The
Flag of Turkey - Description of the Turkish Flag
As the
above picture of the Turkish Flag indicates the overall
background is Red
The description of
the Turkish Flag is as follows:
Red with a vertical
white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side)
White five-pointed
star centered just outside the crescent opening
According to
Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated
with colors. The colors on the Turkish flag represent the
following:
White -
peace and honesty
Red -
hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
The
basic style shown in the picture of the Turkish flag is
described as Emblem reflecting the
central design of the flag pattern
All Flag
pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view,
from left to right
The shape and flag ratio of the Turkish flag is described as 2:3 ( length 1½ times the
height )
The lefthalf of the flag ( viewer's left side )
is called the Hoist
The upper
left quarter of the flag is called the Canton
The right
half of the flag is called the Fly
The Meaning
& History of the Turkish Flag
The Turkish flag is
called Ay Yildiz which means Moon Star
It was originally
the flag of the Ottoman Empire
The crescent and
star are symbols of Islam
Flag
Terminology - Did you Know ?
The design and description
uses specific flag terminology based on Heraldic principles
Animal blazons should always appear
with the heads facing the flag - staff side
The Study of the Flags is called
Vexillology
Your interest in flags makes you a
Vexillologist!
Increase your knowledge - Play the
Flag Quiz
Flag History &
Evolution:
The idea of
flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and
the battlefield
Shields were
painted with emblems to identify Friend or Foe
Warriors
needed to know where their leaders were - the custom of carrying
a pole was adopted
An emblem
such as a shield, animal or religious device was attached to the
pole for identification
The emblems
were also used for identity and to cover suits of armour - Coats
of Arms were born
These
emblems were the forerunners of modern flags
The Romans
were the first to use a cloth flag - they were square and
fastened to cross bars at the end of spears - the idea of
fastening a flag to the side of a pole soon followed
The strict
rules of Heraldry are still used when designing an emblem and
creating a modern flag
Turkish
Flag Etiquette
Turkish Flag etiquette is very strict and is is
essential that Flag protocols and rules are followed correctly
Basic Flag
Etiquette applies to all nations, including Turkish as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of
precedence for the flag
National Flag of
Turkish
State Flag of
Turkish
Military Flag of
Turkish (in order of creation date)
Other Flag of
Turkish
The United Nations uses alphabetical order
when presenting a national flag including the Turkish Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures
that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's
flag
The National flag of
Turkish should never be flown
above another national flag on the same staff as this would
suggest superiority, or conversely, inferiority of one flag, or
Nation, over another
The Turkish flag should never be allowed to drag
along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of
Turkish should be removed
and replaced with a new flag
Due care and
consideration must be taken to ensure that the Turkish flag is
always
flown the correct way up
A Flag of Turkish, when in such
condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display,
should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in
private with all due care and respect
Terminology & Etiquette in Turkish Flag display
Hoist - the
act or function of raising the Turkish flag, as on a rope
Half Staff
or Half Mast - the Turkish flag is hoisted to half of the potential
height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed
by first raising the Turkish flag to the top, then lowering the
Turkish Flag halfway
Distress -
denoted by flying the Turkish flag upside-down
Manner of
hoisting - The Turkish flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered
ceremoniously
No
disrespect should be shown to the Turkish flag
The Turkish flag
should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a
manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in
any way
The Turkish
flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it,
nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure,
design, picture, or drawing on the flag of any nature
The
Turkish flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to Turkish
Flag usage forbids the
display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation
in time of peace
We hope that the presentation of facts and
information regarding Turkish Flag Etiquette has provided a useful
resource
Turkey
Location:
Southeastern
Europe and south-western Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between
Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Turkish Land Size
: 770,760 sq km
Climate / Weather
of Turkey : temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters;
harsher in interior
Turkish Population
: 68,893,918 (July 2004 est.)
Turkish Capital
City: Ankara
Turkish GDP: $455.3
billion (2003 est.)
Main Turkish Industries :
textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite,
copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper
Bronze and Iron Age - The emergence
of the Celts across Europe
400BC - By this time the ancient
culture of the Celts had settled in many European countries
including Austria, Britain, France, Holland, Belgium,
Switzerland, Western Germany, Northern Spain, Turkey and Hungary
The Celts were people from various
tribes and were called Galli by the Romans and Galatai or Keltoi
by the Greeks. These terms all had one meaning in common -
barbarian
It is from the greek Keltoi that
Celt is derived
Despite the name of Barbarian the
Celtic society was based almost entirely on pastoralism and the
raising of cattle or sheep
15 BC The Romans had begun to
extend their empire. Gallia (in English Gaul) is the Roman name
for the region of Europe occupied by the Celts. The word Gaul
commonly refers to a Celt inhabitant of that region in ancient
times
224 - 220 BC - Rome conquered the
Celts
390 BC - The Celts sacked Rome
280 BC - The Celts sacked many
Greek cities
390 BC - The Celts sacked Rome
50-100AD - The spread of
Christianity
476 AD The Roman Empire collapsed
Middle Ages - Various different
cultures emerged in the lands of the Celts and the history of
each country changed accordingly
The above information provides a
concise background to the Ancient Austrian civilisations
Concise Turkish History& its Flag
1288
Foundation of the Ottoman Empire by the warrior Osman which
eventually rules North Africa, most of Eastern Europe and all of
the Middle East
1453
Conquest of Constantinople (Istanbul) by Sultan Mehmet II 'the
Conqueror'
1520-1566
Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire with the reign of Sultan
Suleyman the Magnificent
1683-1697
Austro-Ottoman war in which the Ottoman side was defeated
signifying the decline of the Ottoman Empire
1682-1725
Peter the Great initiates Russo-Turkish rivalry
1854 Crimean
war - Tsar Nicholas I of Russia moved troops into Rumania, then
part of the Ottoman Turkish empire. His fleet then destroyed a
Turkish flotilla off Sinope in the Black Sea. The Russians were
defeated by the British and French with the Ottomans
1909 Abdul
Hamid, the last of the Ottoman sultans is deposed
1914-1918
Turkey allies with Germany in the first world war
1939-1945
Turkey remains neutral during World War II
"Around the World in 80
minutes!"
A combination of information
regarding a Nation's flag, History, Geography and Current Events
provides an accurate snapshot of the evolution of each country
In just a short period of time this
concise information with specific facts will improve your
overall understanding of the great countries of the World
A useful Educational Resource
accessed from the Index
You can go "Around the World in 80
minutes!"
The
Turkish Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts
and information regarding the Turkish Flag and Country has
provided a useful educational resource. To improve your
knowledge of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the
Flags and Nations Index and test your knowledge with our
interactive, multi-choice, picture-based Flag Trivia Quiz Game - it's fast and
it's fun! If you answer all questions correctly you will earn the
right to enter the Vexillologist Hall of Fame!
