Alberta

Flag of Alberta

Alberta is the 9th province of Canada, being founded September 1st, 1905. It was split from the Northwest Territories. Today, most of the inhabitants live in and around the two main cities of Edmonton and Calgary, both in the south of the province.

The flag of Alberta was first designed back in 1958, and finally adopted on June 1, 1968. The flag itself consists of the state coat of arms on a deep blue field in the centre.

From 1907, Alberta had its own shield. This shield is to be found on the flag today. The shield itself bears an image of the Rocky mountains and the lowlands, grass prairies, and underneath a representation of the provinces main crop, wheat. On top, a St George Cross. Taken from the arms of the Hudson Bay Company, who initially began the development of the territory.

In 1980, Queen Elizabeth augmented the coat of arms with a new crest, supporters, and motto. Now, the coat of arms features a royal helmet with St Edwards Crown, the supporters are a lion and a longhorn antelope. The motto reads Fortis et Liber, meaning "Strong and Free." However, the flag continues to use just the shield from the coat of arms.

Wallis and Futuna

Flag of Wallis and Futuna

The island archipelago is located in the Pacific, north of New Zealand. The archipelago is made up of 3 main islands, and many tiny volcanic islets. The islands where originally charted by Dutch and English explorers in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who actually made moves to settle there, with missionaries arriving in the islands in 1837.

The islands themselves fall under French control, but consist of 3 traditional tribal kingdoms. In 1842, the missionaries feared for their safety, so called for assistance from France to protect them. And with the French military there, the Queen of Uvea (Wallis) signed a treaty in 1887 which turned her kingdom into a French protectorate. 

The group of islands finally where annexed as a group in 1917 and became a full French protectorate, governed from New Caledonia. Then, in 1959, the islands voted to become a French overseas territory. 

The islands, being French territories use the French tricolore as their official flag. However, the group does have its own unofficial flag. Originally, a red banner with the French tricolore in the upper fly hoist edged in white. In the centre of the banner, a white Germanic (Christian) cross.

However, the flag has been altered, with the latest version still being a red banner, with the tricolore edged in white, for heraldic reasons, of not allowing strong colours to touch. However, the cross has been altered. It is now a red saltire cross on a white square. This has been placed to the right of centre, and slightly down.

The coat of arms for the island takes the same form as the flag. The French tricolore placed in the top right corner, and edged in white, with the red saltire on white placed on the lower left.

St Pierre and Miquelon

Flag of St Pierre and Miquelon

The islands of St Pierre and Miquelon are two French held islands off the south of the Canadian island of Newfoundland. The islands themselves where prized for their rich fishing grounds, first visited by Basque fishermen. However, by the mid 17th century, the French had permanent settlements on the islands.

However, their closeness of the islands to British held Canada proved to be a major provocation to the British, and regular attacks forced the French to abandon the islands. The British took control, and held the islands for 50 years until the French reclaimed them in 1763 under the Treaty of Paris. Which saw them cede control of the rest of their continental Canadian territories.

During the American Revolution, French support for the Americans led to the British to attack the islands, and deport the French settlers. The islands then passed between the French and the British for the next 38 years. France finally took control back in 1815, with the abdication of Napoleon, and there followed a boom in the fishing trade. Leading the island to a long period of wonderful prosperity.

However, the decline in the fishing industry was brought about by political and economic changes, until 1920, when the islands became an important centre for the importation of alcohol into the US with the advent of Prohibition.

The islands themselves are damp and windy, enjoying short, but warm summers, and long, cold, wet winters. 

For many years, cod fishing was most important. However, heavy over fishing of the Grand Banks led the Canadians to close fishing down. Whilst the fishing fleet on the island is French, the Grand Banks are Canadian, which means the fishing fleet has been heavily affected.

Recent attempts at diversification have been under way. Such as agriculture, crab fishing, and tourism.

The islands themselves have their own flag. As a territory of France, they fly the French tricolore. However, they do have a flag of their own.

This flag represents the history of migration to the islands. the main image is a golden ship on a blue background, over the sea. This represents the islands maritime history. Along the fly are three small flags. The top one is a white cross laid over a green diagonal cross on a red background. This is the Basque flag. 

The second one down is a white banner with black arrowheads arranged over it. This is taken from the flag of Brittany. The Brittany flag places this in the upper hoist canton, and has black and white horizontal stripes arranged over the rest of the flag.

The final flag is two golden lions emblazoned on a red field. The flag of Normandy.

These three flags represent the three early waves of immigration into the islands from France.

Saint Martin

Flag of Saint Martin

Like its near neighbour, St Barts, Saint Martin used to be governed as a commune of France from Guadeloupe. However, the island, like St Barts, voted to break away, and become a separate collectivity of France. A process completed by 2007.

Initially, the island was coveted by the Dutch and the French, even though it had been charted by Spain first. They had decided that the island was a low priority. The Dutch where the first to make a move, and established several successful settlements on the island. 

In 1633, the Spanish, already at war with the Netherlands, seized the island and tried to develop it themselves. However, their attempts proved unsuccessful, and they abandoned the island in 1648. After the Spanish withdrawal, both the Dutch and the French jumped back in, and established their own colonies.

Not wanting to face war, both sides signed the Treaty of Concordia which divided the island between them. 1 legend has it that to decide how much went to each side, a race was organised between a Frenchman, and a Dutchman. The Frenchman imbibed in wine, whilst the Dutchman enjoyed Jenever, a Dutch gin. Both set off from the start point, and headed round the coast. Where they met, would be where they drew the line to, from the start point.

Unfortunately for the Dutch, their competitor met a cute lady, and slept off his drinking, whilst the Frenchman cheated and cut a corner off. This meant  that the island was divided in Frances favour.

However, this is only legend. The real reason is that France had a thumping great fleet in port. Makes for a brilliant bargaining chip!

Over the years, various border disputes between the Dutch and the French has ended up with the French holding about 21 sq miles, and  the Dutch, just over 16.

Like many of France's overseas territories, it does not have its own flag. However, it does on land, use its coat of arms on white. There is also a locally designed flag, featuring a white "Y" shape dividing the flag between 2 blue halves. In the centre of the flag is an inverted red triangle, as well as golden half circle.

The coat of arms itself features a ship, a sun, a bird, and a palm tree. As well as the territories name.

Saint Barthelemy

Flag of Saint Barthelemy

St Barts used to be governed as a Commune as part of Guadeloupe. However, in 2007, it voted to separate, and is now an overseas collectivity. The island itself is located just south of the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean. The island itself was originally claimed by France in 1648. However, they handed it to Sweden in 1784 in return for trading rights in the Swedish city of Gothenburg. This means that the island of St Barts has the honour of being the only land in the Caribbean that was a Swedish colony.

However, France bought the island back from Sweden in 1878. 

The people on the island where long impoverished. However, the island has seen its people see a massive improvement in their living standards, in part led by the development of a very successful tourism sector. The island also has plenty of natural beauty.

This natural beauty has led to the island playing host to international photoshoots which allows the island to generate even more money! Such as Victoria's Secret holding regular photo sessions there.

The island itself does not have its own flag, but does use its coat of arms as an unofficial flag on the island. The official flag is the flag of France.

The coat of arms displays links with the islands history. it features a Maltese cross on a red band. Above the red band are three gold  fleur di lis on blue representing France. Also, underneath, representing the islands time as Sweden's only colony in the Caribbean, it features the Tri Kronor. The three golden crowns of Sweden.

The coat of arms features a crown made that represents the islands fortress, and is supported by two Pelicans.