fig7] Flag of Shan division of Burma, Oleg B. Kozlov, Encyclopaedia Heraldica, http://eh.stanemte.org/english/3as/burma/bma-div.htm

Burkina Faso - Current

The flag of Burkina Faso consists of two equal horizontal bands of red and green, red on the top. A five pointed yellow star is placed in the centre.[1] The flag was adopted on 4th August 1984 following the coup of 1983 which brought Thomas Sankara to power.[2] The flag is in the pan-African colours, reflecting both a break with the country’s colonial past and its unity with other African ex-colonies.[3]

The symbolism of the colours are given as follows. The red is said to represent, the revolutionary struggle[2] or “…the blood shed yesterday, today and tomorrow by the martyrs of the Revolution to ensure the victory. Moreover, red represents all the sacrifices of the Burkinabe people.”[4] The green, hope and abundance[2] or “…agricultural wealth of the country. Moreover, green symbolizes plenty, which shall ensure the happiness of the people.” [4] The yellow star mineral wealth[2] or the “…ideological guide of the People’s and Democratic Revolution in its shining progress.”[4]


[1] Translated from French, Constitution Du Burkina Faso, The Government of Burkina Faso, http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/CAFRAD/UNPAN002916.pdf
[2] Whitney Smith, Flag lore of all nations, Millbrook Press, 2002.
[3] Ivan Sache, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bf.html
[4] Rouamba Adama, Sidwaya newspaper, 12th December 2004.
[fig1] António Martins, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bf.html

Bulgaria - Current

The flag of Bulgaria (Bulgarian: знаме на България, zname na Balgariya) is a horizontal tricolour of three equal bands of colour, from the top white, green and red. The bands will be of a ratio of 3:5, width to height.[1] The colours of the flag are specified as, white, whiteness no less than 80%, green, 17-5936 on the Pantone textile scale and red 18-1664.[2]

The flag was originally adopted following the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). Flags of green, white and red were used by Bulgarian Legia (a revolutionary organisation founded in Serbia by Bulgarian emigrants) in 1861-1862. The first white-green-red striped flag was made by S. Paraskevov and presented to Russian-Bulgarian troops (during the war against Turkey) in the Romanian town of Braila in 1877. It was a swallow-tailed banner. There was a lion and inscription "BULGARIA" in the centre (in Cyrillic characters).[3] Therefore the origins of the Bulgarian flag come from that of Russia, being the only independent Slavic state, with the green replacing the blue stripe in the tricolour.[4] Other sources give the flag of Fillip Totyu’s detachment, dating prior to the Liberation (1867) and the flag flown by Rakovski (red-white-green) in Andrea Saco’s famous painting as the fist use of these colours.[5] The symbolism of the colours is vague however the red and white could come from the traditional colours of the Martenitsi and the legend behind it,[6] with the green symbolising freedom.


[1] http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/6490/republic/symbols.html
[2] Flag of Bulgaria, Wikpedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Bulgaria
[3] Victor Lomantsov, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bg.html
[4] Stefan Härtel, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bg.html
[5] National and State Flag, Heraldika Bulgaria, http://heraldika-bg.org/vexillology-national.htm
[6] Local Customs Bulgaria, Virtualtourist.com, http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Bulgaria/Local_Customs-Bulgaria-BR-1.html
[fig1] Željko Heimer, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bg.html

Brunei - Current

The flag of Brunei consists of four components, two parallelograms and two trapeziums. The two parallelograms dissect the flag from a point just below the top left corner to a point the same distance from the bottom left. This produces two similar trapeziums the bottom being the inverted form of the top. The parallelograms are of unequal depths the upper being wider than the lower. The centre of the flag is superimposed by the national crest. The colours of the flag are yellow for the two trapeziums white for the upper parallelogram and black for the lower. The national crest is coloured red.[1] There is debate regarding the proportions of the two parallelograms, the upper white is stated to be larger than the black in many sources,[2] Album des Pavillions 2000 gives the ratio as 17:15, white to black.[3]



The national crest consists of the flag, the royal umbrella, the wing, the hands, and the crescent. On the crescent is writing in Arabic script that contain the national motto of: "Always in service with God's guidance". Below this is a banner with the name of the nation in Arabic script as "Brunei Darussalam" or Brunei, land of peace.

The symbolism of the national crest is as follows, the Bendera (flag) and the Payung Ubor-Ubor (royal umbrella) are historical royal emblems. The Sayap (wing of four feathers) symbolizes the protection of justice, tranquillity, prosperity and peace. The Tangan or Kimhap (hand ) signifies the Government's pledge to promote welfare, peace and prosperity and the Bulan (crescent ) is the symbol of Islam, the national religion of Brunei.[4] The mast and pedestal of the crest represent the three levels of government.[5]



The colours of the flag have a symbolic meaning as well, in Southeast Asia, yellow is traditionally the colour of royalty, and the royal standards of Malaysia and Thailand, along with the presidential flag of Indonesia, also use a yellow field. Therefore the yellow represents the Sultan of Brunei. The black and white stripes represent Brunei's chief ministers.[6] The white is the colour of the Chief Minister of State, the Duli Pengiran Bendahara, and black represents the Second Minister, the Duli Pengiran Pemancha. These three were the signatories of the Treaty with Britain in 1906.[7]

Before 1906, Brunei had no single state emblem. Instead, Brunei royal family members and state officials held personal flags and standards. The most important belonged to the Sultan and Wazir. In 1906 the basic bold yellow, white and black flag was adopted as state emblem. The national crest was added when the national flag of Brunei was adopted on September 29, 1959 when the country was a British protectorate, and was retained when the country gained full independence on January 1, 1984, as Brunei Darussalam.[8]

Today there are five Wazirs in Brunei and their personal flags can be also seen flying on special occasions. These include that of the principal Wazir, the Duli Pengiran Perdana Wazir (white with the state crest in yellow) and the four further Wazirs; Pengiran Bendahara (white), Pengiran Digadong (green), Pengiran Pemancha (black) and Pengiran Temenggong (red),[9](given as purple by some sources).[10][11]


