GREECE.

The Meaning and Symbolism of the Greek Flag:

Description of the Greek Flag
The Greek flag consists of an equal-armed white cross on a blue ground in the upper left corner of the flag, with the remaining area filled with nine alternating blue-and-white horizontal stripes. The top and bottom stripes of the flag are always blue. There are five blue stripes and four white ones on the Greek flag.The flag is always made in a proportion of 2:3.

History of the Greek Flag
The current flag was only officially adopted by Greece on December 22, 1978.An earlier version of the Greek flag had a diagonal cross instead of the square one now used. This version of the flag dates back to 1822, just after Greece declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821.

Meanings and Symbolism of the Greek Flag
The nine stripes are said to represent the number of syllables in the Greek phrase "Eleutheria H Thanatos", usually translated as "Freedom or Death!", a battle cry during the revolt against the Ottoman Occupation.The equal-armed cross represents the Greek Orthodox church, the predominant religion of Greece. The Church played a crucial role in the fight for independence against the Ottomans. The color blue represents the sea which is so important to Greece and such a major portion of its economy. The white represents the waves on the ocean. Blue has also always been a color of protection, seen in the blue eye amulets used to ward off evil, and white is seen as the color of purity. As in Greek mythology, there are always other versions and explanations. Some say the nine stripes on the Greek flag represent the Nine Muses of Greek myth, and that the colors of blue and white represent Aphrodite rising up from the seafoam.

Unusual Facts about the Greek Flag
Unlike most national flags, there is no "official" shade of color required. Any blue may be used for the flag, so you will see them ranging from a relatively pale "baby" blue to a deep navy blue. The nickname of the Greek flag is "Galanolefci", or "blue and white".