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Friday, November 28, 2008
Even if Kazakhstan had been an independent republic, Russia still has to maintain close ties because it is the site of major Soviet Projects. In a way Russia cannot exist without Kazakhstan in tow simply because the Baikonur Cosmodrome is here, the main arena of Russian space launches and the world's oldest and largest spaceport; the Semipalatinsk Polygon is also here the USSR's nuclear weapons testing site where 456 nuclear blasts were recorded from 1949 to 1989. In fact the Semipalatinsk Polygon is now a highly radioactive range and the new Kazakh government has to close it in 1991. Since its independence, a new Kazakhstan flag flew, a rectangular piece in blue with an image of the sun at the center surrounded by thirty-two beams, with a steppe eagle flying beneath. And near the hoist a national ornament is placed on the vertical strip, all images except the strip are in gold. The design of the flag is tied to the art and cultural traditions of the old khanate and Kazakh people. Light blue stands for the various Turkic (Tatars, Mongols, Uyghurs and others) people that compose the present-day population. Besides, blue has a religious significance particularly Gok-Tanry, the sky god, while at the same time it also represent water, as well as a symbol for the cultural and ethnic unity of the Kazakhstani people. The sun on the flag represents the source of life and energy; also as a symbol of wealth and abundance; and the sun's rays are interpreted as like grains which is the foundation of abundance and prosperity. The golden eagle had been with the people for centuries, a symbol associated with the power of the state, independence, freedom and the future.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, November 27, 2008
The Hoosiers, the name residents of Indiana are known, though probably coined after the states strong basketball tradition, its origin is somewhat vague. Nationally, Indiana is known for its sports teams; the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, champions of the XLI Super Bowl; or who would forget Reggie Miller of the NBA's Indiana Pacers; and last but not least is the Indianapolis 500 motor sports race, the largest single-day sporting event in the world. The capital Indianapolis had been planned like the spokes of a wheel, with the Monument Circle as the core from which streets and interstate superhighways radiate out like spokes of the wheel, a fitting tribute to the world's greatest auto race spectacle - the Indy 500. The massive development of Indianapolis has eaten up thousand of arable land to house manufacturing plants that churn out the bulk of the state revenues. In the process, manufacturing employs one out of four workers, particularly Gary and Hammond that anchors one of the world's great industrial regions. Indiana literally is known as "Indian Land" or "Land of the Indians" had an official Flag of Indiana adopted on May 31, 1917, it was the first state flag and had remained so until a statute was created to standardize the production of the emblem. In a field of blue, the flag have a gold torch at the center, representing liberty and enlightenment; the rays that radiate around the torch delve into its far-reaching influence. The inner five stars are for the subsequent five states added to the union; while the thirteen outside circle of stars are for the original members of the union. And one large star right above the torch represents Indiana.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Much like the Nile River, the Snake River in Idaho is the vital cog in the development of the state. Mountains dominate the state and the river becomes the partner in the agricultural industry since it irrigates over a million hectares of farmlands, and the valleys in turn produce more that 35% of the entire nation's potato requirement. Idaho also supplies the majority of antimony that the nation needs, while it ranks second overall in silver mining. As the Snake River cascades through Hells Canyon at an elevation of around 2,408 meters high, it powers hydroelectric turbines along the way to supply the energy need of the state, a picture perfect setting for environmentalists since it does not use fossil fuels and does not harm the ecology. And, probably due to the absence of pollutants in the air, tourists and visitors alike pour into Sun Valley resort during holidays and converge at the Craters of the Moon National Monument to experience first hand what it is to be like in an atmosphere of eerie cindery desolation. Since 1899, the people of Idaho had expressed allegiance to only one flag, the one first used during the Spanish-American War, and officially adopted on March 12, 1907, but had undergone slight modifications in 1957. The State Flag of Idaho had the state seal at the center of a blue field, and the words "State of Idaho" appear in gold letters over a red and gold band just below the seal. The seal depicts a miner and a woman that signifies equality, liberty and justice, and included are some of the state's natural resources; mines, forests; farmland, and its wildlife.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The building of the Panama Canal (an engineering feat at the time), connects the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Oceans and ships can traverse through a series of locks that raises or lowers a vessel. The canal provides economic relief not only to the government but ship owners as well because a trip could be shortened by eight days travel time, if one uses the canal rather than the full route to the tip of South America. President Theodore Roosevelt of the US saw the necessity of an economic opportunity, fulfilled this single endeavor. As ships coming from the west coast will have a relatively shorter time as it navigate to the east coast or vice-versa. Thus passengers, goods and services from New York City bound for San Francisco or Los Angeles will arrive more promptly through the canal. The project had also its share of difficulties, essentially since Columbia (Panama was still a part) was not receptive to the idea. Probably due to the backing of the US, Panama seceded from Columbia and with a series of treaties with the new nation, the building of the canal pushed through. Out of this new development, the new National Flag of Panama was born and officially adopted on December 15, 1949. The flag of the republic is a divided rectangle of four quarters, the upper part near the hoist is white with a five pointed blue star, while on the fly side is red; the lower part hoist side is blue and on the fly is white with a five pointed red star. The colors blue and red represent the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, while white stands for peace and purity.