[1] The National Flag of Brunei Darussalam, The Government of Brunei Official Website, http://www.brunei.gov.bn/about_brunei/flag.htm
[2] (a) Gilbert Grosvenor; William J. Showalter, Flags of the World, National Geographic Magazine, National Geographic Society: Washington, USA. 1934
(b) E. H. Baxter, National Flags, Frederick Warne and Co.: London and New York, UK. 1934
(c) Vice-Admiral Gordon Campbell; I. O. Evans, FRGS, The Book of Flags, Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK. 1950
(d) I. O. Evans, FRGS, The Book of Flags, Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK. 1965
(e) E. M. C. Barraclough, Flags of the World, Frederick Warne and Co.: London and New York, UK. 1965
(f) Christian Fogd Pedersen, The International Flag Book in Colour, R.N.William Morrow & Company: Inc.: New York, USA. 1971
(g) E. M. C. Barraclough; William Crampton, Flags of the World, Frederick Warne and Co.: London and New York, UK. 1978
(h) Eric Inglefield, Flags, Ward Lock / Kingfisher Books: London, UK. 1979
All sources taken from Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bn.html
[3] Armand du Payrat, CV(R), Album des pavillons nationaux et des marques distinctive, S.H.O.M. (Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine): Brest, France. 2000
[4] The National Crest of Brunei Darussalam, The Government of Brunei Official Website, http://www.brunei.gov.bn/about_brunei/flag.htm
[5] 100 years of the Brunei national flag, The Daily Brunei Resources, http://bruneiresources.blogspot.com/2006/07/100-years-of-brunei-national-flag.html
[6] The Flag of Brunei, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brunei
[7] Christopher Southworth, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bn.html
[8] The Flag of Brunei, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brunei
[9] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brunei_Darussalam
[10] Wiki-answers, http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_do_the_colors_on_the_Brunei_flag_represent[11] The Daily Brunei Resources, http://bruneiresources.blogspot.com/2006/07/100-years-of-brunei-national-flag.html
[fig1] Flag of Brunei, Gvido Petersons, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bn.html
[fig2] Construction Sheet, Gvido Petersons and Željko Heimer, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bn.html
[fig3] The National Crest of Brunei, Brunei Government Official Website, http://www.brunei.gov.bn/about_brunei/flag.htm

British Virgin Islands - Current

The flag of the British Virgin Islands is a defaced Blue Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton, and defaced with the Coat of Arms of the British Virgin Islands in the fly. The Coat of Arms of the islands is “…a green shield charged with twelve golden oil lamps with red flames and a female figure, St. Ursula, patron saint of the British Virgin Islands attired in white and wearing sandals, carrying one of those lamps.”[1] There is a small white fimbration around the arms to strengthen the outline of darker arms on the dark blue background.[2] The flag was adopted on 15th November 1960.[3]

The colours of the flag are those of the Union Flag and all UK derivatives of Pantone Red 186 and Blue 280.[4] For the other colours on the flag I am unable to find reference. However another source gives the Blue as Pantone Blue 281.[5]

The symbolism of the Coat of Arms on the flag stems from the original name for the islands as given by Christopher Columbus in 1493. Columbus gave them the fanciful name Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins), shortened to Las Vírgenes (The Virgins), after the legend of Saint Ursula.[6] Saint Ursula is depicted holding one lamp and the other eleven lamps represent the 11,000 virgins who were martyred with her.[7]


[1] History of the Flag, Government of British Virgin Islands, www.bvi.gov.vg
[2] Graham Bartram, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/vg.html
[3] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_British_Virgin_Islands
[4] Graham Bartram, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/io.html quoting source Graham Bartram, British Flags & Emblems, The Flag Institute, Tuckwell Press, UK, 2004.
[5] Caribbean Flags.com, Pantone Colours http://www.caribbeanflags.com/Scripts/cp_CaribbeanFlagPantoneColors.asp[6] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Virgin_Islands
[7] David Prothero, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/vg.html
[fig1] Martin Grieve, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/vg.html#over

British Indian Ocean Territory - Current

The flag of the British Indian Ocean Territory is a British Ensign with the Union Jack in the canton. It is a variant of a Blue Ensign but instead of the blue background it is one of wavy horizontal blue and white lines (six blue). The fly of the ensign is defaced with a palm tree overlaid with St Edwards Crown.[1] I can find no construction references for this flag however the standard for British Ensigns is 1:2[2](One reference lists as 2:3).[3]

The colours of the flag are those of the Union Flag and all UK derivatives of Pantone Red 186 and Blue 280.[4] For the other colours on the flag again I am unable to find reference.

The origin of the wavy lines is unknown, and their existence is a break from the traditional practice of flags of British colonies or former colonies.[5] However they look to be taken from the coat of arms of the territory which depict a shield bearing the Union Flag in the top quarter, a palm tree and St. Edward's Crown in the middle half, with three white wavy lines representing the ocean in the bottom quarter.[6] This is from where the palm tree and crown are also taken. In fact the crest of the arms consists of a crown and a castle bearing the territory's flag. It is possible that the flag is a unofficial local creation that was later adopted, especially as it is for use on land only.[8]

The status of the flag is also debated. It is one view that the flag, which was granted by Queen Elizabeth II on the 25th anniversary of the territory in 1990[7],is that of the Commissioner and has only semi-official status.[8] However, in a research paper for The Flag Institute called “Involvement of the College of Arms in the Adoption of Defacement of the Union Flag and of British Ensigns” the Ensign is listed just as British Indian Ocean Territory not as that of the Commissioner as in other listings.[9]

There is also debate as to whether the flag is actually used in the territory itself given that it is impossible for civilians to visit the territory. Lt. Col. Paul James who served on the island of Diego Garcia, the largest and only inhabited island states:
“Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Although British territory, it's used as a base for both British and American forces, and both British and American flags are flown as the "national" flag(s).”[10]
However, a video was released by the Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia. It shows a scene where the flag is being flown.[11]



[1] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_British_Indian_Ocean_Territory[2] Graham Bartram, Flags of All Nations, H.M. Stationery Office, Greenwich, UK, 2000.
[3] Pascal Vagnat, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/io.html quoting source William Crampton, The World of Flags, Studio Editions Ltd, London, UK, 1990.
[4] Graham Bartram, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/io.html quoting source Graham Bartram, British Flags & Emblems, The Flag Institute, Tuckwell Press, UK, 2004.
[5] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_British_Indian_Ocean_Territory
[6] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_British_Indian_Ocean_Territory[7] Official BIOT Emblems. Cable and Wireless Diego Garcia, http://www.cwphonecards.io/Phonecards/Series5.html (no longer available) form Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_British_Indian_Ocean_Territory
[8] Roy Stilling, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/io.html
[9] Nick Weekes, Involvement of the College of Arms in the Adoption of Defacement of the Union Flag and of British Ensigns, The Flag Institute, http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/research_note_3.pdf
[10] Lt Col Paul James, PRMC Forum http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/prmc/showthread.php?t=14912
[11] Command Video. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, http://www.dg.navy.mil/web/2006/downloads/Command_video/Command%20Video%20New%20Version.wmv (no longer available) from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_British_Indian_Ocean_Territory
[fig1] Flag of British Indian Ocean Territory, Martin Grieve, Flags of the World - http://www.flagchart.net/flags/io.html
[fig2] Coat of Arms of British Indian Ocean Territory - Demidow, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:British_Indian_Ocean_Territory_coat_of_arms.svg Using source, http://www.atlasgeo.net/htmla/OceanIndien1.htm

