Pocket Guide to Flags

From cheering fans at the Olympics to armies defending their countries to schoolchildren pledging their allegiance, flags have long served as symbols of nationality and unity. They are used as means of identification, for communication, and for inspiration. Fully illustrated and packed with information, this handy A-Z guide to the flags of the world features a history of flags and how they developed and offers a look at their design and terminology. Statistics about each country are included, as are treatments of flags of communication, organizations, and sports. Uncover the stories behind key flags and find out why different symbols and colors are used. For example, the yellow-blue-red flag of Venezuela symbolizes the wealth of the New World (yellow) separated from Spain (red) by the blue ocean. Similarly, the five points of the star in Somalia's flag represent a claim to the five territories in which the Somalis live.