Flag of Somalia
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| Use | National flag and ensign |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Design | A white star centered on a light blue field. |
The flag of Somalia (Somali: Calanka Soomaaliya) was adopted on October 12, 1954. It was designed by Mohammed Awale Liban.[1][2] Upon reunification of Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland, the flag was used for the nascent Somali Republic.
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History [edit]
The flag of Somalia was created in 1954 during the transitional trusteeship period of the nation's history. It was personally designed by the Somali scholar Mohammed Awale Liban, after he had been selected by the Somali labour trade union to come up with a design in preparation for independence.[1][2]
Characteristics [edit]
An ethnic flag, the five-pointed white Star of Unity in its center represents the Somali ethnic group found in Djibouti, the Ogaden region in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and the former British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland territories.[3][4]
The flag's light blue backdrop was originally influenced by the flag of the United Nations, in recognition of the UN's role in Somalia's transition to independence during the trusteeship period.[5][6] However, it today officially denotes the sky as well as the Indian Ocean, which flanks the nation.[4]
The flag's blazon, or heraldic description, is: Azure, a mullet Argent.
Construction [edit]
The flag of Somalia can be faithfully reproduced using the following construction plan:
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Historical flags [edit]
The following are the flags historically used in the territory of present-day Somalia:
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Flag of the Adal Sultanate (1415–1577)
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Flag of the Ajuuraan Empire (14th century–17th century)
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Flag of Ottoman Zeila (1554–1866)
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Flag of the Dervish State (1896–1920)
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Flag of British Somaliland
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Flag of Italian Somaliland
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See also [edit]
Notes [edit]
- ^ a b History of the flag
- ^ a b Maria Costantino, The Illustrated Flag Handbook, (Gramercy Books: 2001), p.185.
- ^ Somalia Flag
- ^ a b "The World Factbook - Somalia". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ Znamierowski, Alfred. The World Encyclopedia of Flags. p. 222. ISBN 0-7548-0167-5.
- ^ Talocci, Mauro. In Smith, Whitney. Guide to the Flags of the World. p. 131. ISBN 0-688-01141-1.
References [edit]
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