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Flags & Emblems
Banners & Symbols
National flags, their parts and what they were meant to say.
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The flag of Japan depicts what?
Creatures and Emblems on Flags
Plenty of countries settle for stripes. These ten put something in the centre instead, and each choice says something specific about the place.
About this topic
A flag with an object in the middle is making a claim. It might be a founding myth, a building nobody else has, an animal found only on that island, or an industry the country wants to be known for. Whatever it is, someone argued for it in a committee. These ten are among the most distinctive charges on any national flag. None of the questions need you to picture the flag itself, only to know what the country chose to put there.
Questions & answers
Creatures and Emblems on Flags: all 10 questions and answers
Every question in this quiz is listed below with its correct answer and the reasoning behind it. Play first if you would rather not see the answers — or read through as a study sheet.
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1Which country's flag features a temple complex?
- A Myanmar
- B Cambodia Correct
- C Thailand
- D Laos
Answer: B. Cambodia
Why: Angkor Wat has appeared on Cambodian flags in one form or another since the 1860s, surviving several changes of government. It is one of very few national flags to depict a building.
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2A thunder dragon clutching jewels appears on the flag of which country?
- A Bhutan Correct
- B Nepal
- C Mongolia
- D Laos
Answer: A. Bhutan
Why: The dragon is Druk, and Bhutan's name for itself, Druk Yul, means the land of the thunder dragon. The jewels in its claws stand for the wealth of the country.
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3The eagle on the flag of Mexico is shown doing what?
- A Clutching arrows and an olive branch
- B Rising out of flames
- C Standing on a globe
- D Perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak Correct
Answer: D. Perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak
Why: The image comes from the Aztec founding legend of Tenochtitlan, where such a sight marked the spot to build the city. Mexico City stands on that site today.
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4The golden lion on the flag of Sri Lanka is holding what?
- A A key
- B A scroll
- C A sword Correct
- D A torch
Answer: C. A sword
Why: It holds a kastane, a traditional Sri Lankan sword with a curved blade. The orange and green stripes beside it were added to represent the Tamil and Muslim communities.
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5Which country's flag features a bird of paradise?
- A Fiji
- B Papua New Guinea Correct
- C Solomon Islands
- D Vanuatu
Answer: B. Papua New Guinea
Why: The raggiana bird of paradise sits on the red half, with the Southern Cross on the black half. The design was chosen in 1971 from a competition won by a fifteen-year-old student, Susan Karike.
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6The flag of Kiribati shows a frigatebird flying over what?
- A A rising sun and ocean waves Correct
- B A palm tree on a sandbank
- C A canoe under sail
- D A coral reef
Answer: A. A rising sun and ocean waves
Why: The bird flies above a golden rising sun and three white bands representing the sea. The three bands also stand for the three island groups that make up the country.
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7The flag of Cyprus shows what, in copper colour, on a white field?
- A A crown
- B A dove in flight
- C An olive tree
- D The outline of the island Correct
Answer: D. The outline of the island
Why: The island is drawn in copper above two crossed olive branches, and the metal copper takes its name from Cyprus. White, copper and green were chosen precisely because they avoid the blue of Greece and the red of Turkey.
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8The flag of Kenya features a Maasai shield together with what?
- A A pair of swords
- B A bow and quiver
- C Two crossed spears Correct
- D Two crossed arrows
Answer: C. Two crossed spears
Why: The shield and spears stand for the defence of freedom. The black, red and green bands represent the people, the blood shed for independence and the land itself.
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9The flag of Portugal carries an armillary sphere. What is that?
- A A ceremonial crown
- B A navigational model of the heavens Correct
- C A ship's steering wheel
- D A woven fishing net
Answer: B. A navigational model of the heavens
Why: An armillary sphere is a set of rings representing the celestial circles, used as an instrument and a teaching model. It became a personal emblem of King Manuel I and a shorthand for the age of Portuguese exploration.
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10The flag of Turkmenistan is unusual for including which design element?
- A Five carpet patterns Correct
- B Five mountain peaks
- C Five horses
- D Five wheat sheaves
Answer: A. Five carpet patterns
Why: A vertical stripe carries five carpet guls, the medallion patterns associated with five major tribes. It is generally considered the most intricate national flag in current use.
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