Who has not ever played, as a child, to guess the flags of the countries?
What we could not imagine is the history and the symbology that is hidden behind each of them. Below we present the 10 rarest world flags, both countries and regions .
Today, the flags serve to represent the identities of each region and show us a part of its history, which is why they often have military connotations or refer to other countries, as is the case with some colonial flags.
The most curious thing is that the colors that make up each badge have a reason. For example, yellow is a symbol of generosity while black reflects an ethnic heritage, which is why many African countries use it. In short, the flags are a mirror of the country’s culture.
- It may interest you: The 8 most incredible indigenous peoples in the world.
The 10 strangest flags in the world
We present the strangest flags that exist. You may have never seen them, but we assure you that they are completely real.
1. Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Many associate these three “x’s” with the legalization of prostitution and marijuana in the Netherlands, but the reason for this design is very different.
Amsterdam flag. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
The truth is that those three “x” are not letters, but the three crosses of Saint Andrew (a martyred apostle) that also appear on the city’s coat of arms. Another popular belief holds that the crosses symbolize the three threats to the city: fire, floods and the black plague.
2. Mozambique
The only flag in the world that makes explicit reference to the war, and that is that in the yellow star we find an AK-47, a Russian-made assault rifle.
Mozambican flag. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
The national flag is based on the Mozambican Liberation Front , which itself was used for a short time. In short, it symbolizes the struggle for the independence of the country. Red also symbolizes resistance to colonialism.
3. Easter Island
One of the rarest flags in the world, and this red shape looks like the typical figure with which a psychologist would ask you the question: what do you see here
Flag of Easter Island. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
It is known in the local language as Te Reva Rimiro and includes the insignia of the Rapa Nui ethnic group . It is a pectoral ornament used by tribal chiefs as a symbol of authority. In a first version there were also four human figures representing an island ritual.
4. Nepal
The Nepalese flag has always aroused curiosity, and it is the only one in the world that does not follow a rectangular shape. We explain the reason.
Nepalese flag. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
The two triangles represent the Himalayasand inside we can see the symbols of the two main religions of the country: Hinduism and Buddhism. They also refer to the moon and the sun, and the wish that Nepal last as long as those two celestial bodies.
5. Central African Republic
There’s probably no color combination as tacky as this one, but there’s a reason the Central African Republic flag is like that.
Flag of the Central African Republic. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
Barthelemy Boganda, first president of the autonomous region of Ubangui-Chari, assured that he would like “France and Africa to walk together”. For that reason, he combined the colors of both ensigns. The red of the vertical line symbolizes the blood shed by Central Africans for independence.
6. Isle of Man
The first thing that strikes us about this insignia is the drawing of the three limbs with armor. The truth is that the design reveals part of its history.
Flag of the Isle of Man. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
The symbol inside is a trinacia , a Celtic emblem used by many ancient civilizations. This particular emblem is also known as the “Three Legs of Man” and the toes always point clockwise.
7. Antwerp (Netherlands)
This is surely the most psychedelic design we have come across. There are quite a few flags around the world that follow a checkered pattern, but Antwerp’s is very special.
Antwerp flag. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
Specifically, the flag is made up of 24 white, yellow, red and blue squares. The origin of this combination is not clear , although it is possible that it refers to the situation of the city in the region of Flanders, in Belgium.
8. Bhutan
Of the flags of the world with a more spectacular design, especially for the Asian dragon that shines in the center. What many do not know is that this dragon has its own history.
Bhutanese flag. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
Is aboutDruk, the dragon of thunder , which in turn represents the name of Butan in Tibetan (“Druk Yul” or “the land of the dragon”). Druk holds jewels in his claws, which symbolize abundance. Yellow is due to the monarchy, while orange represents the Buddhist religion.
9. Uganda
The oriflamma of Uganda is very striking, not only because of the colors chosen but because of the animal that appears in the central circle. Do you know what animal is
Flag of Uganda. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
The most astute will have guessed that it is a crane, the national bird of the country and a symbol of the Ugandan soldiers during the British colonization. The badge was designed by a former Ugandan justice minister and remains to this day.
10. Sicily (Italy)
This flag reminds us a lot of the Isle of Man, although in this case the three legs are bare and we can also see a face.
Sicily flag. | Image from: Wikimedia Commons.
Again, it is the trinacia on which we see the face of Medusa with wings and three ears of wheat , representing the prosperity of the region. The two colors represent the cities of Palermo and Corleone.