Brazil - Current

The current Brazilian flag is a green field on which a large yellow rhombus is centred. A blue circle is placed within the rhombus, on which is represented, a view of the sky over Rio de Janeiro, with the constellation "Cruzeiro do Sul" (Southern Cross) at the meridian.[1] A curved white band runs through the blue circle, inscribed in green capital letters with the motto “Ordem e Progresso” (Order and Progress).[2]

The Law on the National Flag: details of construction give the following technical description (translated from Portuguese):
“ART. 5 - The construction of the national flag will conform to the following rules. To calculate the dimensions, take as a basis the desired width [of the hoist] and divide it into 14 (fourteen) equal parts. Each of these parts will be considered a measure or module, M. The length [of the fly] will be 20 modules (20 M). The distance from the vertices of the yellow lozenge to the edge of the field will be one and seven tenths modules (1.7 M). The blue circle in the middle of the lozenge will have a radius of three and a half modules (3.5 M). The centre of the arcs of the white band will be two modules (2 M) to the left of the point where the extension of the vertical diameter of the circle meets the lower edge of the field (point C indicated in Annex number 2). The radius of the lower arc of the white band will be eight modules (8 M); the radius of the upper arc of the white band will be eight and a half modules (8.5 M). The width of the white band will be one-half module (0.5 M). The letters of the motto "Ordem e Progresso" will be in green. They will be located in the middle of the white stripe, with equal white spaces above and below. The letter P will be placed on the vertical diameter of the circle. The distribution of the other letters will be as indicated in Annex number 2. The letters of the word "Ordem" and of the word "Progresso" will be one-third of a module (0.333 M) in height. The width of these letters will be three-tenths of a module (0.3 M). The height of the letter of the conjunction "E" will be three-tenths of a module (0.3 M). The width of this letter will be one quarter of a module (0.25 M).
The stars will be in 5 (five) dimensions: of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth sizes. They are to be traced within circles whose dimensions will be: three-tenths of a module (0.3 M) for the first size; one-quarter of a module (0.25 M) for the second size; one-fifth of a module (0.2 M) for the third size; one-seventh of a module (0.143 M) for the fourth size; and one-tenth of a module (0.1 M) for the fifth size.
The two sides [of the flag] will be exactly equal, with the white stripe inclined from left to right (from the point of view of an observer facing the flag), it being forbidden to make one side as a mirror-image of the other.”[3]

The main colours of the Brazilian flag are green and yellow, in fact the flag is sometimes called Auriverde which means "(of) gold and green". The next-to-last stanza of Castro Alves's Navio Negreiro, for example, uses that term.[4] The colours green and yellow refer to the Royal Houses of Bragança (Emperor Pedro I) and Habsburg (Empress Leopoldina). [5][6] The blue and the white represent the Portuguese cultural heritage (the original national colours of the Kingdom of Portugal).[7]
It is also stated that he colours of yellow and green were devised by Prince Regent Pedro. According to the Piraquê Club website (www.piraque.org.br), no longer on line:
“On 7 September 1822, after demanding “Independence or Death,” Prince Regent Pedro (later Emperor Dom Pedro I) removed the Portuguese blue-and-white cockade from his hat and exclaimed, “From now on we will have another laço (ribbon-knot), green and yellow. These will be the national colours.”
It also states:
“On 18 September, Pedro signed three decrees that were the first acts of independent Brazil. The second decree created a new national cockade: “The Brazilian national laço… will be composed of the emblematic colours: green for spring and yellow for gold.…””[8]
On the republican flag, the green background is said to represent the forests, the yellow rhombus stand for the mineral wealth but this is disputed by some as an invention of the Republicans in 1889 as an attempt to deny the monarchist character of the Brazilian flag.[17]The colour green stands today for the agriculture and floral abundance, yellow for the minerals and the gold prospecting. White and blue picture "pioneers and their virtues", and remember the Portuguese descent.[25]

There are some discrepancies regarding the Pantone colours for the flag. They are either given as Green 356 CV, Yellow 3945CV, and Blue 286CV[9] or more reliably as Green 355, Yellow, Blue 280.[10]

There is a great deal of symbolism within the design of the Brazilian flag, none more so than the stars pictured on the celestial globe. The stars, whose position in the flag reflect the sky above Rio de Janeiro on November 15, 1889, represent the union's member-states - each star representing a specific state (which is not the case of the stars in the flag of the United States). The number of stars changes with the creation of new states and, since the early days of the republic, has risen from an original 21 stars to the current 27, standing for the 26 states and the Federal District.[11][12]
The stars and the states they relate to are as follows:

Amazonas - Alpha Canis Minoris (Procyon) Canis Minor
Mato Grosso - Alpha Canis Majoris (Sirius) Canis Major
Amapá - Beta Canis Majoris (Mirzam) Canis Major
Rondônia - Gamma Canis Majoris (Muliphen) Canis Major
Roraima - Delta Canis Majoris (Wezen) Canis Major
Tocantins - Epsilon Canis Majoris (Adhara) Canis Major
Pará - Alpha Virginis (Spica) Virgo
Piauí - Alpha Scorpii (Antares) Scorpius
Maranhão - Beta Scorpii (Graffias) Scorpius
Ceará - Epsilon Scorpii Scorpius
Alagoas - Theta Scorpii (Sargas) Scorpius
Sergipe - Iota Scorpii Scorpius
Paraiba - Kappa Scorpii Scorpius
Rio Grande do Norte - Lambda Scorpii (Shaula) Scorpius
Pernambuco - Mu Scorpii Scorpius
Mato Grosso do Sul - Alpha Hydrae (Alphard) Hydra
Acre - Gamma Hydrae Hydra
São Paulo - Alpha Crucis (Acrux) Crux
Rio de Janeiro - Beta Crucis (Mimosa) Crux
Bahia - Gamma Crucis (Gacrux) Crux
Minas Gerais - Delta Crucis Crux
Espírito Santo - Epsilon Crucis Crux
Rio Grande do Sul - Alpha Trianguli Australis Triangulum Australe
Santa Catarina - Beta Trianguli Australis Triangulum Australe
Paraná - Gamma Trianguli Australis Triangulum Australe
Goiás - Alpha Carinae (Canopus) Carina
Distrito Federal - Sigma Octantis (Polaris Australis) Octans[13]



The star that represents the Federal District is Sigma Octantis, a star whose position near the south celestial pole makes it visible across almost the whole country, all year round. In addition, given its polar position, all the other stars depicted on the flag trace appear to rotate around Sigma Octantis. Choosing this star to represent Brazil's capital is therefore particularly apt (although it is a much fainter star than any of the others).[14]

