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See Also
See Again
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
Mexico - In 1853, the Mexican president announced a national anthem-writing contest, in order to pick the country's patriotic tune.
© Reuters
1 / 31 Fotos
Mexico - Francicso González Bocanegra was asked by his fiancée to enter, yet he refused. She locked him in a room until he changed his mind, and sure enough, his ten-verse poem went on to become the country's anthem.
© Public Domain
2 / 31 Fotos
Malaysia - Accounts of the Malaysian national anthem differ, but there's a funny story buried in the reports. Apparently, the Sultan of Perak was invited by Queen Victoria to visit London.
© Reuters
3 / 31 Fotos
Malaysia - Once he got there, the Queen asked the Sultan whether he would play his country's anthem. Since the country was without a tune, the Sultan whistled a melody which went on to become 'Negaraku.'
© Public Domain
4 / 31 Fotos
The Czech Republic and Slovakia - Czechoslovakia was formed in 1918, and the anthem was made up of verses from a Czech opera and a Slovak folk song.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
The Czech Republic and Slovakia
- When Czechoslovakia dissolved, the anthem was split up too. The first two verses went to the Czech Republic, and the second two went to Slovakia.
© Reuters
6 / 31 Fotos
Uganda - One of the shortest national anthems is Uganda's, which runs for just eight bars of music. Normally, it's performed twice.
© Reuters
7 / 31 Fotos
Costa Rica - In the mid-19th century, the Costa Rican president ordered Captain Manuel Maria Gutierrez to write the country's national anthem.
© Reuters
8 / 31 Fotos
Costa Rica - The pressure got to Gutierrez, and he initially refused. The president threw him in prison, where he composed the anthem in a cell.
© Public Domain
9 / 31 Fotos
Greece - Greece has a long history and an even longer anthem. Written by Dionysios Solomos, the song is a whopping 158 stanzas long.
© Reuters
10 / 31 Fotos
Japan - Japan's anthem, 'Kimigayo,' is one of the oldest national anthems. It has lyrics dating back to the Heian period, from 794 to 1185.
© Reuters
11 / 31 Fotos
Japan - The song's melody was written in the Meiji period, specifically during the 19th century. Thousands of years later it remains the country's proud anthem.
© Public Domain
12 / 31 Fotos
Republic of the Congo - 'La Congolaise' is pretty nihilistic for a national anthem. With lyrics written by Jacques Tondra and Georges Kibanghi, the song asks "And if we have to die/ What does it really matter?"
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Spain - Spain's national anthem was originally a marching tune for the military. The wordless anthem is hummed by Spaniards around the world.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Ukraine - Ukraine's anthem is bold and unique. "Ukraine is not yet dead," go the lyrics, "Our enemies will die, as the dew does in the sunshine, and we, too, brothers, we'll live happily in our land."
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Cyprus - Meanwhile, Cyprus doesn't have a national anthem. Instead, Cyprus uses the anthems of Greece and Turkey.
© Reuters
16 / 31 Fotos
Saint Helena - If you didn't know, Saint Helena is a small island in the South Atlantic Ocean. The anthem was written by David Mitchell, who hadn't even visited the island. He drew his inspiration from postcards from the island.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
The Netherlands - The Dutch anthem is pretty clever, with its lyrics paying tribute to William of Nassau, who started the Dutch Revolt against Spain, is considered the founder of the Netherlands, and from whom the Dutch royal family are direct descendants.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
The Netherlands
- The lyrics are an acrostic, and spell out Nassau's name over 15 verses. The first letter of every verse spells his name out.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Andorra - The sovereign microstate also has a unique anthem, adding a personal touch to the country's tune.
© Reuters
20 / 31 Fotos
Andorra - It's written from a first-person narrative, telling the story of Andorra's history, describing the state as the daughter of Charlemange.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
South Africa - The country's national anthem was adopted quite recently, in 1997 to be exact. It combines lyrics from different African languages, like Xhosa, Zulu, Sethotho, and Afrikaans.
© Reuters
22 / 31 Fotos
Zambia and Tanzania - South Africa's anthem is inspired by the hymn, 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika,' which also inspired the national anthems of Zambia and Tanzania.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Estonia and Finland - Meanwhile, the national anthems of Estonia and Finland have the same melody, but with different lyrics entirely.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Liechtenstein - The country's national anthem has the same melody as the UK's national anthem.
