The national flag is the most important and deeply revered symbol of any country in the world. It represents the state and its people on the international stage, whether it’s at political conferences or sporting events. In certain circumstances, raised flags compel people to die and kill, to experience pride and awe. Today, we’ll examine the most intriguing flags from different corners of the world. Perhaps it’s worth noting that this isn’t a hit parade, and location doesn’t matter. Currently, there are 195 recognized states — we’ll only choose from among them.
Kiribati
Region: Oceania. Area: 812 km². Population: 115,300. Capital: South Tarawa.
Kiribati is the only country in the world located in all four hemispheres. It has no armed forces, only a coast guard and a small police force. Tourists rarely visit here, not because of crime levels, but due to its remoteness from major transportation arteries. Twenty-four-hour uninterrupted electricity is only available in the capital and its immediate suburbs. In the late 19th century, the writer Robert Louis Stevenson lived on Butaritari Atoll — the author of the novel “Treasure Island.”
Kingdom of Eswatini
Region: Africa. Area: 17,364 km². Population: 1,104,479. Capital: Mbabane.
Until 2018, it was known as the Kingdom of Swaziland, named after the indigenous Swazi people. The renaming was aimed at rejecting Anglicism. In the local language, Eswatini also means “land of the Swazi.” All political parties are banned in the country. Thus, King Mswati III remains the last absolute monarch in Africa. He is depicted on all Eswatini banknotes and is the wealthiest person in the country.
Nepal
Region: Asia. Area: 147,516 km². Population: 29,640,448. Capital: Kathmandu.
Nepal has a unique, one-of-a-kind flag in the world that is not quadrilateral. It consists of two joined pennants containing the symbolism of two branches of the ruling dynasty. The design suggests that Nepal will exist as long as the Sun and the Moon. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, where a caste system similar to that of India persists. The main sources of income are foreign tourism and the sale of postage stamps.
Mexico
Region: North America. Area: 1,972,550 km². Population: 129,151,256. Capital: Mexico City.
The Aztec god of sun and war, Huitzilopochtli, instructed the people to search for an eagle perched on a cactus devouring a snake. The Aztecs searched long, and suddenly, one of the keen-eyed warriors spotted the described scene. At that spot, the city of Tenochtitlan was erected—the capital of the emerging empire. After the expulsion of the Spanish and the conquest of independence, Mexico would declare itself an empire twice more. Overall, this status would be maintained for only six years.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Region: Europe. Area: 51,197 km². Population: 3,531,159. Capital: Sarajevo.
This is the most fragile state formation in Europe, and perhaps in the world. The country consists of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, predominantly inhabited by Bosniaks and Croats, divided into two parts—the Republika Srpska and the special district of Brčko, under the external control of representatives of the European Union and the United States. The country operates two parallel governments, and two national currencies are in use. This is the result of the Bosnian War—the bloodiest episode in the process of the disintegration of Yugoslavia.
Antigua and Barbuda
Region: Caribbean Basin. Area: 440 km². Population: 100,772. Capital: St. John’s.
The islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus during his second expedition in 1493. Local tribes displayed hostility towards the newcomers, so Europeans struggled to establish permanent settlements for a long time. There are no freshwater rivers or lakes on the islands; all drinking water reserves are found in underground sources. Cricket is the most popular sport, echoing British colonialism.
Mozambique
Region: Africa. Area: 799,380 km². Population: 31,693,239. Capital: Maputo.
It has the only flag in the world featuring modern weaponry, specifically an AK-47 rifle. Positioned on the yellow star, symbolizing hope, are a book and a hoe, representing education and labor. Since 2005, Mozambican public figures have insisted on removing the image of the weapon from the flag. Conservative segments of the population oppose this, but a rebranding is likely to occur in the foreseeable future. The events of the film “The Gun Runner” depict the war in Mozambique.
Papua New Guinea
Region: Oceania. Area: 462,840 km². Population: 7,059,653. Capital: Port Moresby.
The red portion of the flag features the Bird of Paradise—a real animal with that name. On the other half is the Southern Cross constellation. Papua New Guinea remains one of the most unexplored places on the planet, with severely underdeveloped infrastructure and deep jungles inhabited by uncontacted tribes, including cannibals. It was somewhere there that Michael Rockefeller disappeared—the great-grandson of the first-ever dollar billionaire, John D. Rockefeller.
Belize
Region: Central America. Area: 22,966 km². Population: 430,131. Capital: Belmopan.
The first European settlements in Belize were established by English and Scottish pirates. The local coastline proved to be a convenient location for raiding Spanish caravans. Today, Belize is the only country in Central and South America where English is the official language. It is also the only country in this region where Russians require visas for entry. The inscription on the flag reads: “Under the shade, I flourish.” This is the national motto, referring to the logging industry that has made Belize a relatively developed country.
Brunei
Region: Southeast Asia. Area: 5,765 km². Population: 464,478. Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan.
A tiny country that is not easy to find on the map. It is located on the third-largest island in the world, Borneo. This island is divided between two countries—Indonesia and Malaysia. Brunei itself is also divided into two unequal parts. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is considered one of the richest people in the world. By the most conservative estimates, his fortune exceeds 20 billion dollars. Some investigative journalists believe that the actual sum is several times greater.
