The Philippines is an island nation in Asia. It is located between Taiwan and Indonesia. The Philippines is located in the Pacific Ocean. The country consists of 7,100 islands. About a thousand of them are populated. Moreover, 2,500 islands do not even have a name. All land areas are divided into 3 groups:
- The northern land of Luzon and coastal areas.
- South island of Mindanao.
- Central group of Visayan.
Philippines: flag
The national symbol was officially approved on June 12, 1898. This is the only flag in the world that, in the event of hostilities, changes its position on the flagpole. During peace, the bottom of the canvas is bright red, and the top is blue. When the state is at war, the banner is flipped. People living in the Philippines, whose flag is rectangular, attach particular importance to symbolism. The banner shows a white triangle. In the center of it is a golden sun and eight rays.
The heavenly body symbolizes freedom. And its rays - the number of provinces of the state, the first to start the struggle for independence. Three major stars indicate the number of archipelagos that make up the Philippines.
Flag history
A large number of conquerors left their mark not only in history, but also in the symbolism of the state called the Philippines. The flag of the country also changed. For example, in the XVI – XVIII centuries, the power was under the protectorate of Spain. It was then that a red cross appeared on a white canvas. After the British conquest in 1762, the flag of their empire fluttered on flagpoles. Later, the Spanish banner returned. And in the XIX century, its own symbolism was invented by the Katipunan society.
Philippines: coat of arms
The emblem of the state is the sun inside the shield, from which 8 rays spread. Five-pointed stars are located in the upper part, which is white. The colonial past of the state is symbolized by a bald eagle. And the times of Spain - a rising lion, located in the blue part. The first coat of arms of the country was approved by King Philip II of Spain in 1596. It depicted a castle on a red background. The lower part was decorated with a lion and a dolphin. The king of animals was portrayed with weapons in his paws. A crown was present on the coat of arms. Despite the fact that a royal decree was issued on the coat of arms of the Philippines, its shape and internal content changed repeatedly.
An ancient and beautiful story of the struggle of a paradise land called the Philippines. The flag and coat of arms of this country symbolize the spirit and desire of the people of the island nation for independence. At the end of the XIX century, the state was in a state of political instability, so the emblem often changed. This was due to the fact that the citizens of the country did not even have the slightest idea of what their national symbol should look like.