A national parade

Did you know the symbolism behind these unique national flags?

Credit: Vladislav Klapin

A country’s flag is a visual representation of an entire nation, and a symbol that unifies all those who belong to it. While most flags are easily recognizable, they often share common elements such as colors, designs, or meanings. Consider Poland and Indonesia, or Belgium and Germany.

Although flags from the same region or countries with a shared history may have similarities, some flags are so unique that they could never be mistaken for something else. Let’s have a look at some of them!

Nepal

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This South Asian country, located between China and India, is known for being home to Mount Everest, much of the Himalayas, and as the birthplace of Buddhism. But Nepal is also known for another distinctive feature: its flag.

The Nepali flag shares its red, white, and blue colors with other Asian countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, but its uniqueness comes from its shape, as Nepal is the only country in the world without a rectangular flag. Instead, it’s formed by two joined pennants (or triangular banners). A sun and a crescent moon symbolize the hope for the country’s longevity.

Mozambique

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Mozambique’s flag features three horizontal stripes—green, black, and gold—separated by thin white lines. On the left side, it has a red triangle. Up until now, not so different from many other flags. However, the red triangle contains several symbols: a yellow five-pointed star, a book, and, crossing over them, a gun (specifically an AK-47) and a hoe.

Each of these symbols has a particular meaning: the star symbolizes the country’s solidarity with the world, the book represents education, the hoe, agriculture, and the gun, the nation’s defence. However, some political parties have pushed for the gun to be removed as a symbol.

Kiribati

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The Republic of Kiribati is a small island nation located in the Micronesia region. Composed of a series of atolls and one coral island, it lies where the equator meets the 180th meridian, placing it across the northern, southern, eastern, and western hemispheres.

Kiribati’s flag features several national symbols: the upper half is red, and it showcases a golden bird—a symbol of freedom and mastery of the sea—flying over a rising sun. The lower half is blue with three wavy white stripes, representing the Pacific Ocean and the country’s main archipelagos, while the 17 rays of the sun represent Kiribati’s 17 islands.

Wales

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The flag of Wales stands out from other European flags because of its prominent dragon. It is also one of only three national flags to feature this mythical creature, the other two being Malta and Bhutan. The Y Ddraig Goch (red dragon) is depicted in a passant attitude—heraldic terminology for "striding with a raised paw"—over a green and white background, colors associated with the House of Tudor.

Where does the dragon come from? The Welsh have always used the dragon as a symbol for their leaders, and a red dragon defeating the enemies of Wales appears in many tales. The dragon is also linked to the Arthurian legend and the prophecy of King Arthur’s return to restore the island to the Celtic Britons.

Dominica

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Purple is a color present in very few national flags (four, to be precise), and Dominica’s flag uses it in the most evident way. This Caribbean nation’s banner has a green field crossed by a vertical and a horizontal band, each featuring yellow, black, and white stripes.

At the center, a red circle displays a Sisserou parrot surrounded by ten green stars. The Sisserou parrot, Dominica’s national bird, has dark purple feathers on its chest and head, which are represented on the flag. This species is found only on the island and is considered critically endangered.

Guyana

Credit: Adam Gethin

Known as the Golden Arrowhead, Guyana’s flag stands out from other South American banners for its use of triangular shapes—one at the hoist and one extending across the flag—an element more commonly seen in Caribbean and Central American flags (e.g., Cuba, Saint Lucia, Jamaica).

The colors of Guyana’s flag are deeply symbolic: red, gold, green, black, and white represent zeal, mineral wealth, agriculture, endurance, and the rivers that give the country its name, as Guyana means "land of many waters."

Bhutan

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One of only three national flags featuring a dragon, Bhutan’s banner has a meaning closely tied to the country’s name. In the Dzongkha language, Bhutan is called Druk Yul, meaning "The Thunder Dragon Kingdom," a title also bestowed upon its monarch, the Dragon King.

Bhutan’s flag is divided diagonally into two fields, one yellow and one orange, symbolizing the civil authority of the king and the country's Buddhist heritage. Over the dividing line, the white dragon (a symbol of purity) stretches across both fields, emphasizing the equal importance of civil and religious matters. The dragon holds jewels that represent the nation’s wealth and security, and its snarling mouth signifies the defense of the country by its deities.

Eswatini and Kenya

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The Kingdom of Eswatini and the Republic of Kenya are two distinct nations, so they naturally have different national flags. However, they share one notable feature: both flags display a traditional shield at the center.

Eswatini’s flag has three blue and red bands, separated by yellow strips. In the center, two spears are covered by a sideways Nguni shield, traditionally made from ox skin and reinforced with a staff. On the other hand, Kenya’s flag is divided into three bands of black, red, and green, separated by white stripes. A Masai shield over two crossed spears at its center represents the defense of the country and its traditions.

