Dannebrog Cross
The basis of all flags of Nordic nations and adopted by the world's 'happiest' country; Denmark
Dannebrog Cross
of the Danish flag
Denmark
The Dannebrog Cross is similar to the Swiss Cross. But where the white cross on the Swiss flag is couped, the white arms of the Danish cross extend to the edges of the field.
Danne and brog are old Danish words that mean Denmark and cloth. Therefore Dannebrog is the name of the Danish flag.
National and regional flags that incorporate the Nordic Cross
The Dannebrog Cross is also known as the Nordic Cross and is the basis for all flags in Scandinavia. These include the flags of Finland, Norway, Sweden, Skåneland, Faroe Islands (Denmark), Åland Islands (Finland), plus neighbouring places that are not always considered Scandinavian, such as the Shetland Islands (Scotland), Orkney (Scotland), and Iceland.
The Nordic Cross is also central to the flags of:
| Aldtsjerk, the Netherlands
Alegre, Brazil Alüksne, Latvia Andalucía, Colombia Areias, Brazil Balneário Gaivota, Brazil Barra, Scotland Bayamón, Puerto Rico Borborema, Brazil Calais, France Carmo do Paranaíba, Brazil Catholic Cathedral of Stockholm, Sweden Cësis, Latvia Chapadinha, Brazil |
Colorado, Brazil
Domingos Martins, Brazil East Karelia, Russia Escada, Brazil Frei Martinho, Brazil Grão Pará, Brazil Guaíra, Brazil Highlands, Scotland Itu, Brazil Jacupiranga, Brazil Lagoa Formosa, Brazil Little Rock, USA Mi'kmaq people, Canada and USA border |
Nova Era, Brazil
Palotina, Brazil Pärnu, Estonia Peritiba, Brazil Pirapora do Bom Jesus, Brazil Santo Antônio do Pinhal, Brazil Santo Cristo, Brazil South Uist, Scotland Stavropol Krai, Russia Tbilisi, Georgia Ventspils, Latvia Vinhedo, Brazil Volyns'ka Oblast', Ukraine Wilmington, USA |
Denmark is where Lego comes from (and Danes of course). It is also the happiest place on Earth, according to Science Daily1. As mentioned above, the Danish and Swiss flags are similar, and the same survey calculated that second happiest place is Switzerland. All Nordic countries are high in the happiness league.
It must be the flag!
1 : University of Leicester (2006, November 14). Psychologist Produces The First-ever 'World Map Of Happiness'. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061113093726.htm
