The World Encyclopedia of Flags: The Definitive Guide to International Flags, Banners, Standards and Ensigns

by Alfred Znamierowski

Book Overview

Throughout the ages flags have been a means of cultural and national identity, communication, and a means of representation for groups and associations. Compiled by a leading authority this book,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1843090422
• ISBN13: 9781843090427
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Ultimate Editions
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.88 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Flag Encyclopedia With Depth Dimension & Grace

It isn't just that he gives all the flags of the world's contemporary countries as UN members, but he lists and depicts the 8 or 9 secessionists who are dba as independent countries, recognition or not, UN membership or not. If you know flag books, this is uncommon. We're also used to US state flags and just to show we're more international now we'll tolerate Canadian Provincial flags and the territories which make up the UK. But the states of not only Germany and Switz., not only all the new colorful and imaginative flags of Republics of the Russian Federation, but get this! Appearing for the first time north of the equator, the flags of the states of Brazil! Plus ALL of the UK's colonial flags (including BR. Antarctic Terr. with the Union Jack, a singular white field, and a penguin scrolly badge the Brits are so very fond of!). We're also treated to a plethora of very accurate renditions of historical flags of the world, including some of the Republics spawned by the French Revolution, an 1861 State of Louisiana which is incorrectly labeled (about 5 such entries are the only marring of an otherwise highly accurate and very informative book) but which when I saw it for the first time, I said, "no way--couldn't be" but it too is accurate. Plus 2 Confederate flags I had never before seen depicted. A landmark of publications on the subject, it will be the standard to adhere to or the volume to best for at least the next 20 years.

Must-have guide to flags and banners

Alfred Znamierowski compiled this exhaustive work on flags, the meanings behind the colors, flag families, parts of flags, and flags of countries, states, organization, of revolution and politics. There are even some old heraldry flags from medieval times included.Some countries have flags of their states included, such as Australia, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Russia's autonomous republics (Dagestan, Chechnya), and oh yes, the U.S. From looking at our states, it's disheartening to see how many states still have the Confederate flag or red saltire on them (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi).The best thing about this book is how the colours and symbol of each country/province/state/canton's flag is explained. For example, Ireland has a tricolore of green, white, and orange vertical stripes. The green represents the Catholics, the orange the Protestants (as in William of Orange), and the white is for peace between both groups. Let's look at another tricolore, Guinea's red-yellow-green. The red is the blood/sacrifice of the people, the yellow is the gold of Guinea and the sun, and the green represents vegetation and agriculture. Isn't this useful?And most flag proportions are 2:3, but others are 1:2 (Latvia, Libya, Nigeria). And some are irregular. Belgium's flag is 13:15, Switzerland and its cantons are 1:1, Mexico is 4:7, and our own, 10:19.What about flag families? Then there are colours associated with certain movements. For example, green, yellow, and red are the Pan-African colours. Black, green, red, and white are the Pan-Arab colours. They represent the colour of the dynasties of the Islamic Empire (black for Abbasids, green for Fatimids, white for Umayyads, and red for Hashemites). Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria have flags with those colours. And with the breakup of Yugoslavia, all but Bosnia and Macedonia have the blue, white, and red Pan-Slav colours.The French tricolore has influenced many other countries' flags with its three vertical stripes. Romania, Italy, Belgium, Guinea, and Cote D'Ivoire. And it's no coincidence that all the Scandinavian countries have identical flags--they're based on the Scandinavian cross.Symbols are also explained. The Muslim crescent and star, a main symbol of Islam and mentioned in the 53rd surah of the Quran, is adopted by Turkey, Algeria, and Pakistan, for example. And writing. The writing on the Iraqi flag reads "God Is Great," which ironically is what is written 22 times in Sufic script along the Iranian flag. ...Parts of flags: this is an interesting one. Much of this is technical terms. The hoist is the first (left) vertical half, the fly is the right vertical half. Then there are charges (figures) For example, that upper rectangle of our flag is a canton. A saltire, i.e. the cross part in the British flag, is what is used to divide the flag into four parts. And the trapezium, a sideways trapezoid on the left part of a flag, is what Kuw

Great book.

This book is a great guide for flags. It is non-ponerous, but still very informative. An excellent balance between consice information and quick referencing. It makes it rather fun to read.

Welcome to a Much Needed Reference Book

There has not been a comprehensive reference book about flags since Dr. Whitney Smith's "Flags Through the Ages and Across the World" was published in 1975. There have been a number of "observer" type books but now we have a scholarly work that goes beyond colorful images. Not that the images are neglected as this work supplies them in great quantity as well as quality, but there is also a well written text to accompany them. As another reviewer noted there are a number of pictorial errors (another is the Royal Banner of Scotland being substituted for that of the Dutch province of South Holland). However, these should not deter any potential purchaser to pass this book by as they would be missing a real treat. As someone who has been buying flag books and charts for more than thirty-five years (and who now goes to various on-line flag sites) I can readily say that this is the book that flag-lovers have been waiting for. If you are interested in learning about flags beyond the usual national flags that you can get in the "World Almanac" or any decent encyclopedia, this book will suppy you with a cornucopia of historical, regional and special purpose flags that should be a source of endless fascination.