Franco-Newfoundlanders (Canada)

I've said before how much I like modern flag. Not that I dislike traditional flags, but modern flags put the creativity to next level. Today I'll present one of these flags: the flag of Francophone people in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Franco-Newfoundlanders (in English) or Franco-Terreneuviens (in French). Look at it:

These different partitions haven't place in traditional vexillology, but, in a different than modern way, a great flag like this never would take place. What I like most in this flag is the way the white and red partitions border forms a mast. Actually, many of Francophone Canadians flags has excellent designs.

Let me explain the symbolism of this flag. The flag is, obviously, based in flags of France and Acadia (French North America). The form how the partitions are divided, as I said above, simulates a ship mast. The yellow parts form the ship's flags; color is picked from Acadian flag. The ship represents the Breton, Basque and French fishermen that came to region in colonial period. The first sail holds a spruce twig (symbol of Labrador), and the second one holds a pitcher flower (provincial flower of Newfoundland and Labrador).

And you? Do you prefer traditional or modern flags? Why?

Curaçao (Netherlands)

Some time ago, I said I'll post some Caribbean flags, because some of them are among the best flags in all the world. I posted the ones from Barbados and former Anguilla Republic, but now I'll posted other beautiful flag: the one from Curaçao, a Dutch dependency on Caribbean Sea. Its flag is this:

This flag exists and is in use since 1982, but gained more visibility on 2010, when Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and Curaçao gained the states of "country" under Dutch dominion. The main virtue of this flag is simplicity: just geometrical shapes, very visible and distinguishable one of others.

 The symbolism isn't much different from the others Caribbean good flags. The flag has two blue stripes: the stripe on top is for sky, the one from bottom is for sea. They're separated by a yellow stripe, symbolizing the sun that bathes island's surface.

The flag also comprises two stars on top-left canton. The bigger represents Curaçao island, bigger island on archipelago and from where the administration is settled; the second is for Klevin Curaçao island, the second bigger from archipelago. They also mean "love and happiness". According to flag creators, the star are five-pointed because the local people came from "five continents".

I hope you liked the post. Anyway, comments are welcome!

Unified Korea

The today's post is about map flags. Everybody have seen someday a flag with a map on it: Cyprus, Kosovo, The United Nations and also an Antarctic flag proposal (see my post about Antarctic flags), just to name a few of them. But tonight I'll relate about another map flag: that one used by a unified Korean team (formed by athletes from North Korea and South Korea) in some sportive competitions in 1990s and 2000s. They used this flag:

This flag isn't awesome. Being true, it's very boring. A white background with a map of Korean Peninsula and surrounding islands, in light blue. Why light blue? It's a color usually used to represent neutrality, because it's used by UN (I don't want to enter in discussions about UN's level of neutrality).

You may say: but why don't we use a flag that contains common elements to both Koreas, or historically used by the both. Oh, I have a flag that fit perfectly in both categories: the flag used by Josean and, after that, by Korean Empire. The flag is this:

Now, answer this question: isn't it similar to the flag used by one of the sides?

DPR Korea (North Korea)	Republic of Korea (South Korea)

Anybody saying it doesn't resemble South Korean flag is lying or being ironical. I'm sure that North Korea doesn't consider this flag much "neutral". So they used the first flag, that one with the map.

So, it's the reason why I mentioned unified Korea flag. Are maps flags absolutely cool? Generally, not. Are they simple? No, they increase flag-maker's work a lot. But, in spite of all criticism, they're used, because they're neutral options, and usually every size agree with them.

Did you liked the posted? Yes? No? Please, give me feedback, and comments are the best way.

Tanzania

I never was a great fan of hybrid flags. In some cases, like the United Kingdom, it worked perfectly great, but in a great number of them they look very artificial and result of author's laziness and lack of creativity. Today I'll present Tanzanian flag, so delicately put together that many didn't notice it's a hybrid flag.

Tanzania was formed in 1964 by the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, two recently British-independent countries. Not only the name (Tan + Zan = Tanzania), but also the flag of the recently established Tanzania is a mix of the two former countries.

Republic of Tanganyika (1961-1964)	People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba (1961)

And now note how all the elements of these flags are visible in the United Republic of Tanzania:

You can see Tanganyika flag here, but you can also see the Zanzibar flag (a little upside-down, but you do).  Pretty ingenious, isn't it? The design is so subtle that it looks like a totally original flag.

What do you think about the post? Did you know the curious origin of Tanzanian flag? Comment, please.