What Do National Flags Mean?

Great Britain

• Great Britain's flag, the Union Jack, was adopted in 1801 as the result of the union of the kingdoms of Great Britain (England and Scotland) and Ireland. It is made up of the crosses of England, Scotland and Ireland's patron saints.
  
  

Japan

• Japan's flag has a crimson disc called the Hinomaru (it symbolizes the sun) placed in the center of a white field. It was made the official national flag in the mid-19th century.
  
  

Nigeria

• Designed by a college student in 1959, the Nigerian flag consists of three panels: two green to represent agriculture, and one white to represent peace and unity.
  
  

Brazil

• Brazil's flag consists of the colors green and yellow to represent the royal families of the country's first emperor and his wife, respectively, and a blue celestial sphere. It represents the night sky of Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 15, 1889--the day Brazil became a republic.
  
  

United States

• The United States flag consists of 13 red stripes over a white background to symbolize the original colonies/states during the Revolutionary era, and a blue field to the upper left that contains a white star for every state in the union.