Worth dieting for-

Never worth dying for, as Tim Marshall asks in "Worth dying for:- The power and Politics of Flags."  Dieting is the closest I would come to sacrifice for a flag.

But yes, in my primary years, I did collect flags.  I have a Taiwanese flag, and an Iranian flag, complete with a lion passant,  holding aloft a sabre.  I also requested a Leicestershire flag from Ruth a few birthdays ago (and am now the proud owner.).

I am a bit torn of course.  I'm not keen on 'nationalism' but I do like flags. 

What I enjoyed from Marshall's book.

The opening story describing the growing awareness in the middle of a sensitive, reconciliatory international football match between Serbia (hosts) and  Albania, that a drone was steadily lowering an Albanian flag down over the pitch.  The well mannered match was interrupted as a Serbian player plucked the offending flag from the sky, and moments later the match was abandoned in the mists of an almighty scuffle.

Neighbours often bring out the best and the worst.  It's interesting to notice that the flags of Albania and Montenegro look almost identical to the untutored eye.  The Albanians have a black double headed spread eagle, and the Montenegrins  have a golden double headed spread eagle.

Albania

Montenegro

The history of their flags is quite different, and the two countries know each other well, and have worked out how to relate, give the complex atmosphere.

The 'Stars and Stripes' has a very specific folding pattern. There is also a ritual burning ceremony involving different types of wood.   

The national anthem was written by Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer and poet, who was trying to negotiate the release of American prisoners during the 1814 conflict with the British.  This was the time the American declared war on the British.  While Key was on the desk of a British warship, he witnessed the massive bombardment by the British fleet of Fort McHenry.  As the dust settled, all eyes strained to see whether the fort was no more.  There, by dawn's early light, was the American flag, flying defiantly.  Apparently there is a bit of it still kept in the Smithsonian Museum.

Marshall notes the inherent inequalities in the British Union Jack.  He also discusses when the name Jack became in general usage for the land and sea flag.  (Originally a jack was a sea born flag.)
I has mussed before that there was a period between 1707, when under Queen Anne, the parliaments of England (with Wales) and Scotland were combined.  The union flag was created without the Irish component.  It was in 1801 that the Irish parliament was combined with Britain, so the union Jack dates back to this date.  When Ireland became independent in 1922, this might have again influenced the flag, given that Ulster has been a bit different since the year of Scottish and English immigration.

By the Czechs kept their flag when the Slovaks separated off.  People become attached to flags, much like names, when their origins are all confused.

The Austrian flag is said to be inspired by the removal of Duke Leopold V's belt revealed  a white strip over a blood splattered tunic. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Austria  It became the national flag in 1918. 

The Danish are said to have the oldest flag, and Norway's flag dates back to 1821. 

The Iranians have a tulip on their flag, or Laleh.  The only national flag with a flower?  Well, there is Hong Kong, and what about Yorkshire?

Laleh, and 'God is Great'

The old 'royal' flag

Mexico's flag was a national flag was first produced in 1821, and is based on Aztec ideas.  Italy became a recognisable country in about 1851.  The Italian tricolor is based on the French tricolor, as is the Irish flag. 

Flag Families.
The Slaves have their favorite colours.  The Central America countries had an attempt at unity at one stage leaving them with very similar flags.
 The Arabs have 'arabic' colours that helps us know they are Arabic.
The many liberated African countries (and Jamaica) adopted Ethiopian colours to symbolise the true spirit of unadulterated Africa.  The Rastafarians have the old royal flag of Ethiopia, so it's not been lost. 

Rwanda upgrade their flag in 2001 as a response to the terrible gencide.  Many Nigerians think the founding fathers got it wrong (too boring).

The new Rwandan flag

The old flag

The South Africa flag was a stop gap, that has been embraced by the world. 

Wiphala is the flag of the original South Americans, and like the LGBT rainbow flag, is symbolic of peoples rather than a place.