The celestial sphere itself is symbolic of Brazils historical links with Portugal. Pedersen states in The International Flag Book:
“The symbol of the scroll and the celestial globe were inspired by the armillary sphere in the Arms of Portugal.”[15]
The white band around the sphere has much speculation surrounding it. Meanings varying from it representing the celestial equator, the ecliptic to the belt of the zodiac have been put forward. However it is likely that is nothing more than a place for a motto to be inscribed.[16]

The motto Ordem e Progresso ("Order and Progress") is inspired by Auguste Comte's motto of positivism: L’amour pour principe et l’ordre pour base; le progrès pour but ("Love as a principle and order as the basis; progress as the goal"). It was inserted because several of the people involved in the military coup d'état that deposed the monarchy and proclaimed Brazil a republic were followers of the ideas of Comte's thought including Professor Teixeira Mendes, who conceived the basic design of the flag.[18][19]

Many people are stated to of had an influence in the design of the Brazilian flag. French painter and designer, Jean-Baptiste Debret is attributed the original lozenge design, adopted for the Kingdom of Brazil in 1822. It is thought that the design was inspired by the lozenges on pre-1812 Napoleonic military colors.[21] Ruy Barbosa, lawyer and Minister of Finances and Taxation’s short lived first attempt for a national flag reiterated the colours for the flag. However his flag was vetoed for looking too similar to that of the United States.[20] "Father of the Republic" and an acting president, field marshal Deodoro da Fonseca suggested that the new Republican Flag should resemble the Imperial Flag. The decision was then made to replace only the royal crest with a new design.[22] This new flag was prepared by Professor Raimundo Texeira Mendes who collaborated with Dr. Miguel Lemos and Professor Manuel Pereira Reis, chairman of astronomy at the Polytechnic School, and the design was executed by the painter Décio Vilares.[23] The ball of blue sky and positivist motto "Order and Progress" in place of the royal crown is thought to be the suggestion of Benjamin Constant.[24]

The current national flag and ensign maintains the same design with some minor changes. This 27-star version was adopted on May 12, 1992 (Law 8.421, May 11, 1992).


[1] Os Símbolos Nacionais, Presidência da República, Brasília, 1986 quoted by Pier Paolo Lugli - Flags of the World http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[2] Wikipedia - Flag of Brazil http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brazil
[3] Law on the National Flag - http://www.exercito.gov.br/01inst/Historia/simbnac/simbnasc.htm translated by Joseph McMillan - Flags of the World http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[4] Navio Negreiro - http://www.culturabrasil.org/navionegreiro.htm - Wikipedia - Flag of Brazil http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brazil
[5] Felipe Flores Pinto - Flags of the World http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[6] World Flags 101 - Brazilian Flag Meaning http://www.worldflags101.com/b/brazil-flag.aspx
[7] Translated from Italian http://www.rbvex.it/ameripag/brasile.html
[8] Joseph McMillan - Flags of the World http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[9] Bandeiras do Brasil - http://www.bandeirasdobrasil.hpg.ig.com.br/ citing Ministry of Culture specifications from Flags of the World - http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html. However Flags of the World has no such information.
[10] The Ministry of Development, Industry, and External Commerce - Flags of the World http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[11] Herman De Wael, Flags of the World - http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[12] Wikipedia - Flag of Brazil http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brazil
[13] http://www.exercito.gov.br/01inst/Historia/simbnac/simbnasc.htm
[14] Wikipedia - Flag of Brazil http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brazil
[15] Pedersen, The International Flag Book, (1979), pp 217-8, Christopher Southworth - Flags of the World - http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[16] www.piraque.org.br (page no longer available) - Joseph McMillan, Flags of the World - http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[17] Translated from Italian http://www.rbvex.it/ameripag/brasile.html
[18] Wikipedia - Flag of Brazil http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brazil
[19] Joseph McMillan - Flags of the World http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[20] Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brazil
[21] Joseph McMillan, Flags of the World - http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[22] Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Brazil
[23] Joseph McMillan, Flags of the World - http://flagspot.net/flags/br.html
[24] Translated from Portuguese http://www.brasil.gov.br/pais/simbolos_hinos/simb/
[25] Flaggenlexikon - Translated from German http://www.flaggenlexikon.de
[fig1] Flag of Brazil - Governo Federal http://www.brasil.gov.br/pais/simbolos_hinos/simb/
[fig2] The Celestial Sphere - http://www.exercito.gov.br/01inst/Historia/simbnac/simbnasc.htm

Botswana - Current

The flag of Botswana is azure blue with a black horizontal band across the centre, with white fimbriation. The colours on the flag correspond to those on the national coat of arms. The blue represents water specifically rain, and comes from the motto on the Botswana coat-of-arms, which states Pula, the Setswana word for "Let there be rain".[8] The white-black-white bands depict the racial harmony of the people as well as the pluralist nature of the society. They are inspired by the coat of the zebra, the national animal.[1]

The design of the flag is as follows. “Five horizontal stripes having colour and width as follows, that is to say taken from the top: 1st Stripe - azure blue having a width equal to 9/24ths of the total depth of the flag. 2nd Stripe - white having a width equal to 1/24th of such depth. 3rd Stripe - black having a width equal to 4/24ths of such depth. 4th Stripe - white having a width equal to 1/24th of such depth.
5th Stripe - azure blue having a width equal to 9/24ths of such depth.”[4]

The colour shade for the blue used on the national flag is being discussed by the Botswanan Cabinet. There has been a problem with standardisation and so flags with various shades of blue (from different manufacturers) are seen and the government wants to change this.[2][5] The Legislation on Botswana emblems Act of 1966 states azure blue[4] which The British Navy's "Flags of all nations" gives to be Pantone Azure blue 549C[3].

The origins of the flag are recounted by George Winstanley[6]. Winstanley arrived in the Bechuanaland Protectorate in 1954. After being a District Administrator at several stations, he was transferred to Headquarters in 1962. He was a Clerk to the Legislative and Executive Councils and later Clerk to the Cabinet where he worked closely with Sir Seretse Khama where he helped to organise the first general election in 1965 and the second in 1969.

