The union jack

The Union Flag*, popularly known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is the British flag, a flag containing three other flags.

It is called the Union Flag because it symbolizes the administrative union of the countries of the United Kingdom. It is made up of the individual flags of three of the Kingdom's countries all united under one Sovereign - the countries of England, of Scotland and of Northern Ireland (since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom). As Wales was not a kingdom but a principality it could not be included on the flag.

The Union Jack is made up of three crosses. The upright red cross is the cross of St George, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross (with the arms going into the corners) is the cross of St Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. The red diagonal cross is the cross of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. St David is the patron saint of Wales. The national anthem of the United Kingdom is 'God Save the Queen'.

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*Union Flag (Union Jack) – «Юнион Джек» - королевский штандарт, который Великобритания использует в качестве национального флага.

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