by: The Flagman
Monday, November 24, 2008
The history of Nicaragua had been a struggle of the people for self-determination, starting with the independence from Spain in 1821 and becoming a republic in 1838. Although the British occupied the territory during the first half of the 19th century, it ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. What followed was 42years of family dictatorship perpetrated by Anastasio Somoza, the country suffered and violent opposition to government manipulation and corruption spread to all walks of society that eventually led to a short lived civil-war (eight years) in 1978. The Marxist Sandinista guerilla came to power in 1979 and a ruling junta was installed. The system imposed by the Sandinista government was not popular with the people, thus a new wave of struggle erupted anew this time with the Contras. The aid of the Nicaraguan government to the leftist rebels in El Salvador, forced the United States to back the anti Sandinista Contra's through much of the 80's. The first free election under a democratic system was held in 1990, paving the way for the rebuilding of Nicaragua. Nicaragua is now a representative democratic republic it is also densely populated with a demographic almost similar in size to its smaller neighbors. To the north of the country is Honduras and it shares border with Costa Rica in the south, the Pacific Ocean is to the west, while facing the Caribbean Sea to the east. The National Flag of Nicaragua is described as a horizontal band of equal sizes of cobalt blue (top and bottom) with white at the center. A coat of arms is strategically at the center of the white band, a replica of the seal of the Office of the President of Nicaragua.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Thousands of tourists flock to the ancient Mayan City of Copan in the Honduras to witness the ruins of one of the wealthiest city in the past. Tourism somehow has propped up the revenues of Honduras, but it still continues to be a poor country that depends mostly on the exports of bananas and coffee to drive the wheels of its economy. As part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became independent in 1821 and for almost three decades of military rule, free and honest election was conducted in 1982, thus democracy prevailed. During the 80's, Honduras was the haven for the Contras fighting the Sandinista’s in the government of Marxist Nicaragua and an ally to the Salvadoran Government in its fight against the leftist guerillas. Having been a part of the Federal Republic of Central America (El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala) it adopted the color of the flag, though it was amended in 1866 as five blue stars were placed at the center to represent the five-nation union. The National Flag of Honduras consists of three equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) and white in between. The two blue bands represent the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the central white band is the land between the ocean and the sea, while also a symbol for peace and prosperity of its people. The five blue five pointed stars obviously represent the five nations of the former Federal Republic of Central America, and the hope of re-uniting the countries in the future. The creation of the U.S.-Central American Free Trade Agreement of which Honduras is a member, brings in the awaited economic miracle.
