Philippines is an island state in Asia. It is located between Taiwan and Indonesia. The Philippines is located in the Pacific Ocean. The country consists of 7,100 islands. About a thousand of them are inhabited. At the same time, 2,500 islands do not even have a name. All land areas are divided into 3 groups:
- Northern land Luzon and coastal areas.
- South Island of Mindanao.
- Central Visayan Group.
Philippines flag
Officially, the national symbol was approved on June 12, 1898. This is the only flag in the world that, in the event of the outbreak of hostilities, changes its position on the flagpole. During peace, the bottom of the canvas is bright red, and the top is blue. In the case when the state is at war, the banner is turned over. The people who inhabit the Philippines, whose flag has a rectangular shape, attach special importance to symbolism. The banner has a white triangle. In the center of it is a golden sun and eight rays.
The heavenly body symbolizes freedom. And its rays are the number of provinces of the state that were the first to start the struggle for independence. The three main stars indicate the number of archipelagos that make up the Philippines.
History of the flag
A large number of conquerors left their mark not only in history, but also insymbolism of the state called the Philippines. The flag of the country also changed. For example, in the XVI-XVIII centuries, the state was under the protectorate of Spain. It was then that a red cross appeared on a white canvas. After the British conquest in 1762, the flag of their empire flew from the flagpoles. Later, the Spanish banner returned again. And in the 19th century, the Katipunan society invented its own symbols.
Philippines coat of arms
The coat of arms of the state is the sun inside the shield, from which 8 rays spread. Five-pointed stars are located at the top, which is white. The colonial past of the state is symbolized by a bald eagle. And the times of Spain - a rising lion, located in the blue part. The first coat of arms of the country was approved by King Philip II of Spain in 1596. It depicted a castle on a red background. The lower part was decorated with a lion and a dolphin. The king of animals was depicted with a weapon in his paws. There was a crown on the coat of arms. Despite the fact that a royal decree was issued on the coat of arms of the Philippines, its shape and internal content have changed many times.
An ancient and beautiful story of the struggle of a paradise land called the Philippines. The flag and coat of arms of this country symbolize the spirit and desire of the people of the island state for independence. At the end of the 19th century, the state was in a state of political instability, so the coat of arms often changed. This was due to the fact that the citizens of the country did not even have the slightest idea of what their national symbol should look like.
