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. 

Reunion

The Flag of Reunion

The island of Reunion is located off the coast of Africa, near to the island of Madagascar. Because it is a Departement, and thus an integral part of France, it is actually the outermost region of the European Union, and the Eurozone. And, because of the time zone where it is, it was the first place in the world to begin to use the Euro!

The island was discovered and claimed by the French in the early 1600's. The island has been held by France ever since. Apart from 1810 to1815, when it was held by Britain. In 1815, it was returned to French control. During WWII, the island sided with Vichy France.

The island itself has a very ethnically diverse population, with immigrants from Arab nations, India, and Africa drawn by work in the sugar industry that sustained the island for a long time. 

As Reunion is a Departement, its formal flag is the French tricolore. However, there is a locally designed flag which is gaining popularity. It features 3 thin stripes running vertically next to the hoist. The rest of the flag is divided into 4 triangles. The blue representing the European, Christian community, the orange representing the Indian, Hindu community, the red represents the Chinese community, as well as the volcano, and the green represents the the African and Islamic community.

The central white disc represents the island and the desire for the islands various communities to live in peace and harmony.

There has been a competition as well to come up with a new flag for the region, which is now under development by the local vexillological association. 

The proposal sees a red triangle at the base of the flag, over a blue field, with golden rays coming from the top of the triangle. The blue represents the sky, the red represents the volcano, and strength, and the golden rays represents the sun. This winning entry was created in 2003.

More recently, a new organisation grew in 2006. The LPLP is a pro-independence campaign to break from France. 

Then, in 2008, the LPLP introduced its idea for a new national flag.This proposal is a red banner with the bottom half being 2 horizontal stripes of gold and green. In the upper hoist canton is a gold 5 point star.

New Caledonia

Flag of New Caledonia

New Caledonia enjoys a special within France's overseas territories, enjoying far more autonomy than France's other territories. The island group is located in the South Pacific, off the north east coast of Australia. The name of the territory, New Caledonia, came from the islands "discoverer," Captain Scott, of Britain. It is alleged that the island reminded him of the coast line of Scotland, the land of his fathers birth. So, he named the land "New Caledonia" in honour of Scotland. In French, the name is Nouvelle Caledonie. However, the islands most recent constitution does allow for a new flag, motto, anthem, and name should there be a consensus. 

Whilst the islands where first sighted by Captain Cook in 1774, none of the major European powers laid claim to the islands until France did in in 1853. This was part of Napoleons attempts to build an empire in the south Pacific to rival that of Britain, who already had Australia, and New Zealand. 

Over the following decades, the native population was nearly wiped out, thanks to disease brought in by the Europeans, and the immigrant population being swollen with France shipping out thousands of prisoners, in a programme copying that of Britain, with their forced deportation of criminals to Australia. 

During WWII, the islands became hugely important to the Allied cause. The islands sided with the Free French forces, and where helped by the Australians to resist attacks by the Japanese. Later, the US built up significant forces on the island, including military bases. Including a large pentagonal building which would later serve as the HQ for the newly formed Secretariat of the Pacific Community. 

However, after the war, a slow campaign was begun to agitate for independence, building up until the 1980's, when the campaign became far more high profile. Culminating in 1988 with a bloody hostage taking in Ouvea.

This unrest led to a series of accords, first in 1988, then again in 1998. These accords afforded the islands a huge degree of autonomy, gave the inhabitants local citizenship, a co-national flag, its own emblem, and a slow process leading to more autonomy. The end of all this will be a referendum between 2014 to 2019 when the islands status will either be settled as an autonomous French territory, or as a fully independent nation.

The emblem of the islands consists of a nautilus shell, in black, placed in the foreground.

Placed behind the shell is a "Fleche Faitiere" as well as a representation of a tree native to the islands, as well as a pair of wavy lines underneath to represent the wave surrounding the islands. It is common to see this symbol defacing the French tricolore.

In 1980, the FNKS party instituted its flag which would enter widespread use, and was formally adopted by the local government, and finally in 2010 formally became adopted as a co-official flag. To be flown alongside the French flag. There was a lot of controversy over this flag, given it came from a political party. Rather than finding something new and apolitical.

The flag itself features three horizontal stripes of blue, red, and green. The blue stands for the sky, and the sea round the islands. The red represents the blood of the local Kanaks who have fought to maintain their culture, and the green represents the land. And the ancestors buried within.

Placed in the centre, and offset to the hoist of the flag is a gold disc, edged in black. The disc represents the sun, and the black symbol placed upon it is a representation of a "Fleche Faitiere" a type of arrow which adorns the roofs of many homes, speared through a series of local shells. 

Before the formal adopting of this flag, to represent the islands, the sports community adopted its own flag. A vertical tricolore of grey, red, and grey. It features a representation of the Olympic rings, and in the centre features a silhouette of a native bird. 

It will be interesting to see what happens. Once 2014 rolls round, the Territorial Congress gains the ability to call a referendum on the islands status at a time of its choosing. Be it to continue as a French territory, or as an independent nation.

Mayotte

The Flag of Mayotte

The island of Mayotte is located in the Indian ocean, between the island of Madagascar, and the African mainland. It is part of the chain of islands that make up the nation of Comoros. However, Mayotte remains part of France.

The island of Mayotte, and the rest of the Comoros islands had been fought over by various Sultanates through its history, also falling under control of the king of Madagascar.

In 1843, the Comoros islands where ceded to France, until a referendum in 1974. The referendum saw the other islands of the Comoros vote for independence, whilst the island of Mayotte voted to retain its link with France. A follow-up vote in 1976 saw the same result. A desire to retain its link with France.