by: The Flagman
The resplendent quetzal is the national bird of Guatemala and it is included in the country's coat of arms for it symbolizes liberty. Likewise the Guatemala flag had also the quetzal included in the coat of arms at the center of the flag on the white band and flanked by blue of equal width on both sides. The two sky blue color suggests the location of the country being in-between the Pacific and Caribbean Ocean and the sky, while white is for peace and purity. Aside from the quetzal, the coat of arms include a parchment scroll that bears the date of independence from Spain; crossed rifles that indicates Guatemala's defense; a bay laurel crown, its symbol for victory; and crossed swords that represents honor. Guatemala or the land of trees, is densely forested and mountainous with the Sierra Madre on the south Pacific coast, descends to heavily vegetated northern lowlands including the narrow Caribbean coast. Most of Guatemalans live on the highlands where the climate is temperate compared to the lowlands where the weather is tropical. A millennium ago the Mayan civilization flourished as could be seen from the remnants of the culture already sophisticated by any standards. Most citizens are descendants of the Maya-Spanish ancestry called the Ladinos that speak Spanish and are attuned to the western culture. While a minority indigenous Maya folks are poor subsistence farmers that live on the western highlands. Guatemalan society is divided between the highly urbanized Ladino community, the upper class and the Maya lower class. Thus the cause of the 36year war between the guerillas and government forces that cost 200,000 lives had been the inequality experienced by the poor minority.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
If we look at the demographics of El Salvador, 90% are mestizo, particularly those with Spanish blood. During the civil war 1980-1992, which aims to address economic inequality, thousands of these Spanish mestizo's fled to the USA to look for job opportunities. At present there is relative calm in the country as the truce between warring parties had been signed, and a democratic government had been installed. The new government has showed success in the agriculture and manufacturing industry, but faces the daunting task of alleviating poverty, crime, and natural disasters. The history of El Salvador reflects unstable conditions just like the national flag that was adopted on May 17, 1912. It was based on the flagof the United Provinces of Central America, but was inspired by the Argentina flag, and was first used in 1822, then left out in 1865, reinstated in 1912, and last officially confirmed in 1972. As in all members of the Central American federation, the National Flag of El Salvador is a horizontal band of equal size of blue (top and bottom) and white in between, with the coat of arms at the center of the white band. The Masonic triangle representing equality, is the basis for the design of the coat of arms of El Salvador and includes the original five provinces, volcanoes and the glowing freedom cap. Flanking the triangle are five national flags and wreath all tied in the national colors and above the volcanoes is the cap of liberty and the motto "Dios, Union, Libertad" or God, Union, and Liberty on the lower gold scroll. Then the entire emblem is surrounded by "Republica de El Salvador en la America Central" in gold letters.
by: The Flagman
Rich coast or a country in Central America, Costa Rica is blessed with coastlines on the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. Low lying coastal plains connects with mountains and active volcanoes, coupled with a temperate climate is the ideal locale for agriculture, particularly the propagation of bananas and coffee - two of the prized export of the country that bolsters its economy. San Jose, the capital sits on a central plateau and is home to the majority of its citizens. The country exists under a democratic form of government, a system that had ruled its people uninterrupted since free elections were conducted in 1889. Except for two brief spells in its history 1917 and 1948, Costa Rica had since lived under a relatively peaceful democracy. In fact in 1949, Jose Figueres Ferrer abolished the military and up to now, Costa Rica does not have a standing army, one of only a few countries within the democratic sphere that operate without the assistance of the military. The present day Costa Rica and the direction it is pursuing is the mandate of the people as clearly manifested on the design of their national symbol - the flag. Designed by Pacifica Fernandez, it was actually inspired by the French flag of blue, white and red horizontal stripes had been in use since 1848. The symbolism attached to the choice of colors include, blue stands for the sky, opportunities, idealism and perseverance; white is for peace, wisdom, and happiness; while red signifies for blood shed by the martyrs in defense of the country, as well as the warmth and generosity of its inhabitants. 25% of the land had been classified as preserves where the beauty of rain forests draws in more visitors.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
However you look at it, the state of Georgia will always be known with the same intensity as Jimmy Carter's home - the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. He may not have won a second seat (for re-election) but he made Georgian's proud of the achievement he made as Chief Executive of the Nation. He created the Department of Energy and the Department of Education; reduced our dependence on foreign oil imports to 50%; a staunch supporter of human rights, in the process became the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize. All citizens like their favorite son, Jimmy Carter pledge allegiance to the State Flag of Georgia, which was adopted on May 8, 2003. It has three red and white stripes of equal width, with the state coat of arms (copied from the state seal) superimposed on a blue field in the upper left corner. The arch in the coat of arms symbolizes the state's Constitution, while the pillars represents the three branches of government; legislative; executive; and judiciary. Encompassing the pillars are the words "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation" of the state motto, while the pillars are flanked by a male in Colonial uniform and a soldier of the American Revolution. And beneath it appears the motto "In God We Trust," while encircling the image are thirteen stars, representing the original members of the union that made up the United States of America. Farmers on the fertile Coastal Plains of Georgia supply as much as 50% of the nations peanuts requirements and generate some 500million dollars in annual revenues. For several years, agriculture, wood pulps from pine forests and textile manufacturing had dictated the state's economy, but it is now superseded by tourism.
