The origins of the Greek flag that we know today can be traced back to the Hellenic Revolution in 1821 during which the Greeks declared their independence from the Ottoman Empire. The First National Assembly at Epidaurus adopted the current design, the “sea” flag, differing from the land flag (a white cross on a blue backdrop) and the merchant marine flag (a blue cross on a white background).
The origins of the Greek flag’s two components, a cross and stripes, are difficult to trace. Both elements have ancient historical connotations, but there are no records from the National Assembly at Epidaurus explaining the exact reasons for the flag’s key features.
There have been dozens of versions of the Greek flag since the early 19th century, but the cross has always been a central feature. Many versions of the Greek flag feature only a cross (no stripes), sometimes with a coat of arms or crown at the center of the cross displaying allegiance to a particular leader. The cross on today’s Greek flag occupies the region in the top left corner, and is a white cross with a blue background, much like a mini-version of the old Greek land flag. The cross, although Greece is now a democracy, demonstrates the Greek people’s devotion to and respect for the Greek Orthodox Church. During the Ottoman rule, the Greek Orthodox Church helped the Greeks to retain their language, religion, and ethnic identity and Christianity is still the predominant religion among Greeks.
The Greek flag has nine blue and white stripes and there are two popular beliefs regarding the number nine. There are nine letters in the Greek word for freedom, eleytheria. There are also nine syllables in the phrase, “Eleftheria i Thanatos,” which translates as “Liberty or Death,” and was the motto during the Hellenic Revolution against the Ottoman Empire in 1821. And despite popular beliefs, some simply believe that the design of the Greek emulates other prominent flags, such as the British East India Company’s 17th-century flag or the U.S. flag.
The blue and white colors of the flag symbolize the blue water and white-capped waves of the sea that surround the Greek peninsula. According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, emerged from the waves of the Aegean sea.
In light of the recent uprising in Kyrgyzstan, we’ve decided to supply you the public with a bit of information concerning the nation’s flag. Truth be told, the Kyrgyzstan flag is rather attractive, featuring of a glorious red field upon which is placed a brilliant yellow sun with forty uniformly spaced golden rays emanating from it.
The red background of the Kyrgyzstan flag is meant to represent bravery and valor, while the flag’s sun represents peace and wealth. The tunduk, which can be seen at the flag’s center, is a symbol replicated in much of the architecture of Kyrgyzstan and is based on the “crown” of traditional Kyrgyz yurts, or houses. On the Kyrgyzstan flag it’s meant to represent the family home or, by extension, the universe.
As for the forty uniformly spaced golden rays emanating from the brilliant sun, word has it that they represent the forty Kyrgyz tribes that were united against the Mongols by Manas, the epic hero of Kyrgyzstan.
The flag was adopted on March 3, 1992 by the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan, after the nation had become the very last Soviet republic to secede. Today Kyrgyzstan is home to an American military base which is key to our efforts in Afghanistan. The recent uprising in Kyrgyzstan has therefore come as some cause for concern, but we’re sure everything will work out just fine in the end.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be getting under way in less time than you think. It’s scheduled to start on June 11, and whether you’re planning to cheer for the good old U.S. of A. or some other country, a good way of showing your support is by wearing a classy, patriotic patch or pin from the United States Flag Store.
Pins and patches from most of the top teams participating in this year’s World Cup are available, including Brazil, Spain, England, Portugal, Mexico and the United States. If you can’t decide who to cheer for, you can always have pins the feature two country flags custom made. You could, for instance, make a pin featuring the U.S. and British flags.
Many different patches are available at the United States Flag Store as well. Throwing your support behind the French this year? Make sure to check out the French patch, which is machine embroidered and very detailed. Best of all, the patch has a vinyl back, meaning it can be either ironed of sown to just about anything, including backpacks, shirts, pants and hats.
Of course, flags for each of the countries taking part in the 2010 World Cup are also available. There’s no better way to let the entire neighborhood know where you stand than hanging a beautiful 3×5 flag outside your home. Those from Mexico are particularly attractive if you ask me.
If you’re heading out for the evening to watch the games amongst friends, why get yourself some of our hand flags. Available in both 4×6 inch and 12×18 inch sizes, these flags are perfect for waving in the streets or bars of your hometown. They’re also great for anyone that is actually planning on attending the World Cup, as they can be easily waved from the stands.