Officially speaking there are 50 States. But there are additional sub-federal districts that are not represented on the official flag. The most popular sub-federal non-state of the USA is the District of Columbia, Washington. However there are more, 15 more to be exact. Thus this flag gives total representation to all official 66 sub-federal districts.
The badge is a shield of arms that has sixteen stars, to represent the sixteen sub-federal non-state districts. The stars only have four points since they do not represent fully fledged states. The official sixteen sub-federal districts are:
51 - Washington, DC
52 - Puerto Rico
53 - Guam
54 - American Samoa
55 - US Virgin Islands
56 - N. Mariana Is.
57 - Wake Island
58 - Palmyra Atoll
59 - Midway Atoll
60 - Navassa
61 - Johnston Island
62 - Baker Island
63 - Howland Island
64 - Swains Island
65 - Jarvis Island
66 - Kingman Reef
Additionally there is a white diagonal that has eight smaller red four pointed stars that represent the undecided parts of the world with an unresolved US Claim or are in a Compact of Free Association with the United States. The C.F.A is up for congressional renewal, if it is not renewed then this flag will have to be altered minus a few red stars on the bend.
67 - Serranilla Bank
68 - Bajo Nuevo Bank
69 - Ducie Island
70 - Antarctica
71 - Alto Velo Island
C.F.A. - Regions
72 - Palau73 - Micronesia
74 - Marshall Islands
Thus this US flag has noted symbolism that represents all 74 sub-federal areas of the USA: the 13 original colonies, via the 13 red and white stripes; 50 official states, via the 50 five pointed stars in the canton; 16 sub-federal non-states, via the four pointed white stars; and finally 8 four pointed red stars in the white bend of the badge that represent the five undecided land claims and three nations that are under the C.F.A.
I must say, this is a really cool flag! Awesome job, and great explanation!
ReplyDeleteThose are some swell flags you have there.
ReplyDeleteI am totally stealing them for my Tumblr feed, Alternate Flags: http://alternateflags.tumblr.com/
Thanks for the feedback! I think this may be the first design to incorporate all parts of the US.
DeleteThanks for sharing
how is washington dc a non state?
ReplyDeleteIt is the capital city of the U.S.A..
DeleteThanks for sharing, nice post! Post really provice useful information!
ReplyDeleteCông ty vận chuyển hàng nước ngoài FadoExpress hàng đầu chuyên vận chuyển, chuyển phát nhanh siêu tốc đi khắp thế giới, nổi bật là dịch vụ gửi hàng đi mỹ, gửi hàng đi úc và gửi hàng đi đài loan uy tín, giá rẻ.
Flags of North America
ReplyDelete