Posts from — November 2009

Having an Engineering background and ever since I first got myself committed to working in the flag and flagpole industry, two questions came to mind directly as to how tall the tallest flagpole in the world is and where that flagpole stands.

To even the least technically minded individual it somewhat makes sense that very tall flagpoles require more complex support structures than a simple 10 ft pole.  Sometimes an aluminum flagpole won’t meet the stress requirements as a result of wind loads, and therefore a “flag tower” must be build.

An example of such a construction is the tallest flag tower in the world at “Kijong-dong” (which is the Korean Demilitarized Zone or “DMZ”) in North Korea.  This flag tower has a height of 525 ft and flies a 600 lbs weighing North Korean flag. Interestingly, in the (by some) so called “flagpole war,” a relatively short battle for the sky, the North Koreans initially observed the shorter South Korean flagpole gain another 330 ft with a 300 lbs flag.  The North Koreans countered the South Koreans by building their current record-holding 525 ft flag tower.

Interestingly, the 600 lbs (dry-weight) heavy North Korean flag is immediately taken down during rains, as the weight of the flag increases dramatically, thus increasing momentum (as the flags whips around at the top of the flag tower), thus increasing the stress on the flag tower significantly.

However, the claim made by reportedly the tallest flagpole in the world located in Kijong-dong has not been accepted (especially by competitors) unanimously.  Looking at flagpoles specifically, the tallest flagpole in the world is the Ashgabat flagpole in Turkmenistan.  With a height of 436 ft, this flagpole beats the formerly record holding Aqaba flagpole in Jordan (433 ft).  This flagpole flies the flag of the Arab Revolt and can be seen all the way from neighboring nations, such as: Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The Aqaba flagpole will be countered by the National Flag Square in Azerbaijan, a flagpole that is currently under construction and will reach a height of 531 ft.  The Raghadan Flagpole in Amman is currently the third tallest flagpole in the world.  It reaches a height of 410 ft and flies a flag that measures 200 by 130 feet; it is illuminated at night and can be seen from a good 16 miles away.  The National Flag Square, the tallest flagpole in the world to be, in Azerbaijan is set to reach the height of 531ft very soon, if it hasn’t already.

A U.S. Flag is waving from a flagpole outside my window, and another is on the curb put there by a group of Boy Scouts honoring our veterans.  Originally Veterans Day was Armistice Day, Congress made that change, to make a permanent holiday honoring our veterans. The First Armistice Day was the day when the First World War ended.  It concluded on the 11th day of the 11th Month at 11:11 AM.  They called it the War to end all Wars, but as we know from history that was not the case.

One thing we know is true is when we see our flag billowing in the wind we get a great feeling of emotion in our hearts and minds.  We know of the great sacrifices that past generations have given to guarantee our freedoms.

Emotion is tied to our flag; think of that moment in time when Francis Scott Key saw the large Flag from a ship through the clouds of smoke as he watched British ships bombard Fort McHenry.  He expressed his feelings by penning the Star Spangled Banner that became our National Anthem.   In the case of the Star Spangled Banner, it was made to be seen easily.  That banner is now in the American History Museum in Washington after undergoing 10 years of restoration.

The 15-star, 15-stripe "Star Spangled Banner Flag."

How big was it you may ask?  Well here are the facts.  Made in 1813 it was 30 ft. x 42 ft. currently it’s 30 ft. x 34 ft.  It had 15 Stars (one cut out).  Flown on September 14, 1814 to signal the American victory over the British in the Battle for Baltimore.  Big Flags send very big messages.  Read the words to the Star Spangled Banner, and see how you feel?

Francis Scott Key's original manuscript copy of his "Star-Spangled Banner" poem.

One of two surviving copies of the 1814 broadside printing of the "Defence of Fort McHenry," a poem that became the lyrics of the anthem of the United States.