Papua New Guinea

Credit: Spencer Wungin

The flag of this Melanesian country contains several symbolic elements representing its people. It’s diagonally divided into red and black fields, two colors that Papua New Guinea tribes have used traditionally. On the lower black triangle, five white stars form the Southern Cross, one of the most important constellations in the Southern hemisphere.

The upper red triangle showcases the national bird, the Raggiana bird-of-paradise, in yellow. Fun fact: Papua New Guinea’s flag was designed through a national contest, and the winning entry was submitted by a 15-year-old girl.

Cyprus

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This island’s flag has a unique element: it features the shape of the country at its center. The only other national flag to do this is Kosovo’s flag, though Kosovo is not recognized as a sovereign state by all countries.

Intended to represent the harmony between Cypriots of Greek and Turkish descent, the flag’s creators intentionally avoided colors and symbols associated with either group, opting instead for a white background with the island’s silhouette in copper over two green olive branches.

Flipped meanings

You’ve been using these 12 words wrong—historically speaking

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Language doesn’t stand still—and some words have done a complete 180. Over the centuries, dozens of common English terms have evolved to mean the exact opposite of what they once did. From awful once meaning "awe-inspiring," to egregious flipping from praise to insult, these surprising reversals reveal how culture, usage, and context reshape our vocabulary over time. Here are 12 examples of English words that used to mean the opposite.

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Then: Awe-inspiring

Now: Very bad

In the 13th century, awful described something that filled you with awe or reverence, often in a religious or majestic sense.

By the 1800s, however, its meaning had shifted toward fear and unpleasantness. Today, awful exclusively refers to something negative, such as bad smells, food, or experiences.

Credit: Rupert Britton

Then: Remarkably good

Now: Shockingly bad

Derived from Latin egregius, meaning "distinguished" or "eminent," it originally described someone who stood out in a good way.

But by the 17th century, the meaning had completely flipped. Today, egregious highlights glaring faults and is often used in legal or journalistic contexts to describe major errors or scandals.

Credit: Michael Dziedzic

Then: Ignorant or foolish

Now: Pleasant or kind

In Middle English, nice came from the Latin nescius, meaning "ignorant." It originally referred to someone silly, gullible, or lacking judgment in general. Not very nice, eh?

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Then: Blessed or holy

Now: Lacking seriousness

Silly began as seely in Old English, meaning "happy," "innocent," or "pious." Particularly, it had strong religious and moral overtones.

Curiously, as the centuries passed, the meaning shifted from a sense of innocence to naivety, and by the 1500s, it had taken on today’s connotation of being frivolous or childish.

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Then: Skillfully made

Now: Fake or insincere

From Latin artificialis, meaning "crafted with skill," it once described things made by human art, often with admiration.

Today, artificial implies unnaturalness or deception, especially in food, emotions, or materials like artificial flavoring or artificial intelligence. Seems quite unfair, doesn’t it?

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Then: Causing terror or awe

Now: Very bad

Terrible once described something that instilled fear or awe, often with divine or royal connotations, like "a terrible majesty."

Its modern usage dropped the reverence but kept the negativity. Today, it denotes poor quality or extreme unpleasantness in everyday speech.

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Then: Showy or flashy

Now: Courageous

In the 15th century, brave referred to a person dressed flamboyantly or behaving boldly in appearance, not action.

In an ironic turn, the meaning evolved during the Renaissance to describe boldness of character, especially in battle or adversity—its current heroic sense.

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Then: Sated or full

Now: Unhappy

In Old English, sad meant "sated," from the same root as satisfy. It indicated fullness, firmness, and even seriousness.

The shift toward emotional gloom began in the 1300s, gradually dominating the word’s use by the 16th century.

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Then: To examine carefully

Now: To skim or browse

Peruse comes from Latin per- ("thoroughly") + use, meaning to examine in detail. Legal and scholarly texts once used it that way.

In modern casual use, people often say peruse when they mean "glance over," a meaning that’s become accepted through frequent misuse.

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Then: Any type of food

Now: Animal flesh

In Old English, meat referred broadly to food of all kinds. Even fruits and vegetables were considered "meats" too.

Its meaning narrowed by the 14th century, eventually referring only to animal flesh, particularly red meat, by modern standards.

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Then: A child of either sex

Now: A female child

In Middle English, girl (or gyrl) referred to any young person, regardless of gender. The term boy was less commonly used.

By the 16th century, girl became gender-specific, aligning with societal norms and shaping the word we use today.

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Then: To prevent

Now: To allow

Let once meant to hinder or obstruct, and was often found in old legal or religious texts.

Interestingly, its meaning flipped over time—from restriction to permission. Quite the reversal! While modern usage dominates, its older meaning still survives in some dialects and contexts.