All kinds of combinations of white and red are extremely popular in state symbols. Flags of European countries and states of other continents often use them in different combinations. What may be the layout options for these colors? And what is the meaning of such a flag? Red and white stripes or other patterns can mean completely different things. It’s worth understanding this in order to understand well the history and culture of the countries of the world.
Turkey
The red flag with a white star and a crescent moon has been used by the country on the border of Europe and Asia for more than a decade, or rather, even many centuries in a row. For the first time, such symbolism appeared here after the country adopted a new religion - Islam. The original detail is the lack of green color, which often marks the symbolism of Islamic states and is present on almost all Arab panels. The flag of the Ottoman Empire depicted three crescents. The symbol with one crescent and a star began to be used after the sixteenth century. But before the flag was white-green, and only later did the colors change. Only in the eighteenth century did the flag find its usual features. According to legend, Sultan Selim fought with Egypt and after a victorious battle he saw in the pool of spilled blood a reflection of an evening star with a silver crescent. The combination so impressed the ruler that he decided to choose it for the national standard. True, then the star was seven- or eight-pointed and only in 1844 acquired its usual form with five rays.
Monaco
The official symbols of a small European principality have been used since April 4, 1881. The cloth has a rectangular shape. The ratio of its length and width is 5: 4. The flag is red and white. It shows two horizontal stripes of the same width. The princely family has its own standard - a white panel with the country's coat of arms in the center. It is used in the palace of the prince and on his yacht. In addition, they have a standard at state and government institutions. Red and white flags of the countries of the world are not uncommon, but the Monegasque state symbol is identical to only one standard adopted in Indonesia. The eastern country officially adopted it in 1945, but the origin of the symbolism was extremely ancient, so the Monaco protest was rejected. In Europe, the flag was created during the time of Charles the Third; it reformed the country's economy and created a casino in Monte Carlo. White and red were chosen as the colors of Grimaldi, a genus that has had a pedigree since the ninth century and has ruled the kingdom for more than a century.
Indonesia
Identical to the Monaco flag, the Asian symbol also represents a two-color flag. The red-white standard consists of two horizontal, equal-sized stripes. The country, located on thirteen thousand islands and archipelagos, has been using it as a state symbol since the middle of the twentieth century. The red bar is interpreted by the Indonesians as the color of human blood and the physical world, and the white one denotes the spirituality of man. The meaning of the combination of physical and spiritual is considered one of the most ancient. The ratio of the width and length of the panel is strictly regulated and is two to three. The modern standard is based on the imperial flag. The red-white Majapahit standard has been used since the thirteenth century on the island of Java. Then on the canvas nine stripes were depicted, which were located horizontally. In 1922, a group of Indonesian students who lived in the Netherlands created their flag of two halves, red and white, and they depicted the image of a bull head. A few years later, it was officially accepted by the National Party of Indonesia. In August 1945, the country gained sovereignty and began to use such a flag. The red-white standard, however, "deprived" the image of the bull. Monaco protested about the identity of the flags, but the conflict on this issue was short-lived, and as a result, both states remained with their symbols.
Poland
One of the European countries has a flag, the photo of which can be distinguished from images of Monaco or Indonesian only from certain angles. It's about Poland. On its standard two horizontal stripes are depicted: upper white and lower red. These colors are traditional for the state. The white flag with a red stripe symbolizes the feathers of an eagle, honored by the Poles, against the backdrop of the rays of a crimson sunset. In the state version, in the upper part is an image of a bird. The red and white flag with an eagle is associated with the Poles with the ancient legend of Prince Lyakh. He saw how the white eagle settled down majestically in the nest and decided to found the first capital of the Polish state there, calling it Gniezno. It is necessary to distinguish the national flag of Poland. Unlike the state, it does not have the image of the coat of arms of the country with an eagle. Despite the fact that the latter option was used more in history and serves as the banner of the world famous Battle of Grunwald, red and white ribbons were also used in national uprisings. Therefore, the Diet, when Poland gained sovereignty, decided to choose the white-red flag as the national symbol.
Latvia
Many European flags use a combination of shades of white and red. Latvia was no exception. Red and white stripes located horizontally are combined on its cloth. The territory, which is the modern Republic of Latvia, used to belong to Sweden and then Russia, but with the acquisition of sovereignty, the country began to use its own national symbols. Latvia has a white flag with red stripes above and below. The sides of the panel relate to each other as one to two, and the stripes along the edges are twice as wide as the central one. The standard was officially approved in June 1921. In 1940 it was canceled, and in 1990 returned again. According to legend, in the Middle Ages the banner was used as a symbol of knights from the Cesis guard. From 1870, students and participants in national festivals also used it, and Latvian units in the Russian army during the First World War also used it. It is believed that the dark red color is a symbol of the victory of the Latvian soldiers over the units of German knights. According to legend, the blood of the dead was poured into one cauldron, after which they dipped a white canvas thrown over the shaft. At the edges it was painted and only the strip in the center remained bright. In 1917, a meeting was held that determined the exact ratio of the bands and the absence on the standard of the coat of arms or other symbols.
