Colors and the Meaning of the United Kingdom Flag
United Kingdom flag, the official flag of the United Kingdom state. It is the flag that represents the whole of the Kingdom States. The flag is a white cross on a blue background and plus there is also a red cross and plus on top of them. However, in the Civil, Government and Ship Flags, the flag is drawn in the upper left corner. Civil flag on the red frame, government flag in blue, Ship flag on white. However, the ship flag has a red plus on the frame as well as a white background. The United Kingdom Flag is located at the top left of the plus.
The first version arises when the king of Scotland, King James VI, became king of England in 1606. This version consists of overlapping the Scottish flag (St. Andrew’s Cross; the white cross on the blue) and the British flag (St. George’s Cross; the red cross on white). It’s called the Union Flag.
Related Map: Countries of the United Kingdom
When Great Britain and Ireland joined together in 1801, the Irish flag (St. Patrick’s Cross, the red cross on the white) was added to the “union flag” and the present day flag emerged. Despite the independence of Southern Ireland in 1921, the flag is not intervened.
History of the United Kingdom Flag
In 1603, James VI of Scotland also became King of Britain. However, he continued to use his own flags in two separate states. The symbol of the British flag was Red George’s Cross on a white backdrop. The symbol of the Scottish Flag is white St. Andrew’s Cross, on a blue background. However, there was a controversy for a new flag to be used, and therefore it was important to combine two flags.
On April 12, 1606, James VI of Scotland ordered the merging of white and red crosses. Thus, the first common flag of Great Britain emerged. This flag was created with the overlapping of British white cross in a flat shape with the oblique white cross of Ireland on a dark blue background. At the behest of the king, all countries of the British Empire officially used this flag in all institutions.
The peoples of Britain and Scotland maintained the shapes and dimensions of the crosses of the new flag. For the Royal Family alone, each king made special flags for the integrity of the empire. Like the flag of Queen Elizabeth of England. Thus, Queen Elizabeth’s flag was the basis for the flag of Britain today.
Unification of Britain and Ireland
In the year 1800, St Patrick’s Cross was added to the British flag as a symbol of the unification of Britain and Ireland. From January 1, 1801, a new flag was created as the sole and official flag of the British fleet. Before this new flag was formalized, it was decided to reduce the size of St George’s Cross in the flag. The official flag of Great Britain, which was approved in 1801, has kept the same design and shape unchanged so far.
The national anthem of the United Kingdom was first mentioned in 1745 under the name of “God Save the King”. The words of the anthem are “God Save the King” or “God Save the Queen” according to the king or queen. The author and composer of this anthem is unknown. Although not officially announced as a national anthem, this anthem has been traditionally used as national anthem since 1745.
In 1956, after Suez Crisis, Britain and France took part against Israel, alongside Israel, the British flag was slowly disappearing over the colonies. In the second half of the 20th century, the sun moved away from the banner of Great Britain, and many colonies became independent under the leadership of leaders elected by their own people.
The British Navy took part in the NATO Force at the First Gulf War, which began on January 17, 1991 and ended on February 26 of the same year. Thus, the flag fluctuated again after years of war in the international waters. the British Flag was then re-flown together with the US and NATO Forces during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Neighboring Countries of United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is an island country. Its only neighbor was Ireland, which gained its independence in 1921. The narrowest part of the United Kingdom is separated by the English Channel which is 52 km wide. The Channel Tunnel connects the country to the European continent. The French-English border crosses the center of the canal.
Main Characteristics of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is made up of Northern Ireland on the island of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. These countries are located in the North Sea, in the British Isles in the west of the European continent.
With its culture, tremendous nature, artistic richness and historical attractions, United Kingdom has become a tourist destination for many tourists. The capital London is one of the most famous and established cities in the world. One of the most important symbols of the United Kingdom is the clock tower. The official language is English, the most widely spoken language in the world. British pounds are used as currency.
Weather conditions in the country are very variable. Mild sea climate is dominant. Cool in summer, the weather in the winter is soft.
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Code | GB (GBR) |
| Calling Code | 44 |
| Capital City | London |
| Currency | british pound (GBP) |
| Emoji Symbol | 🇬🇧 |
| Highest Point | Mount Paget (2,934 m) |
| Internet TLD | .uk |
| Population(2017) | 66,375,103 |
| Total Area | 248,528 km2 |