Introduction
On our various tours around the world, we’ve come across some fairly bizarre flags. However, some of the most striking are the ones that feature weapons. So we decided to give you an insight into 5 of the countries with weird flags that feature a weapon of some sort.
Kenya
In the last place on our list of weird flags is the flag of Kenya which features a shield and two warrior spears which are designed to represent the Masai warriors of Kenya as well as symbolize the defense of the colors of Kenya which stand for the following: Black represents the Kenyan people, red signifies the bloodshed on Kenyan soil during their long fight for independence, and green stands for the natural landscape of Kenya.
Soviet Union
The flag of the Soviet Union is red to memorialize the red flag of the Paris Commune of 1871 the hammer and sickle are symbols of communism and socialism. Whilst the Soviet Union may not exist anymore, and there are still countries that fly the Soviet flag. Transnistria, the breakaway state that broke away from Moldova during a civil war in the 1990s, still flies the hammer and sickle but is unrecognized by any UN state despite having their own military, laws, border controls, and currency. It’s difficult to tell the exact number of people who live in a place like Transnistria, but it’s estimated to be around 450,000.
Saudi Arabia
The flag of Saudi Arabia, one of the largest countries on earth, features a traditional Arab sword. The green of the Saudi flag represents the color of Islam, the Arabic text on the flag translates to “There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” known as the Shahada or the Islamic declaration of faith.
The sword represents strictness in the Saudi application of justice and in a country where thieves have their hands cut off, adulterers are stoned to death, and others are beheaded, Saudi Arabia is a country which stays true to the meaning of its flag. Almost 800 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2020.
Angola
Instituted in 1975 after the Angolan Civil War, The Angolan flag is influenced by the group which went sole to sole with Portuguese rule and came out of the war as the country’s ruling party. The Angolan flag features a red band that stands for the bloodshed during Angola’s history and a black band, which signifies Africa. In the center, a gear stands for production and industrial workers, armed struggle is represented through the machete, and the star represents international solidarity. The Angolan flag is inherently Soviet-influenced due to its inauguration during the Cold War and Soviet influence in the country at the time.
Mozambique
Stealing the first place in our list of weird flags is naturally the one featuring an AK47: the flag of Mozambique! The flag of Mozambique dates back to 1983 and is iconic for its incorporation of a bayonet wielding AK-47 assault rifle crossed with an agricultural symbol of a hoe. The three colors of the flag represent the following: Green stands for the riches of the land in Mozambique, white stands for peace, black stands for Africa, and red represents the bloodshed during the struggle for independence.
The AK-47 represents both vigilance and defence of the nation. The book that the Kalashnikov is laying on represents the importance of education for the country, the importance of agriculture is represented through the hoe, and last but not least, the star stands for Marxism. Like the flag of Angola, the flag of Mozambique is also heavily influenced by the Soviets.
To visit any of these countries that have national flags that feature weapons check out our international tour schedule here.
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