Flag of Australia is one of main national symbols of Commonwealth of Australia (Community of Australia).
The Australian flag has a ratio of 1:2 and consists of a predominance of three colors: White, blue and Red.
In the upper left corner, occupying a quarter (1/4) of the flag, is the union jack, popular name of the flag of the United Kingdom.
Under a blue background and below the flag of the United Kingdom (on the left) is a large white seven-pointed star. On the opposite side is the representation of the Cruzeiro do Sul constellation, with four white seven-pointed stars.
In the middle of Cruzeiro do Sul, however, there is still the figure of another white star, but with only five points.
The flag of Australia was officially adopted by the country on September 3, 1901. For this reason, in 1996, Australia's 22nd Governor General made it Australian National Flag Day.
Many people confuse the Australian flag with the New Zealand flag, due to the great similarity that both have.
However, the New Zealand flag is distinguished by having the stars that form the Southern Cross red, five-pointed and with white borders.
Another difference between the flags is the size of both: the Australian flag is 1:2, while the New Zealand flag is 3:4.
As seen, the New Zealand flag also lacks the large seven-pointed star that exists in Australia.
Meaning of Australia's Flag Colors
The colors of the Australian flag are blue, white and red, however these are not considered the typical colors of the Australian people, but rather the green and yellow.
The tricolor on the flag are the colors in honor of the United Kingdom, the colonizer of Australia.
However, green and yellow (or gold), the typical colors of Australians, is a tribute to the aboriginal peoples who inhabited the Australian lands before the arrival of the British.
These two colors symbolize a plant called Wattle, known to exist in abundance in Australia and almost no other region in the world.
Meaning of Australia Flag Symbols
THE union jack (flag of the United Kingdom), located in the upper left corner of the flag of Australia, symbolizes a tribute to those responsible for the colonization of Australian lands.
The great white star, also known as Federation Star, symbolizes the six states and the Australian territory, which are represented by the seven points that make up the star.
On the opposite side, the four seven-pointed and one five-pointed stars form the representation of the constellation of Southern Cross. This constellation can be seen from Australia at any time of day.
Discover the meaning of the others country flags.