Regarding the Botswana flag, he states:
"...But I became much involved in selecting a national anthem and in the design of the coat of arms and the flag... It was decided to hold competitions for all three to try and involve the population at large. I issued the necessary notices and received several entries for each category...” (p.235). "The entries received in the flag competition were hopeless so I designed the flag myself. I wanted to make it easy to draw hence the all the straight horizontal lines. The blue background of the flag represents water – vital to the country's agriculture - and the black central strip bordered with two white strips represents racial harmony" (p.236).[6][7]

Whitney Smith’s interpretation of the flags symbolism is as follows:
“Bechuanaland had no distinctive national symbols of its own prior to independence. The national flag, adopted in 1966, symbolically contrasted with the flag of neighbouring South Africa, where the policies of apartheid (racial segregation and the subjugation of nonwhites) were in effect. Botswana proclaimed in the flag’s central black stripe and its white bordering stripes a belief in racial cooperation and equality. The light blue background of the flag is associated with the sky and with water, a scarce and precious commodity in the vast Kalahari desert…”[9]



Construction Sheet

[1] Nick Artimovich, Flags of the World - http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/bw.html
[2] Bruce Berry, Flags of the World - http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/bw.html
[3] Sebastia Herreros, Flags of the World - http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/xf-colo.html
[4] Santiago Tazon, sourcing Legislation on Botswana emblems Act 25,1966, Flags of the World - http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/bw.html
[5] Permanent Secretary to the President of Botswana. Molosiwa Selepeng, BOPA Daily News Archive - http://www.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20000901
[6] George Winstanley -Under Two Flags in Africa: Recollections of a British Administrator in the Bechuanaland Protectorate and Botswana 1954 to 1972 - Colchester: Blackwater Books, 2000
[7] Gerald Noeske, Flags of the World - http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/bw.html
[8] Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Botswana
[9] Whitney Smith - Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1355079/flag-of-Botswana
[Fig 1] S Kopp - Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Botswana
[Fig 2] Željko Heimer - Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Botswana

Bosnia - Current

The current flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina was adopted on 4th February 1998. It contains a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag. The remainder of the flag is blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle. The proportions of the flag are 2:1[10].

The three points of the triangle are understood to stand for the three nationalities of Bosnia: Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs[1][2]. It is also seen to represent the map of Bosnia which looks like a triangle or a heart as some people call it the 'heart-shaped nation'. The stars, representing Europe, are meant to be infinite in number and thus they continue from top to bottom[2]. The flag features colours often associated with neutrality and peace - white, blue, and yellow. The colours yellow and blue are also seen to be taken from the flag of the European Union. They are also colours traditionally associated with Bosnia[1].The yellow is also stated to represent the sun as the source of all light and symbol of life[14].

The current Bosnian flag came about after the need for a new flag was raised in wake of the Dayton Agreement in 1995. The existing banner, unfurled in April 1992 consisted of six golden fleur-de-lys with a white diagonal band across them. Most Serbs and Croats, however, view the design as "too Muslim"[3] and as appropriated by Bosniaks[13].

A list of tasks was drawn up by the governments involved in helping the process of putting Bosnia back together, for the new Bosnian leaders to achieve. A new design for a flag, was supposed to have been agreed upon by 1st September 1997. This however did not happen and The Bonn Peace Implementation Council invited the High Representative to establish a process leading to a decision on a new flag and symbols. The High Representative announced his intention to establish an independent commission to propose alternatives for the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The commission consisted of Mr. Mladen Kolobaric, Professor. Nedo Milicevic, Dean. Sado Musabegovic, Professor. Marco Orsolic, Mr. Ranko Risojevic, Mr. Vehid Sehic and Professor. Gajo Sekulic representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina's academic and intellectual community. At the first informal encounter of the Commission on 10th January 1998, chaired by SDHR Hanns Schumacher, the commission agreed to submit its proposition for the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the High Representative[4].

The commission came up with three final solutions of the new flag design, all three designs presented had a light-blue background. The first solution contained a triangle and nine stars, the second proposal had three yellow and two white lines, and the third one depicted five yellow and five white alternating lines making a yellow-white triangle[8]. All three proposals were of proportions 1:2 and of the colours
light blue, Pantone 637C and yellow, Pantone 116C[9]. The background colour of light blue, similar to the colour of the Organization of United Nations was said to express Bosnian membership to the world community of states[14].

The decision was given to the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the adoption of one of the proposals. The Parliament failed to accept any and High Representative Carlos Westerndorp imposed a new national flag[5].

The flag chosen to be imposed as the new national flag by Westerndorp was closely based on the commissions Alternative No.1. However, it was changed slightly to a darker blue to symbolize the European Union's flag[6].



Alternative No.1


The new flag did not receive a warm welcome across Bosnia, the mayor in the city of Zvornik refused to accept the new flag presented to him by the deputy High Representative Jacques Klein[7]. News reports also stated "Sarajevo's intellectuals yesterday sent an open letter of protest to Carlos Westendorp, the international High Representative, arguing that the new flag he has imposed on Bosnia is "the final way to kill" the nation." It also said that "The intellectuals, led by Muhammad Filipovic, Professor of Logic at Sarajevo University, have demanded that Bosnians be allowed a referendum to decide their new flag."[11]. The use of the flag for meetings of common institutions had even to be imposed by the High Commisioner[12].

The colours of the flag are specified as blue, Pantone Reflex Blue, CMYK C.40 M.0 Y. K.0 and yellow, Pantone 116c, CMYK C.0 M.20 Y.100 K.0[9](the same as the European Union's flag).[15].


Construction Sheet

[1] Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina
[2] Heimer, Flags of the World - http://flagspot.net/flags/ba.html
[3] "The Economist"; September 6, 1997; p. 52
[4] OHR Press Statement, Sarajevo, 12 January 1998 - www.ohr.int/press/p980112a.htm
[5] BBC World Service - http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_53000/53265.stm
[6] Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina
[7] The news agency of the Republika Srpska, SRNA
[8] BiH TV News 27 January 98, 19:30.
[9] Engene, Flags of the World - http://flagspot.net/flags/ba.html
[10] http://www.vexilla-mundi.com/bosnia_&_herzegovina.htm
[11] Tom Walker: Bosnian intellectuals wash their hands of flag 'like soap powder box', The Times, 5th February 1998.
[12] http://www.ohr.int/decisions/statemattersdec/default.asp?content_id=345
[13] http://public.carnet.hr/fame/descr/ba-prop.html
[14] Westendorp in a news report from ONASA (Oslobodjenje News Agency Sarajevo)
[15] Bartram, Flags of the World - http://flagspot.net/flags/ba-fccho.html
[Fig 1] Current flag of Bosnia & Herzegovina - Kseferovic
[Fig 2] Alternative No1 - Vernes Seferovic
[Fig 3] Construction Sheet - Jan Oskar Engene from Flags Of The World - http://flagspot.net/flags/ba_con.html

Bolivia - Current

The current flag of Bolivia was originally adopted by Bolivia on 31st October 1851 and confirmed on 14th July 1888 [1]. The state flag and ensign (and war flag) is a horizontal tricolour of red, yellow, and green with the Bolivian coat of arms in the centre. The civil flag and ensign of Bolivia omits the coat of arms.

The colours of the flag are given as; red Pantone 485c,green Pantone 356c, and yellow is Pantone Process Yellow [3], or Pantone 107c [4].

One source, gives the symbolism of the colours as red for Bolivia's brave soldiers, while the green symbolizes fertility and yellow the nation's mineral deposits [2]. Another mentions the symbolism of the colours, as patriotic bloodshed, nature’s bounty, and verdure and hope [7].

