Flags With Weapons

Why do some flags have weapons?

Weapons on flags usually stand for the fight for independence, defense of the nation or traditional strength. They are mostly found in countries that gained independence in the 20th century, after wars or liberation movements.

The flags and their weapons

• Mozambique: an AK-47 with a bayonet, crossed with a hoe on a book and a star. It is the flag best known for a modern firearm; Haiti and Guatemala also show rifles in their arms.
• Saudi Arabia: a sword under the Islamic creed on green.
• Kenya: a Maasai shield with two crossed spears in the center of black, red and green stripes.
• Eswatini: a Nguni shield with two spears and a staff on the central band.
• Sri Lanka: a golden lion holding a sword on a maroon panel.
• Oman: a khanjar dagger and two crossed swords in the emblem at the top of the red band.
• Angola: a machete and half a gear, with a star between them.
• Haiti: cannons, rifles and flags in the coat of arms.
• Barbados: a trident in the center of the blue, gold and blue tricolor.
• US Virgin Islands: an eagle holding arrows.

Notes on the designs

Weapons in a flag are often balanced with tools. Angola combines a machete with half a gear, for farmers and workers, and Mozambique pairs the rifle with a hoe and a book for defense, farming and education. Barbados is a different case: the black trident head on its flag has lost its shaft, which stands for the break with the colonial past.

The weapons also differ in age. Swords, spears and daggers belong to old heraldic and cultural traditions, while the AK-47 on the Mozambique flag is a symbol of the 20th century independence struggle. Their meaning is rarely about aggression, and more often about protection of the homeland and the right to self-rule.

Many of these designs are rooted in tradition rather than modern conflict, and several flags mix weapons with farming tools to stress peace and work. The Kenyan shield and spears are traditional objects of the Maasai, and the Oman khanjar is a ceremonial dagger worn for national occasions.