Since independence, Comoros has maintained its claim to the island of Mayotte.Also, they have pushed the United Nations, where the Security Council has voted many times in support of Comoros, only for France to use its veto. The tenor can be judged by the title of the resolution! "Question of the Comorian island of Mayotte." However, since 1995, the issue has not been raised before the Security Council.

Another referendum in 2009 saw Mayotte vote to abandon its "overseas community" status, and become Frances 101st "departement." This will see Mayotte become fully integrated with France's governmental system. Its current legal system, which sees a blend of French and Islamic laws will be slowly abolished and France's uniform legal code will be implemented.

As part of France, Mayotte does not have its own official flag. It uses the national flag of France. However, Mayotte does have its own unofficial coat of arms. A central shield has a cloud design upon it, with the top half in blue, and the bottom half in red. On the blue, is a sideways crescent, and 2 yellow flowers on the red. The supporters are seahorses, and underneath is a ribbon with the islands motto, "Ra hichiri."

The island has an unofficial flag which is white, with the islands coat of arms placed in the centre. Above, in red capital letters, is the islands name "MAYOTTE."

There is a movement on the island to reunify with Comoros. However, that movement is small, and with the shift in 2011 to becoming a full departement makes it very, very unlikely that Mayotte will move away from France.

The Republic of Turkey

The Ay Yildiz

The Ottoman Empire preceded the modern state of Turkey, and lasted from 1293 to 1923. At its height in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ottoman Empire controlled territory on 3 continents.

It controlled territory round the black sea, in the Balkan area of Europe, large swathes of Arabia, and along north Africa.

All though its history, the Empire looked to expand its influence, with regular campaigns into Europe. The Empire reached as far as the gates of Vienna, and parts of Italy. Indeed, the Emperors took to effectively titling themselves as "The Roman Emperor" and saw themselves as legitimate successors to the previous Roman Empire. This saw a concerted campaign to seize the heart of the old Roman Empire, the city of Rome. Whilst they managed to briefly hold parts of Italy, they never where able to get the city of Rome.

The Ottoman Empire did not have a fixed flag, with Emperors using a variety of flags for the state, and as personal banners. One of the earliest in use to represent the Ottoman Empire, was a simple white banner with a gold crescent faced up, with a single bar running through it. This emblem was called the Kayi Tamgha, "seal." This banner was in use from very old times, to 1326.

From 1383 to 1453, a new banner was used for the Empire. A simple red curved triangular pennant.

From 1326, to 1517, the Emperor flew a new flag alongside this pennant. A red banner, with a gold cross. In each canton, he placed a stylised version of the Kayi Tamgha.

After 1453, the Emperor introduced a modified pennant. Keeping the shape and colour previously, but placing a single gold crescent upon it.This banner was in use up to 1844.

The Ottoman Navy used its own version of this pennant, but switching the red for green. This was in use to 1793.

Another banner introduced for the Empire came in in 1517, and was in use until 1844. This new banner was a standard rectangular red banner, with a green oval in the centre. In the centre of the oval, they placed three gold crescents.

In 1843, The Ottoman Empire tried to arrest the slow decline of its Empire by instituting a massive program of reform. The Tanzimat. This saw the secularisation of the state from Islam. Something the modern Turkey has tried to maintain. 

This program sought to bring all its citizens together as Ottoman by guaranteeing all its citizens equal rights. Something that had not happened before, with non-Muslims being treated as second-class. In order to unify the people of its empire, part of the reform saw the introduction of a new flag. This time, a simple red banner, on which is a white crescent, and a 5 point star.

This was the last flag of the Empire, and in use from 1844 to 1923.

The First World War triggered the ultimate demise for the Ottoman Empire. Before the war, the Empire ended up losing a lot of its European territories in the Balkans after campaigns by the people there for freedom.

At the start of the First World War, the Ottoman Empire enjoyed a sequences of success. However, Pressure in Europe, and an Arabic uprising led by Captain T.E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), and backed by the British, proved most successful in pushing Ottoman forces away from the Arabian peninsula. With the ending of the war, the Ottoman Empire was on the losing side. Its territories where divided up, and gained their freedom.

After the war, Britain and France occupied the city of Istanbul in order to force the implementation of a peace treaty, and make sure that the partition of the territories went ahead unimpaired. The occupation led to the rise of a nationalist movement that fought to get the "occupiers" out of Turkey. The end result of this saw the abolition of the Ottoman Empire, the abdication of the Emperor, and the creation of a new, secular, republican Turkey. 

Ever since then, Turkey has had a staunchly secular constitution, whilst the majority of the people are Muslim. This secular society is fiercely guarded by the military and judiciary. And currently sees a lot of pressure rising, with the current Turkish government being accused of pursuing an Islamic agenda.

With the foundation of a new Turkish state, a new flag was brought in. It was decided to keep the last flag of the Ottoman Empire. However, the new flag saw a slightly lighter shade of red used, as well as having the crescent and star being slimmed, as well as having regulations laid down detailing the dimensions of the flag and its component parts.

The crescent was first used as a symbol of the Ottoman Empire as far back as 339 BC, when a waxing moon allowed the people of Byzantium to beat off an attack by Phillip of Macedon. The people where so grateful, they brought in the crescent as a symbol.

The use of the crescent and star has cropped up many times through Turkey's history. Mainly, just when defeat looks likely for the Turks, the Emperor has seen an image of a star and a crescent in a pool of blood. The leader of Turkey is then able to lead his forces to victory!