The ratio of the flag is widely excepted to be 2:3 [5]. However it is also officially stated as 7.5:11(or 15:22) [6].

The Coat of Arms of Bolivia consists of an oval shield depicting a landscape with a stylized illustration of Mount Potosi in bright sunshine and, in the foreground, a South American alpaca, a breadfruit tree, and a wheat sheaf, with a forest and a house in the middle distance. The upper golden border of the oval bears the name of the country BOLIVIA in red letters, and the lower blue border is charged with ten gold five-pointed stars representing the departments of the country. Behind the oval there are two crossed cannon barrels, six Bolivian flags, four rifles, a Phrygian cap of liberty, an Inca battle-axe and a laurel wreath; perched on the oval shield is an Andean condor[8][9]. A extra star was added to symbolise the lost department of Litoral, Bolivia’s only access to the sea. Bolivia still claims this territory, which was lost in the Pacific War (1879-1884) to Chile[10].

Coat of Arms







A Wiphala [wiˈphala] is to be established as the dual flag of Bolivia along with the red, yellow, and green banner in the newly drafted and proposed Bolivian constitution to be ratified by national referendum on 25th January 2009. It is a square emblem, commonly used as a flag, representing the native peoples of the central Andes and Bolivian Amazon region of South America[11][12].

The Wiphala consists of seven colours the meanings of which are; red: the earth and the Andean man, orange: society and culture, yellow: energy, white: time, green: natural resources, blue: the heavens and violet: Andean government and self-determination[13].

Wiphala









[1] Ollé, Flags of the World - http://www.fotw.net/flags/bo.html
[2] Whitney Smith, Flags through the Ages and Across the World, McGraw-Hill Book Co.: New York, (1975)
[3] Art. 3 of the flag law - http://www.comunica.gov.bo/cgi-bin/index.cgi?m2004073005
[4] Official model of the Naval Ensign - http://www.fotw.net/flags/bo~.html
[5] Armand du Payrat, Album des pavillons nationaux et des marques distinctive, S.H.O.M. (Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine): Brest, (2000)
[6] Art. 2 of the flag law - http://www.comunica.gov.bo/cgi-bin/index.cgi?m2004073053
[7] Art. 1 of the flag law - http://www.comunica.gov.bo/cgi-bin/index.cgi?m2004073053
[8] Ludvík Mucha, Webster’s concise Encyclopedia of flags & coats of Arms, Crescent Books: New York,(1985)
[9] Noah Webster; William Torrey Harris, Webster’s new international dictionary of the English language, G. & C. Merriam Co.: Springfield, Mass. U.S(1924)
[10] Fischer, Flags of the World - http://www.fotw.net/flags/bo).html
[11] "Bandera indígena boliviana es incluida como símbolo patrio en nueva Constitución", United Press International. - http://espanol.upi.com/Politica/2008/10/22/bandera_indgena_boliviana_es_incluida_como_smbolo_patrio_en_nueva_constitucin/9741/
[12] Nueva Constitución Política del Estado, 2007 - http://www.scribd.com/doc/6056118/Nueva-Constitucion-Politica-de-Bolivia-Texto-completo-aprobado-2007
[13] Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiphala#cite_note-0

Bhutan - Current

The national flag of Bhutan consists of a white dragon over a yellow and orange background. The flag is divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner, making two triangles. The upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange. The dragon is centred along the dividing line, facing away from the hoist side.
This flag, with minor variations, has been in use since the 19th century. It reached its current form in 1960.

Bhutan is a Buddhist state where power is shared by the king and government. The country's name in the local dialect means Land of the Dragon. In Bhutan, thunder is believed to be the voices of dragons roaring. In about 1200, a monastery was set up called the Druk (Thunder Dragon) with a sect called the Drukpas, named after it. The name and the emblem of the dragon have been associated with Bhutan ever since. The dragon on the flag is white to symbolize purity. The dragon grasps jewels, representing wealth, in its claws. The snarling mouth represents the strength of the male and female deities protecting the country[7]. The two colours of the flag, divided diagonally, represent spiritual and temporal power within Bhutan. The saffron yellow field symbolizes the secular monarchy, while the orange represents the Drukpas monasteries and Buddhist religion.

The flag is one of the few national flags to feature orange as a prominent colour, and one of only two national flags to depict a dragon, the other being the flag of Wales. [1]

There has been some dispute over the colours used on the flag. The suggested colours range from; saffron yellow & orange [2], orange & red-orange [3], saffron yellow & red-orange [4], to orange & maroon [5].

The colours are given by the Flag Institute of Great Britain as saffron over orange-red.Estimated as Pantone 116c and Pantone 165c [6].

[1] Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Bhutan
[2] Ultimate Pocket Flags of the World, DK Publishing Inc., (1997)
[3] Whitney Smith, Flags Through the Ages and Across the World, McGraw-Hill Book Co.: New York(1975)
[4] Armand du Payrat, Album des pavillons nationaux et des marques distinctive, S.H.O.M. (Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine): Brest (1995)
[5] Christian Fogd Pedersen, Alverdens flag i farver, Politikens Forlag: København (1970)
[6] Southworth, Flags of the World - http://www.fotw.net/flags/bt.html
[7] Ultimate Pocket Flags of the World, DK Publishing Inc., (1997)

Belize - Current

The flag of Belize is a continued version of the earlier flag of British Honduras (the name of Belize during the British colonial period). The flag is royal blue, with a white disc at the centre containing the National Coat of Arms surrounded by fifty mahogany leaves. The flag is bordered at top and bottom by two red stripes. [2]British Honduras obtained a coat-of-arms on 28th January 1907, which formed the basis of the badge used on British ensigns. The coat of arms recalls the logging industry that first led to British settlement there. The figures, tools, and mahogany tree represents this industry. From 1950 onward an unofficial national flag was in use. It was blue, with a modified version of the arms on a white disk in the centre (sometimes a blank white circle was used as the coat of arms was difficult to draw). [1]

The coat of arms is described in heraldic terms as follows. Crest a mahogany tree proper. Escutcheon Party per pall inverted, 1st Argent a paddle and a squaring axe proper in saltire 2nd Or a saw and beating axe proper in saltire 3rd per fess bleu celeste and barry wavy or vert azure above the last a sailing ship proper. Supporters Dexter a Caucasian woodsman proper garbed in trousers argent bearing in the dexter hand a beating axe proper, sinister an African woodsman proper garbed in trousers argent bearing in the sinister hand a paddle proper Compartment A grassy field proper Motto “SUB UMBRA FLOREO” “Under the shade I flourish” Other elements The whole surrounded by a wreath of 25 leaves proper. [5]

