Flags of Various Nations

Vivid flag chart emblematic of late 19th century imperialism.

This brilliant chart of brightly colored flags rippling in the wind was issued in the 1892 edition D. Appleton & Co’s The Library Atlas Of Modern Geography. Over fifty separate countries are represented, some of which have numerous standards and ensigns which serve special purposes. Several other countries have their flags described along the bottom of the sheet.

Despite the variety, in reality the emblems represent an ongoing process of imperialism and colonialism that accelerates in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Several of the political entities represented, such as the Transvaal, Kingdom of Siam, Orange Free State, and Hawaii will be annexed within the decade. Others, such as Canada and French Cochin-China, are already part of larger European empires. The absence of flags from parts of Asia and Africa also reflect the lack of independent nations in those areas and the increasing voracity for overseas colonies by some European and American interests.