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The flag of Algeria shows two vertical stripes in
green and white, above that, "above all", a red
half-moon with a red five-jagged star. The colour green,
the half-moon and the star are symbols of Islam, while
red is the colour of socialism. The white colour stands
for uprightness and honesty. It goes back to a standard
of the freedom-hero Abd el-Kader (1808-1883). The flag
was first in use in 1925 at anti French demonstrations.
Afterward it was adopted by the Algerian People's Party,
and in 1954 even by the National Liberation Front (FLN).
On 5th of July in 1962, the independence day, the flag
was officially hoisted up. As the creator of the flag
counts Messali Haj.
Since 1962
- following French heraldic tradition - in Algeria was
not a coat of arms in use, but a state seal. First it
was black and white, later colour, too. It was round
and showed a red star and a red half-moon in the middle,
and above the half-moon three ears, two flags and the
hand of Fatima, a symbol of luck. All this was
surrounded with a garland of a palm tree twig and an oil
twig.
In the year 1971 was introduced a coat of arms,
its shield was borrowed from the flag of the state. In
the upper part of the coat of arms was positioned the
abbreviation of the name of the state in Arabian. In
1976 was introduced a new seal. Besides the hand of
Fatima and the half-moon with the star it shows even a
mountain scenery with the rising sun, industrial
structures and agricultural plants. |