The red, white and blue flag of Belize are a symbol of national unity. The colours are respectively those of the country's national parties, the People's United Party (PUP) and United Democratic Party (Belize) (UDP). The UDP, established in 1973, had objected to the original blue and white design, those two colours being the PUP's representative colours. The two red stripes at the top and bottom were added to the original design at independence on 21st September 1981. They were added to denote the colour of the opposition party. The 50 leaves recall 1950, the year PUP came to power.[3]

The flag of Belize is unique in that it contains twelve colours, three more than on any other national flag. Also, it is the only country to have human beings depicted on its national flag (the flags of Montserrat and the Virgin Islands, both British dependencies, also depict humans). [4]

The colours of the flag are estimated as;
Red: Pantone 186c, RGB 200-17-38
Blue: Pantone 294c, RGB 0-63-135
White: Pantone Safe, RGB 255-255-255
Yellow: Pantone 110c, RGB 216-181-17
Green: Pantone 356c, RGB 0-122-61
Black: Pantone Safe, RGB 0-0-0 [6]

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Belize
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Belize
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Belize
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Belize
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Belize & http://www.governmentofbelize.gov.bz/ab_symbols.html
[6] http://www.caribbeanflags.com/Scripts/cp_CaribbeanFlagPantoneColors.asp

Benin - Current

The national flag of Benin was originally adopted in 1959. It was changed upon the accession of the Marxist regime in 1975, but upon the removal of the regime, the old design was reintroduced on 1st August 1990. The Constitution of the Republic of Benin describes the flag as “.. a tricolour flag of green, yellow and red. Next to the staff is a green band for the entire height and two-fifth of the length, with two equal horizontal bands: the upper one yellow and the lower one red.” [4]

The colours are the traditional Pan-African colours. The colours of the flag are explained in the national anthem as follows:

Quand partout souffle un vent de colère et de haine.
Béninois, sois fier, et d'une âme sereine,
Confiant dans l'avenir, regarde ton drapeau!
Dans le vert tu liras l'espoir du renouveau,
De tes aïeux le rouge évoque le courage;
Des plus riches trésors le jaune est le présage. [3]

Translated to English:

When a wind of wrath and hate blows everywhere,
Citizen of Benin, be proud, and with a serene soul,
Confident in the future, look at your flag!
In the green [field] you shall read the hope of revival,
The red recalls the courage of your ancestors,
The yellow is the omen of the richest treasures.

Pedersen associates red to the soil, yellow to the savannas and green to palm trees. Smith agrees with Pedersen, except for the red symbolizing the blood of ancestors. [1]

The colours of the flag are estimated as:

Green: Pantone 347c, RGB 0-158-96
Yellow: Pantone Yellow, RGB 252-224-22
Red: Pantone Red 032, RGB 239-43-45 [2]

[1] http://flagspot.net/flags/bj.html
[2] http://www.caribbeanflags.com/Scripts/cp_CaribbeanFlagPantoneColors.asp
[3] http://www.beninensis.net/benin_hymne.html
[4] Vagnat & Poels. Constitutions - What they tell us about national flags and coat of arms.

Bermuda - Current

The Flag of Bermuda was adopted on 4th October 1910.[1]However there is some dispute that the flag was only officially approved in 1967.[2] It is a British Red Ensign the defaced with the coat of arms of Bermuda in the centred in the fly half.[5] The flag is unusual as it is the only remaining red ensign used by a British colony as opposed to the traditional blue ensign. Red ensigns were also used by Canada until 1965 and South Africa 1910-1928.

The Coat of Arms of Bermuda depicts a white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of a ship.[3] The red lion is a symbol of England and alludes to Bermuda's relationship with that country. The wrecked ship is the Sea Venture, the flag ship of the Virginia Company. The ship was deliberately driven on to the reefs of Bermuda, by Admiral Sir George Somers, in 1609, to prevent it from foundering in a storm. All aboard survived, resulting in the settlement of the Island.[4]

The colours of the are:
Blue: Pantone 281c, RGB 0-40-104
Red: Pantone 186c, RGB 206-17-38 [6]

“The shade of red on British Union flags and derived ensigns is a dark red. The Pantone reference is 186. It is slightly different from "Old Glory" red which is Pantone 185.” [7]

The correct ratio for all defaced Red or Blue Ensigns is 1:2.


[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Bermuda
[2] http://flagspot.net/flags/bm.html from www.geocities.com/p_taggett
[3] http://www.national-symbol.com/B/Bermuda/Bermuda-national-symbol.html
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_Arms_of_Bermuda
[5] Christopher Southworth, 20/11/2005 from http://flagspot.net/flags/bm.html
[6] http://www.caribbeanflags.com/Scripts/cp_CaribbeanFlagPantoneColors.asp
[7] Graham Bartram, 13/9/2000 from http://flagspot.net/flags/bm.html

Belgium - Current

The national flag of Belgium (Dutch: Vlag van België, French: Drapeau de la Belgique, German: Flagge Belgiens) contains three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France, whereas the colours were taken from the colours of the Duchy of Brabant a province in the former Low Countries (today Belgium and the Netherlands), which extended from the Walloon province of Walloon Brabant, over the Flemish provinces of Flemish Brabant (and Brussels) and Antwerpen, and up to the Dutch province of North-Brabant. The arms of Brabant show on a black field a yellow lion facing the viewer's left, with a red tongue and nails. The heraldic description (blazon) of these arms is "Sable a lion rampant or armed and langued gules". When riots were starting as result of the Belgian revolution against the Dutch domination, a civil guard was established which wore the colours of Brabant. Its unusual proportions (13:15) are of unknown origin.

The flag was adopted 23rd January 1831, soon after the Belgians gained their independence from the Netherlands in 1830. The flag had played an important role during the revolt, where the colours of the flag served as a reminder of an older flag with horizontal bands used during a previous revolt in 1789 in the then Austrian Netherlands. The original flag was with horizontal bars, but it was changed to vertical because of the resemblance with the flag of the Netherlands.
Article 193 of the Constitution of Belgium describes the colours of the Belgian Nation as Red, Yellow and Black instead of the order used in the above official flag.

The colours of the flag are, red: Pantone 186 c / CMYK (%) C0 - M90 - Y80 - K5 and yellow: Pantone 116 c / CMYK (%) C0 - M15 - Y95 - K0

There is a dispute over the correctness of the Belgium flag. Quoting an article published (originally in Dutch) in De Standaard, 2nd November 1999. “Black, yellow, red, starting from the pole. That's how we've always known the Belgian flag. But if you read the Constitution, this isn't correct, says Karel Rimanque, professor at the University of Antwerp. Article 193 of the so often revised Constitution still says:
The Belgian Nation chooses as its colours red, yellow and black. In 1830 too, they used to describe the flag starting from the pole. Thus, our flag is different: red at the pole, yellow in the middle, and black at the fly. Does this mean that the Constitution has been broken for all 168 years? Was it interpreted wrongly at the beginning and did nobody ever notice the error? Anyway, either we have to correct this article, or we have to correct our flag.”

