Cool Flags to Consider and Ugly Ones to Try and Forget About Part 2: Electric Boogaloo

Welcome back, geography nerds! Prepare yourself for another installment of “Sydney has too much knowledge in her brain about flags” (which is what this article should really be called). Here’s part one!

 Isle of Mann 

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The Isle of Mann is a small island located between Britain and Ireland. Because of its irrelevance in the world it had the liberty to make a disturbing flag. I really want to think this flag as cool, but I just can’t. This flag really just gives me creepy human centipede vibes. I cannot. Nope. 

Sicily

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Speaking of weird human centipede vibes and irrelevant islands in Europe: Sicily. Once again, I really want to like this flag; it’s a creative concept, but it’s just so creepy and unsettling. The eyes too. Oh god, the eyes. They consume what little morsels are left of my tired soul. 

Seychelles

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After those two questionable flags, I want to change things up and allow you to feast your eyes on a cool flag. If you read my last article, you know how I feel about flags that are lazy and just few stripes. This, in my humble opinion is the way to make a flag solely comprised of stripes. There are five colors instead of three or even worse, two *shudders.* Plus, the stripes kind of radiate out of the corner for a look that is completely unique from any other flag. Good job, Seychelles. 

Cambodia 

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Imagine having a historical landmark so cool and significant it makes it on to the flag. Cambodia has the Angkor Wat. Honestly? It deserves its place on the flag. It’s this massive Hindu temple complex I had to read a whole book about in the Ethnography of Southeast Asia class I took last fall. Anyway, it’s a cool flag. 

Jämtland County, Sweden

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This flag has a lot going on … It almost feels like it should be two separate flags. The top part has a moose being attacked (she said questioningly) by a dog and an eagle. My Swedish friend and I had a discussion last summer while wandering through various souvenir shops in Stockholm about how everywhere that moose live, people love to put them on everything as if moose are a unique phenomenon in that place. Ever been to Maine? The Adirondacks? Anywhere in Canada? They put moose on EVERYTHING. Like, we get it! There’s nothing else here! The bottom half does not completely match, and seems to feature blacksmith tools? While this one is not as disturbing as the first two flags, it leaves me with so many questions …

Kiribati 

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Kiribati … now here’s a country you don’t hear about nearly enough. This small island nation really did a bang up job on their flag too. I love the stylized sun, ocean and bird. I get a sense that their country is serene and beautiful. Hopefully this is the message they’re trying to convey.

Kazakhstan 

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If you’ve read my last article on flags, you know I’m a big fan of the stan country’s flags. I’ve always liked the Khazak flag for the beautiful shade of blue it uses, but upon inspecting it further, I love it! There is a huge bird carrying an entire sun on its back, an absolutely baller move. The design on the left side? Incredible. Yellow also beautifully compliments the shade of blue used. 10/10 Kazakhstan. 

Overijssel Province, Netherlands

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I lived in the Netherlands briefly, and while I was there I had to go to this province because it had the closest office where I could finish applying for my residence permit. You all know by now how I feel about lazy flags with just three seemingly random colors and some stripes. This flag gets a pass from me because the middle stripe is ~wavy~. It kind of looks like a sweater from 1990 that you’d find in your local thrift store or on some indie kid wearing black jeans and a beanie. 

Maryland 

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Honestly? Name an uglier and more overused flag than Maryland, it’s tough. Maryland is part of the small group of states who love to put their flag all over souvenirs and stuff. When California does it, it’s cute, it has a bear on it. Maryland’s should not be displayed as proudly as it is, it should be put away in a closet/ the mismatched geometric designs might not be as offensive if the colors chosen weren’t so ugly looking together. Sorry Marylanders, I said what I said. 

Mississippi 

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Going off the state flag theme—what is worse than a state flag that is just simply ugly? If you guessed a state flag that is ugly, boring and racist, you guessed correctly (ugly, boring and racist coincidentally describes a number of people I went to highschool with). It is the year of our lord 2020. Why is the confederate flag anywhere except history museums and history textbooks? People who still flaunt this flag around say that the civil war was fought over state’s rights. I’d like to remind those people that the specific state right the war centered around was the right to keep an entire race of people enslaved … so yes … it’s racist. Mississippi, it’s time to replace your crusty, dusty, racist flag. 

Mongolia

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Here we have some pretty common colors, and the familiar set up of three stripes and a crest. Something is different about Mongolia’s flag than other flags that could fit the description I just gave. The crest is offset. This just adds a little more interest in my opinion. The crest is actually pretty cool too! We got a yin yang symbol, we have another symbol that vaguely looks like the rebel alliance symbol from star wars on top. Very cool. 10/10.

Guam

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The flag of Guam literally says Guam on it. How considerate of them to label it for the rest of the world so we actually know where the flag is from! Plus, they have a cute little scene with a boat and a palm tree! Adorable! We love the flag of Guam! 

Bong County, Liberia 

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I want to hate on this like I hated on the River Gee county flag in my last article. Alas, I can’t. Bong County? Are you kidding me? The name alone makes it impossible to hate on anything about this county. The Dunkin’ Donuts-esque color scheme really just makes it all the better. What is the crest in the corner? We don’t know! It’s a fun mystery for the whole family to try and figure out! 

Eswatini

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I love this flag!!! It’s fun! It’s original! The spears make it super spicy too! Like oh, are we going to war? Are we fighting someone? The blue leaves are a nice touch as well. 

Occitanie, France

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Ok, I know I said earlier that I liked Guam’s flag because it said Guam on it. Guam did it in a way that was endearing, and didn’t overwhelm the entire flag. This flag just looks like someone cut off the top of a travel brochure and called it a day. This is how not to have the place’s name on the flag. I admire the Occitan people and their struggle for regional linguistic rights, but their flag just isn’t cutting it. 

I hope you enjoyed yet another journey with me around the world with flags. Does anyone want a part three to this? Probably not! Stay tuned anyway!

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