by: The Flagman
Thursday, November 13, 2008
At the height of the British Colonial occupation, Belize was previously referred to as the British Honduras. At its independence on September 21, 1981, the name was changed to Belize but retained the earlier version of the flag of British Honduras and adopted it as the official National Flag of Belize. The flag of Belize is a royal blue field, with a white disc containing the National Coat of Arms placed at the center and encircled by fifty mahogany leaves. The national emblem is bordered at the top and bottom by two red stripes. The flag specifically used twelve different colors, three more than on any other national flag; also it is the only country that humans are depicted on its emblem. Belize lies along the Caribbean Coast of Central America and is bordered by Mexico and Guatemala. This geographical grouping was the site of the ancient Mayan civilization, a more advanced society that existed long before Greece and Rome came into being. This finding had been supplemented by the archaeological digging that shows their latent skills in pottery, the arts and even astronomy. The first British settlement started in 1638 and was granted independence by the United Kingdom in 1981, thus the influence could be clearly manifested including English the official language, although Spanish is widely spoken. Because Belize enjoys relative peace and coupled with huge tract of lands, it becomes the haven of refugees coming from troubled neighboring countries. Tourists also flock to the country, to see and examine the preserved remnants of the Mayan civilization (like Altun Ha); and the wildlife that abounds with jaguars, howler monkeys, and toucans; and enjoy Western Hemisphere’s longest coral reef.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
How often do you drink coffee? In most instances, one cup to start your day in the morning, then coffee break at ten, another cup right after lunch, then one more cup at three, then probably a steaming hot coffee before you hit the sack. If you can't live without coffee, then blame it on the people of Yemen who invented the drink in the 11th century. But, if you happen to love coffee, thanks to Yemen (southwestern Arabia) a major center for the early spread of Islam, and at the crossroads of trade from the Orient, Africa to the Mediterranean. As much as 3,000tons of frankincense was borne by camel caravans annually to Greece and Rome, during Christ's time through the biblical queen city of Sheba. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Yemen was subdivided into North and South Yemen, later to become the Yemen Arab Republic and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen in the 70's. Then followed years of conflict spurred by ideological differences, since the north is pro-Western while the south has Marxist leanings and pro-Soviet. However in May 1990, world events somehow tamed striking ideological barriers and the two nations merged. The merger was not met with cordial handshakes, but by several weeks of civil war in 1994. Out of this union, a new Yemen National Flag emerged. The flag was adopted on May 22, 1990, the day the two Yemen's unified. It copied the pattern of the Pan-Arab colors, consisting of equal horizontal bands of red, white, and black, similar in context to the flags of Egypt, Syria and Iraq. The colors symbolize bloodshed of martyr's for red; a bright future for white; and the dark past for black.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
When visiting Syria for the first time, it is a must that one visit Palmyra, one of the most preserved historical site. Palmyra or the "City of Palms" is an ancient city and once viewed as the "Bridge of the Desert," was a vital R&R stop for caravans crossing the desert. It was even mentioned in the Bible as a fort for Solomon and later flourished under the Roman era. Since preserved remnants are still standing today, tourists flock to see several temples and structures dedicated to Aramean, Babylonian and Mesopotamian deities. In fact it has been officially classified as a UNESCO heritage site. If Syria as a country is interesting, the development of the National Flag of Syria is doubly absorbing. The current Syria flag is a re-adoption of the flag of the former United Arab Republic in 1958, consisting of three horizontal bands of red, white, and black with two green stars on the white band. The choice of colors is symbolic of the traditional Pan-Arab colors and inspired by the flag of the Arab Revolt. All in all, Syria had developed six national flags or world flags since its independence in 1946. The two stars in the flag represent Syria and Egypt of the previous United Arab Republic; green is for Rashidun or Fatimid; white is the color of the Umayyads; black is for the Abbasids; and red is for the blood, shed by the martyrs, although some attribute it the color of the Hashemite Dynasty. Syrians are mostly Arabs, about 9% are Kurds that are residents of northeastern Syria, 90% are Sunni Muslims and 12% for the Alawite minority, but is the dominant political group having control of the Baath party.
