United Kingdom

2006-12-11T12:32:00.000+08:00

The first use of the name 'Union' appears in 1625. There are various theories as [to] how it became known as the 'Union Jack', but most of the evidence points to the name being derived from the use of the word 'jack' as a diminutive. This word was in use before 1600 to describe a small flag flown from the small mast mounted on the bowsprit, and by 1627 it appears that a small version of the Union flag was commonly flown in this position. For some years it was called just 'the Jack', or 'Jack flag', or 'the King's Jack', but by 1674, while formally referred to as 'His Majesty's Jack', it was commonly called the Union Jack, and this was officially acknowledged.

Location: Europe
Status: UN Country
Capital City: London
Main Cities: Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast
Population: 57,956,000
Area: 244,880 km2
Currency: 1 pound sterling = 100 pence
Languages: English, Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Irish Gaelic (all official)
Religions: Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Judaism

Malaysia

2006-12-10T18:50:00.000+08:00

JALUR GEMILANG

The Malaysian National Flag consists of fourteen red and white stripes (along the fly) of equal width, a union or canton of dark blue, a crescent and a star. The red and white stripes stand for equal status in the federation of the member states and the federal government. The union or canton of dark blue represents the unity of the peoples of Malaysia. The union contains the crescent which is the symbol of Islam, and the star, the 14 points of which symbolise the unity of the 13 states of the federation with the federal government.

The 14 stripes on the Malaysian flag represent the 14 states of Malaysia (Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan). The crescent symbolises Islam, the national religion and the colour yellow is the colour of royalty.

Formal Name:Federation of Malaysia

Location: Asia

Status: UN Country

Capital City: Kuala Lumpur

Main Cities: Ipoh, Penang , Johor Bahru

Population: 19,684,000

Area: 329,750 km2

Currency: Ringgit Malaysia (RM)

Languages: Bahasa Malay, Chinese, Tamil, English

Religions: Sunni Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu