Flags With a Sun – A List
Table of Contents
While a lot of flags are popular for stars, stripes, and crosses, there are some that are known to have a sun symbol in their design. The image symbolizes different things, with common themes including power, life, and strength. When used together with other symbols and colors, it draws a perfect picture of a nation’s ideals and principles. Here’s a list of some of the most recognizable flag designs that feature the sun.
Antigua and Barbuda
The national flag of Antigua and Barbuda has an eye-catching design that’s loaded with symbolism. It features a golden sun with seven points, which symbolizes the dawn of a new era marked by the country’s independence from Great Britain.
It is used together with other colors that have distinct meanings – red stands for the energy of its people, blue for hope, and black for its proud African heritage. If you look at the flag’s red borders, you will notice that it forms a distinct letter V. Some say that this is meant to represent victory against the British colonial forces.
Argentina
The unique design of Argentina’s flag features two blue stripes, a white stripe, and a golden sun in its center. Legend has it that Manuel Belgrano, the man who designed Argentina’s first national flag, drew inspiration from the shores of Rio Parana. The blue stripes depict how the sky reveals the white clouds.
The original version of the flag didn’t have the sun, but it was eventually incorporated into the flag. While some say that it represents the ancient Incan sun god, others believe that it was added as a remembrance of the sun shining through the clouds during the historic May Revolution.
Bangladesh
The flag of Bangladesh features a red disk over a green background. This symbol stands for two things – the sun rising in Bengal and the blood that its people shed in their fight for independence. Complementing the red disk is a green background that is said to represent Bangladesh’s lush forests and rich natural resources.
Japan
Japan’s flag looks extremely similar to that of Bangladesh because of the red disk in its center. It also symbolizes the sun, which plays an important role in Japan’s mythology and folklore. It is said that the legitimacy of every Japanese emperor’s rule stems from him being a direct descendant of Amaterasu, the sun goddess. Moreover, Japan is popularly known as the Land of the Rising Sun, so the sun disk perfectly matches its nickname.
One obvious difference between Bangladesh’s and Japan’s flags is their background. While Bangladesh uses green to symbolize its rich vegetation, Japan makes use of the color white to represent the honesty and purity of its people.
Kiribati
Kiribati’s national flag consists of powerful symbols – blue and white bands that represent the sea, the sun rising over the horizon, and a golden bird flying over it. This illustrates Kiribati’s position in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and expresses their strength as an island nation. Used as an armorial banner, its flag design closely resembles the country’s official coat of arms.
Kyrgyzstan
Like Japan and Bangladesh, the sun symbol also takes center stage in Kyrgyzstan’s flag. The main difference is its emblem has a more detailed pattern, with golden rays emanating from its center and a red ring with red stripes inside it. Considered a symbol of peace and prosperity, this sun symbol is complemented by a red field that stands for bravery and valor.
The 40 golden rays surrounding the sun symbol represent how Kyrgyzstan’s tribes fought against the Mongols in the Epic of Manas. Moreover, the red ring with X-shaped red lines inside it is a symbol of tündük, a crowning circle at the top of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt.
Kazakhstan
The national flag of Kazakhstan features a light blue background with three distinct emblems – a sun, a Steppe eagle, and an ornamental column on its left side.
All three are important as they represent the country’s culture and heritage. For instance, the eagle represents the Kazakh tribes as well as the power and sovereignty of the state. If you look closely, you’ll also notice that the rays around the sun symbol resemble grains. This is meant to represent the country’s wealth and prosperity.
In addition, the ornamental pattern on its left side denotes Kazakhstan’s rich culture as it is made up of its national pattern called Koshkar Muiz.
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi features horizontal stripes of black, red, and green and a distinct red sun rising from the top black band.
Each color represents an important part of Malawi’s culture – black refers to its native people, red stands for the blood spilled in their attempt to become an independent country, and green for nature.
The sun is also significant because it serves as a beacon of hope and a remembrance of their goal to gain independence in other African nations that remain under European rule.
Namibia
Like most countries, Namibia’s flag is an everlasting symbol of its people’s ongoing struggle for national identity and unity. It consists of blue, red, and green bands separated by a white border plus a distinct sun symbol. While blue stands for the sky, red for the heroism of Namibians, and green for its rich sources, and white for its peace, the golden sun symbolizes the warmth that its beautiful Namib desert brings.
North Macedonia
North Macedonia’s flag consists of a golden sun against a plain red field. The golden sun perfectly represents its growing nation in every aspect as it has long been considered the country’s national symbol. In addition, it represents the new sun of Liberty that is referred to in its national anthem.
Although their national flag is young as it was only officially adopted in 1995, the sun emblem has been around for quite some time. It drew inspiration from a symbol that was first seen in an ancient tomb that holds the remains of a prominent member of Macedonia’s ruling family.
Rwanda
The flag of Rwanda perfectly illustrates the nation’s hope-filled future. It features a sky-blue horizontal band and two narrower yellow and green bands underneath it. While blue symbolizes hope and peace, yellow represents its country’s mineral wealth, and green stands for prosperity. The sun emblem on its upper right corner has a striking gold color and is thought to represent intellectual and spiritual enlightenment.
Taiwan
Taiwan’s flag features three main elements – a white sun with 12 rays, a blue canton on its upper left corner, and a red field that takes up the majority of the flag.
While the 12 rays of its sun symbol stand for the 12 months of the year, its white color represents equality and democracy. In addition, the red field was added to depict the blood of revolutionaries who fought against the Qing Dynasty, and the blue field signifies principles of nationalism and liberty.
Uruguay
Before Uruguay became an independent nation, it was part of the Provincias Unidas which is now known as Argentina. This heavily influenced the design of its flag, making its blue and white stripes reminiscent of Argentina’s flag.
The prominent sun emblem on its upper left corner bears historical and cultural significance as well. Commonly referred to as the Sun of May, it is a famous depiction of how the sun broke through the clouds during the historic May Revolution.
Philippines
The official flag of the Republic of the Philippines is a great representation of its years of struggle to become an independent country.
It features a sun that represents freedom from colonial rule, with 8 rays that symbolize the 8 provinces that first revolted against the Spanish rule. In addition, the three stars embellishing its corners represent its main islands – Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The colors of the Philippine flag symbolize its nation’s ideals. White stands for equality and hope, blue for peace, justice, and truth, and red for valor and patriotism.
Australian Aboriginal Flag
The Australian Aboriginal Flag is one of the three official flags of Australia. It is usually flown together with Australia’s national flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag.
The flag features three distinct colors, with each color representing an important part of the country’s heritage. While its black upper half represents Australia’s aboriginal people, the red lower half stands red earth of the country, and the yellow sun symbol in its center illustrates the power of the sun.
Wrapping Up
Every flag in this list was carefully designed to become an accurate depiction of the culture and history of the country it represents. While they all use the sun symbol, their unique interpretations of it are a testament to the diversity of its people. When used together with other symbols and colors, it proves to be an excellent representation of national pride and identity.