Belarus - Current

The current national flag of Belarus (Belarusian: Сцяг Беларусі, Stsyah Byelarusi; Russian: Флаг Беларуси, Flag Belarusi) was formally adopted on 7th June 1995, following the result of a referendum voted on by the Belarusian people in the previous month. This new design replaced a historical flag used by the Belarusian People's Republic of 1918, before Belarus became a Soviet Republic, and again after it regained its independence in 1991. The current flag is a modification of the 1951 flag used while the country was a republic of the Soviet Union.

The national flag of Belarus, was described in a decree on 7th June 1995 as follows, “The national flag is a rectangular cloth consisting of two longitudinal stripes: red upper stripe and green lower stripe that are two-thirds and one-third of the flag width respectively. A vertical red-on-white Belarusian decorative pattern, which occupies one-ninth of the flag's length, is placed against the flagstaff. The flag’s ratio of width to length is 1:2. The flag is fixed on a flagstaff painted golden (ochre).”

The flag does not differ significantly from the flag of the Byelorussian SSR, other than the removal of the hammer and sickle and the red star, and the reversal of red and white in the hoist pattern.
The red colour of the flag signifies the past history of Belarus, as the colour used by the Belarusian forces at the Battle of Grunwald, and of the Red Army when they were fighting Nazi Germany during World War II. Green stands for aspirations about the future, and also represents the many forests located in the country.

While the colours of the flag are red, green, and white, the exact shades have not been determined by either law or decree. The publication Album des pavillons nationaux et des marques distinctives gave an estimate of what the colours are in the Pantone, CMYK and RGB colour processes.

Red 1795c, 0-90-100-0, 255-0-0
Green 370c, 60-0-100-25, 0-153-0
White Safe, 0-0-0-0, 255-255-255

Hoist ornament pattern

There is a decorative pattern displayed on the hoist of the flag(1/9 length and previously displayed on the 1951 flag). Designed in 1917 by Matrena Markevich, the pattern is commonly used in Belarus to show local plants and flowers. These patterns are also woven into outfits, and also used for a traditional woven craft called rushniks, traditional towels decorated with the ornamental pattern that are used for ceremonial events. An example of their use would be a host offering his guests bread and salt, which would then be served on a rushnik. Rushniks are also used at religious services, funerals, and other social functions. On the current flag, the ornamentation is used to symbolize the cultural past, and current Belarusian unity.

Barbados - Current

The national flag of Barbados was officially adopted on 30th November 1966, the island's first Independence Day. It consists of a triband of two bands of ultramarine separated by a golden middle band. A black trident head is centred within the golden band.

The flag is composed of three vertical panels - the outer panels of ultramarine and the centre panel of gold. A broken trident in black is placed at the centre of the flag. The British standard colour code numbers for the colours of the flag are as follows - Ultramarine -- BCC148, Pantone Blue 280c, CMYK 100-70-0-20 and Gold --BS0/002, Pantone Yellow 123c, CMYK 0-30-90-0. The ultramarine bands symbolise the ocean and the sky, and the golden band symbolises the sand of Barbados.
The symbol in the centre panel is the Trident of the mythical sea god Neptune. This symbol appears in the Seal of the colony which was replaced by the Barbados Coat of Arms. The trident head - also known as the 'broken trident' - symbolizes Barbados' independence from the United Kingdom (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident). Each point represents a point of democracy.
The flag is designed in the proportion 2:3.

The National Flag was designed by Mr. Grantley W. Prescod. His design was chosen from 1,029 entries in an open competition organised by the Government of Barbados. Mr. Prescod was awarded a Gold Medal, an inscribed scroll from the government and $500 which was donated by the Advocate Company Limited. The judges of the competition were Mr. Bruce St. John, Chairman, Major Leonard Banfield, Mr. Maurice Cave, Mr. Neville Connell, Mrs. Enid Lynch and Mrs. B. Ward.
Mr. Prescod attended St. Barnabas Boys School. He taught before undertaking a one year course at the West of England College of Art for Specialist Teachers of Art in 1962-63. He also attained a certificate in Education from Bristol University. Between 19670-72 he studied for a Master of Education degree, majoring in Art Education at Temple University, Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Mr. Prescod taught at the Parkinson Secondary School. He served as an Education Officer from September 1977 until his retirement in February 1987. Mr. Prescod died on November 12, 2003 at the age of 77.

Bangladesh - Current

The national flag of Bangladesh was adopted officially on 17th January 1972. A red disc is on top of the green field, offset slightly toward the hoist so that it appears centred when the flag is flying. The red disc represents the sun rising over Bengal, and is a symbol of the rising Sun of independence after the dark night of a blood-drenched struggle. According to Flags of the World, the green used in the flag does not represent the traditional colours of Islam, contrary to some western sources. Rather, the green colour was chosen to represent the lushness of the natural landscape of Bangladesh.

According to Bangladesh Government specifications, following is the specification of the national flag. The flag will be in bottle green and rectangular in size in the proportion of 10:6, with a red circle in the middle. The red circle will have a radius of one-fifth of the length of the flag. Its centre will be placed on the intersecting point of the perpendicular drawn from the nine-twentieth part of the length of the flag, and the horizontal line drawn through the middle of its width. The green base of the flag will be of Procion Brilliant Green H-2RS 50 parts per 1000. The red circular part will be of Procion Brilliant Orange H-2RS 60 parts per 1000. Depending on the size of the building the flag sizes will be 10´ x 6´; 5´ x 3´; 2½´ x 1½´. The size of the flag for car is 12½" x 7 ½", and the size of the table flag for bilateral conferences is 10" x 6".

It is based on a similar flag used during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. The flag used a map of Bangladesh and this was later deleted from the flag in 1972 by the order of General Manzur. One reason given was the difficulty rendering the map correctly on both sides of the flag.

Attached is a PDF on the flag rules of Bangladesh.

Bahrain - Current

The national flag of Bahrain (Arabic: علم البحرين‎) consists of a white band on the left, separated from a red area on the right by five triangles that serve as a serrated line. Red is the traditional colour for flags of the Persian Gulf states. The white is on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam.

The oldest known flags of Bahrain were plain red. In 1820, Bahrain signed a treaty with Great Britain, and a white stripe was added to the flag to indicate the truce. In 1932, a serrated edge was added to distinguish the flag of Bahrain from those of its neighbours. The flag originally had twenty-eight white points, but this was reduced to eight in 1972. In 2002 the number of triangles was again reduced to five, so that each of the points could stand for one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The new flag was officially adopted on 14th February 2002.

The ratio of the national flag was changed from de facto 2:3 to prescribed 3:5.

The colours of the flag are approximated as Red, Pantone 186 c, CMYK (%) C 0 - M 90 - Y 80 - K 5.