Flag Facts Friday
Australia
You may not think that Australia is particularly interesting, but there are some notable facts about it. This flag has the British flag, the Union Jack, in the top left corner. This is to represent Australia's status as a member of the Commonwealth.
The background of the flag is blue. It has six white stars on it. These stars are called Commonwealth stars. One star is below the Union Jack. It has seven points, which represent each of Australia's states and the territories of Australia. The blue on the flag represents the Commonwealth Coat of Arms wreath.
The other stars are on the right side of the flag, in the pattern of the constellation the Southern Cross. This version of the flag was first adopted in 1903. It's been redesigned several times over the years.
Australia also has variant flags, which have different colored backgrounds. And, Australia even has other official flags that can be used for various purposes. The Australian Aboriginal Flag, for example, is an important cultural symbol. These variant flags help make sure that every aspect of Australian society is properly represented.
However, there has been some controversy with the standard Australian flag. Many people believe that the Union Jack should be taken out of the design of the Australian flag. They believe that the flag does not accurately reflect Australia's independence and that the flag doesn't represent Australia's diversity or identity.