Austria
There is another country with a state symbol that resembles the Latvian flag. The red-white standard is used by close neighbors - the Austrians. The flag of this state includes three horizontal stripes: red at the edges and central white. Their size is the same. That is why the flag (the photo of which can be seen in our article) is still different from the Latvian one: the coastal country uses two wide stripes and one narrow one, and the Austrians use the same size stripes. Standard colors have a special meaning. In addition to the meaning of red as a symbol of the blood of patriots that spilled in the battles for independence, and white as a sign of freedom after the overthrow of the monarchical regime, there is another decryption option. According to him, the central strip represents the Danube River, which flows through Austria from west to east. According to an old legend, the Austrian Duke Leopold the Fifth came up with the cloth, being on a crusade. After a fierce battle, his white uniform was completely covered with blood, but as soon as he took off his belt, he found a white strip on his clothes. The duke really liked the combination of colors, and he began to use them on his standard.
Japan
Discussing the red and white flags of the world, this one is worth mentioning. Japanese symbolism has long been known in other countries and is not similar to any of the existing ones. The national flag is red and white, with a light background and a crimson circle exactly in the middle. Such an image is the personification of the rising sun. According to legend, the standard was created during the Mongol invasion of Japan. He was offered to the emperor, who is considered a descendant of the sun goddess by Buddhist monks. As a state standard, it began to be applied after restoration in 1868. The aspect ratio is two to three. The flag is used both as a state and as a national one. He also has a name - “Nisseki”, which translates as “solar flag”. There is also the Hinomaru option. This means “solar disk”. There is no exact story about the origin of the banner. According to one legend, it was created by the Buddhist monk Nitiren, who handed it to the shogun during the Mongol invasion. In 1870, it was officially used as a trade flag. On it, the image of the sun was a little closer to the pole, and on the national flag, approved by the 1999 law, the red disk is located exactly in the middle.
Hong Kong
The cloth can be created not only from stripes or circles. The original is the red flag with a white flower, owned by Hong Kong. On the canvas is a stylized flower called Bauhinia, depicted with five petals. In the distance from the center are red five-pointed stars. The length of the flag in the standard version is ninety centimeters, and the width is sixty. This standard serves as a symbol of the cultural, regional and political significance of the country. The red color and five stars at the petals indicate a connection with China and its national sign. The combination of colors denotes the political principle of "one country - two systems", which is used in Hong Kong. The stylized Bauchinia flower, growing in the region, symbolizes the harmony of this dichotomy. The modern version of the flag, photos and images of which can be seen everywhere in the country, was adopted in February 1990. It was first officially applied in July 1997, when the territory gained sovereignty. Rules for the application of the standard were agreed with the State Council in Beijing. The description is governed by the Hong Kong Basic Law, which constitutionally determines the size and aspect ratio. A flower with red stars at each petal, connected to the center by curved lines resembling stamens, is inscribed in a circle with a diameter of three fifths of the width of the panel. The back side mirrors the front. Length refers to the width of the flag as three to two.
Denmark
Another standard with red and white colors belongs to the Danes. They call their cloth "Dannebrog". A flag with a white Scandinavian cross, slightly shifted to the pole and located on a red background, has existed since the thirteenth century, which is why it is the oldest of the existing state symbols. Once a scarlet cloth was used as a military banner of the German emperor. In addition, the national flags of Malta and Switzerland, as well as many emblems of cities and provinces of Europe, have similar symbols. In the Danish standard, changes were made only once. In 1397, the Queen of the country Margaret I of Kalmar united the country with Sweden and Norway. Then in the upper left corner there are three crowns. Sweden gained sovereignty in 1523, and Norway in 1814. After that, Dannebrog was deprived of the image of three crowns and acquired its former appearance, in which, according to an old legend, went down to the Danes directly from heaven.
United States
The American flag also uses a combination of red and white. Such colors depict horizontal isometric stripes covering the standard along the entire length. To the left of the pole is a blue rectangle half the width of the panel, which shows fifty five-pointed stars whose color is white. Thirteen stripes are a symbol of the same number of colonies that once formed an independent American state. They were Pennsylvania, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and North Carolina. The blue rectangle is a symbol of union. The number of stars on it represents the number of states. It changed with the development of the state. At the moment, fifty stars are depicted on the banner. The red color on the American flag becomes a symbol of valor and endurance, white is associated with purity and innocence, and the dark blue represents zeal, vigilance and justice. The width of the standard refers to its length as ten to nineteen. The rules for using the banner are determined by the U.S. Flag Code, according to which it should never touch the ground. If the edges are worn out, they should be restored or destroyed the standard properly, most often it is burned. Hanging the flag at night, it must be lit. You can not use its image for advertising or decorating any disposable items. The flag cannot be used for making clothes, draperies or bedding. He is not omitted as a sign of respect. You can decorate the US flag with a gold fringe. The corner with the blue rectangle should always be at the top. The flag should be positioned freely and fluttering in the wind - an exception was made only for American astronauts on the moon. The standard is hung out on holidays - on New Year's Day, on the day of Martin Luther King, in honor of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (February 12), during the days of presidents, the armed forces and the memory of fallen soldiers. In addition, it is also used during other national celebrations. For example, Labor Day, Constitution, or Independence.