by: The Flagman
After the British pulled out of this barren and arid coastal region in 1971, the seven sheikdoms left behind on the Arabian Peninsula coalesce to form the United Arab Emirates. The seven are Abu Dhabi, now the seat of the federal government and oil capital; Dubayy (Dubai), the main port and commercial industrial center; Ajman; Umm al Qaywayn; Ras al Khaymay; Al Fujayrah; and Sharjah. Oil discovered in 1958 is the major source of revenue for the federal country and foreign workers who worked and developed the oil industry had become residents and now make-up about three quarters of the population. The UAE is also the favorite destination for tourists because the country has liberal attitudes towards other cultures and religious beliefs. The symbol that represents the seven federal states is the National Flag of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), officially adopted on December 2, 1971. The colors were patterned after the symbolic hue of the Pan-Arab colors, contains red, green, white, and black that signifies Arabian unity. Also the colors have individual meanings, green for example refers to fertility; white pertains to neutrality of the country; black is important being the color of the custom flag of the Islamic prophet Muhammad; and finally red is for the unity not just of the federal states but the people in particular. Revenues from oil production had raised the country's GDP comparable to the more prosperous nations in Europe. The nation for the moment is undergoing a massive infrastructure development as hotels, office and residential condominiums are being built. In fact, the tallest man made structure in the world the Burj Dubai Tower is now under construction and will soon be opened in downtown Dubai in late 2009.
by: The Flagman
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The present day Muscat is the capital of Oman, a rich Middle Eastern country that lies along the trade routes of the Persian Gulf. During the late 18th century, the Sultanate of Muscat entered into a series of friendship treaties with Britain, and over time it grew dependent on British political and military consultants but it never became a British Colony. British educated Qaboos bin Said al Said overthrow the repressive rule of his father, established the present day Oman and has ruled as Sultan ever since. He opened new avenues for the extensive modernization program for his country while also adopting measures to promote Oman to the outside world and steadily preserving the long-standing close relationship with the UK. In fact Oman's moderate and independent foreign policy had maintained good relations with all Middle Eastern Countries. The official symbol, the Oman national flag could be attributed to the direct wishes of the Sultan it consists of three stripes (white, green, and red) with a red bar on the hoist side that contains the national emblem of Oman. White stands for peace and prosperity; green is for fertility and the green mountains; and red is obviously for battles against foreign invaders. Aside from the national emblem, the badge of the Albusaidi Dynasty was added to the canton and depicts cross swords over a gambia (a traditional curved dagger). The bulk of the country's revenues comes from oil, exported since 1967 and is responsible for the infrastructure programs (roads, schools, and hospitals) of the government. The majority of the residents of Oman are still pre-occupied with farming and fishing, although modern equipment is now used in the industry - agriculture and fishery.
by: The Flagman
The concept used in the design of the National Flag of Qatar resembles that of Bahrain, although the color is entirely different and the serrated edges contain nine points. The Qatar flag is purple and with a broader white serrated edges at the hoist side. The white color of the flag follows the internationally recognized symbol of peace; while the maroon color refers to the blood, shed during the several wars Qatar was involved, particularly on the later part of the 19th century; and the nine-point serrated line would only mean that Qatar is the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" in the Persian Gulf after the conclusion of the Qatari-British Treaty in 1916. Qatar had been under the al-Thani Dynasty since the middle of the 1800's, it evolved from a poor British protectorate, known for its pearl industry into an independent state with abundant reserves of oil and natural gas. During the late 80's and the whole of the 90's, the Qatari economy suffered due to the Amir's penchant for siphoning-off the petroleum revenues. However to save his country from eventual political and economic ruin, the current Amir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and a son, overthrew the previous Amir in a bloodless coup in 1995. He instituted political reforms including allowing women the right of suffrage and to hold office; resolved its long-standing border disputes with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia; and redefined economic priorities. Then as of 2007, with oil and natural gas revenues, Qatar had established the highest per capita income in the world. This rich nation saw its reserves in oil dwindling and has since turned to natural gas production, which is the largest single reservoir of natural gas in the world.
by: The Flagman
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Cedrus libani, the green cedar or the cedar of Lebanon, is immortalized in the Bible, as it is mentioned several times particularly in the building of God's Temple. For example Psalms 92:12 states "the righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." It was probably due to the reference of Lebanon's cedar in the Bible that the framers of the Constitution and the designers of the National Flag of Lebanon included it as the official symbol. The Lebanon flag is formed by a central white stripe sandwiched by two horizontal red stripes (top and bottom), with the white stripe twice the width of the red stripe. The green cedar is strategically at the center of the white stripe and touches the red stripes and is one-third the width of the flag. The Flag of Lebanon was officially adopted on December 7, 1943 by the Lebanese parliament. The red stripes symbolize blood, shed by Lebanese heroes during the struggle for liberation; the white stripe refers to peace and white snow on the Lebanese mountains; and the green cedar is for immortality and steadiness. Lebanon is a small country in the Middle East and was granted independence in 1943. It was through the guidance of France that Lebanon prospered as a banking area, resort and university center. It was even touted that its capital Beirut would be the new Paris in the Middle East. From estimates (no official census was made) two-third of the resident population are Muslim and the rest being Christian. Cultural differences led to a civil war between the Muslims and Christians from 1975 to 1991, a truce was in effect until democracy was restored in 1992.
by: The Flagman
In 1802 E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., the pioneer and giant chemical and plastic manufacturer, opened up a gunpowder plant near Wilmington that spruced up Delaware as business-friendly community. And today, thanks to du Pont, 300,000 companies had settled in the area, urged by a favorable business climate that spurred phenomenal growth in banking and financial services. But what was Delaware's involvement to the union? Delaware fought as a separate state in the American Revolution and proudly became the first state of the union to ratify the American Constitution in 1787, and it never seceded the union during the Civil War, even if it was named as a slave state. In fact, during the revolution Delaware carried the custom flag that was to become the official state flag that bears resemblance to the colors of the uniform of General George Washington. It has a buff-colored diamond at the center on a field of colonial blue, with the coat-of-arms of the state of Delaware inside the diamond. And below the diamond is the date December 7, 1787, or the day in which it became the first state to ratify the Constitution. The coat-of-arms depicted on the State Flag of Delaware was adopted on January 17, 1777, a shield of horizontal green, blue, and white stripes. A sheaf of wheat, an ear of corn, and an ox standing on grass and all representing the agriculture of Delaware is printed visibly on the stripes. While above the shield is a sailing ship and found supporting the shield is a farmer on the left and a soldier on the right. And legibly written below the shield is the motto "Liberty and Independence," symbol all included in the seal of Delaware.
by: The Flagman
Monday, November 3, 2008
What makes Kuwait popular? Well maybe it's being small and very rich, as it literally floats in oil (oil to be around 10% of world reserves). And maybe because it was the only country invaded in this modern era by Iraq, but was eventually recaptured by a U.S. led, UN coalition forces. With the use of modern armaments of war, several weeks of torrid bombardment, and four days of ground assault was all enough to drive the Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. Kuwait had been the bastion of the Al-Sabah dynasty since 1899 and it was the British who stood for the defense of the kingdom until it was granted full independence in 1961. The invasion of Iraq on August 1990 and the eventual liberation on February 23, 1991 cost the Kuwaiti government 5billion dollars to repair oil infrastructure damaged during the war. Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy with the Al-Sabah family as perpetual rulers, but since returning to power in 1991 it has followed the path of Parliamentary democracy. It had established an elected legislature that in recent years had become actively assertive, particularly on the directions the government is pursuing. Like any independent state, the Kuwaiti National Flag is the primary emblem, of Pan-Arab colors with black symbolizing the defeat of the enemy, red is for the blood on the Kuwaiti swords, white is for purity and green represents the fertile land. The Iraqi custom flag used until 1959 may have influenced the black trapezium on the hoist side. The country is flat and arid, but is rich in oil a commodity that makes it attractive to immigrants. The Kuwaiti Arabs only makes-up a third of the population while the rest are all immigrants.
by: The Flagman
The bear flag had been the official state symbol of California, and records would reveal that the first flag was flown during the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt. That a version of the Bear Flag as it is popularly known was adopted by the state legislature and signed into law by the Governor, Hiram Johnson in 1911. And today, the official modern California State Flag is a refined version, white with a wide red strip at the bottom. A red star is added in the upper left corner and a grizzly bear facing left towards the hoist and dead center on the state flag, walking on a patch of green grass. Sad to say that the California grizzly bear depicted on the flag has long been extinct. Since the gold rush of 1848, California's image has been one as a promised land. It has evolved as the most populous (one in eight Americans) among the states of the union. Almost half of the population is clustered around San Francisco and Los Angeles all egging for water. Water had plagued residents of California and in 1940 the opening of the Colorado River Aqueduct eased the water shortage. The Central Valley Project, the state's largest water transfer provided the greening of around 128,000 square kilometers in San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys, the home of migrant workers in quest of seasonal work. Half of all Californian's are immigrants or the siblings of immigrants, increasing the population between 1990 and 2000 to over 4.1 million. Owing to its vast concentration of residents, 90% of the state is now considered urban, dotted with residential zones and industrial parks engaged in the manufacture of high-tech equipment, in areas of biotechnology, aerospace defense, and computers.
by: The Flagman
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The region of Transjordan is a semi-autonomous area of Palestine, carved out by the British in the 1920's. It was managed by Great Britain, but was granted independence in 1946 and adopted Jordan as the new name of the state in 1950. Jordan is a constitutional monarchy and was under long-time ruler King Hussein (1953-99) who successfully steered the country through pressures from super powers (US, USSR, and UK), from several Arab states, Israel, and from a large internal Palestinian population to weather wars and various coup attempts. A pragmatist in general the King re-instituted Parliamentary elections and gradual political liberalization in 1989; and in 1994 he signed a peace treaty with Israel. The official state symbol is the Jordan flag, which consists of three equal horizontal bands of black, white, and green that are all connected by a red triangle on the hoist side. The colors on the horizontal bands represent the Abbasid, Umayyad and Fatimid Caliphates while the red triangle is for the Hashemite Dynasty and the Arab Revolt. A seven-pointed star was added that distinguish it from the flag of Palestine, and it stands for the seven verses of the first surah in the Qur'an, and also for the unity of the Arab race. But some attributes the seven-pointed star on the red triangle to the seven hills on which the capital Amman was built. The economy of Jordan is solely based on agriculture and phosphates and its entry into the World Trade Organization in 2000 could bring in needed revenues through reforms and increased trade. Though it lacks oil, Jordan aims to harness the full potential of its limited natural resources; and through cooperative agreements with neighbors in the development of renewable energy.
by: The Flagman
The history of the Jewish people according to Biblical accounts is one of persecution, intimidation, discrimination and loneliness being cast away from their homeland. But, such strengthened their resolve to return home and re-establish a homeland given by the one God as inheritance. Thus, when Great Britain withdrew from Palestine after the Second World War, the United Nations partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states. Sadly the agreement was found not satisfactory with the Arabs, and a series of wars with its more powerful Arab neighbors ensued. But the Israeli's are a breed by itself because they not only defeated their adversaries they annexed additional lands captured during the conflicts, while deep divisions between the two sides continues to this day. For the moment, a ceasefire is in effect and a resolution of the age-old conflict might be in the books, but one thing is certain the Arabs will not want Jerusalem under the Israeli's. Both sides need it, because of the Dome of the Rock the exact spot where Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven, but is likewise important for the Jews, as it was here that Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son. The birth of Israel was not foretold in the Bible, but once they have established their foothold they fought for it. Out of this determination, the National Flag of Israel was adopted on October 28,1948 or five months after Israel was declared a country. The world flag had a blue Star of David at the center on a white background, in between two horizontal blue stripes. The flag was actually designed for the Zionist Movement in 1891 and the concept is patterned after the Tallit, the Jewish prayer shawl that is white with blue stripes.
by: The Flagman
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