© Getty Images
25 / 31 Fotos
France - France's national anthem, 'La Marseillaise,' is a blood-soaked battle cry. "May your dying enemies see your triumph and our glory!" is one of the many bold lines.
© Reuters
26 / 31 Fotos
India and Bangladesh
- India and Bangladesh are two countries with a complicated history. However, both their anthems were written by the same man, Mr. Rabindranath Tagore.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
The Cook Islands - The self-governing island country has a cute history behind its national anthem. It was written by husband-and-wife duo Sir Thomas Davis and Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki.
© Reuters
28 / 31 Fotos
United States - Of course, 'The Star Spangled Banner' is America's world-famous national anthem. However, it wasn't always the country's tune.
© Reuters
29 / 31 Fotos
United States
- Previously, songs like 'Hail, Columbia' and 'My Country 'Tis of Thee' were used as anthems until 1931, when congress decreed that 'The Star Spangled Banner' must be the distinctive anthem. Also check out the countries named after real people.
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
Mexico - In 1853, the Mexican president announced a national anthem-writing contest, in order to pick the country's patriotic tune.
© Reuters
1 / 31 Fotos
Mexico - Francicso González Bocanegra was asked by his fiancée to enter, yet he refused. She locked him in a room until he changed his mind, and sure enough, his ten-verse poem went on to become the country's anthem.
© Public Domain
2 / 31 Fotos
Malaysia - Accounts of the Malaysian national anthem differ, but there's a funny story buried in the reports. Apparently, the Sultan of Perak was invited by Queen Victoria to visit London.
© Reuters
3 / 31 Fotos
Malaysia - Once he got there, the Queen asked the Sultan whether he would play his country's anthem. Since the country was without a tune, the Sultan whistled a melody which went on to become 'Negaraku.'
© Public Domain
4 / 31 Fotos
The Czech Republic and Slovakia - Czechoslovakia was formed in 1918, and the anthem was made up of verses from a Czech opera and a Slovak folk song.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
The Czech Republic and Slovakia
- When Czechoslovakia dissolved, the anthem was split up too. The first two verses went to the Czech Republic, and the second two went to Slovakia.
© Reuters
6 / 31 Fotos
Uganda - One of the shortest national anthems is Uganda's, which runs for just eight bars of music. Normally, it's performed twice.
© Reuters
7 / 31 Fotos
Costa Rica - In the mid-19th century, the Costa Rican president ordered Captain Manuel Maria Gutierrez to write the country's national anthem.
© Reuters
8 / 31 Fotos
Costa Rica - The pressure got to Gutierrez, and he initially refused. The president threw him in prison, where he composed the anthem in a cell.
© Public Domain
9 / 31 Fotos
Greece - Greece has a long history and an even longer anthem. Written by Dionysios Solomos, the song is a whopping 158 stanzas long.
© Reuters
10 / 31 Fotos
Japan - Japan's anthem, 'Kimigayo,' is one of the oldest national anthems. It has lyrics dating back to the Heian period, from 794 to 1185.
© Reuters
11 / 31 Fotos
Japan - The song's melody was written in the Meiji period, specifically during the 19th century. Thousands of years later it remains the country's proud anthem.
© Public Domain
12 / 31 Fotos
Republic of the Congo - 'La Congolaise' is pretty nihilistic for a national anthem. With lyrics written by Jacques Tondra and Georges Kibanghi, the song asks "And if we have to die/ What does it really matter?"
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Spain - Spain's national anthem was originally a marching tune for the military. The wordless anthem is hummed by Spaniards around the world.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Ukraine - Ukraine's anthem is bold and unique. "Ukraine is not yet dead," go the lyrics, "Our enemies will die, as the dew does in the sunshine, and we, too, brothers, we'll live happily in our land."
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Cyprus - Meanwhile, Cyprus doesn't have a national anthem. Instead, Cyprus uses the anthems of Greece and Turkey.
© Reuters
16 / 31 Fotos
Saint Helena - If you didn't know, Saint Helena is a small island in the South Atlantic Ocean. The anthem was written by David Mitchell, who hadn't even visited the island. He drew his inspiration from postcards from the island.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
The Netherlands - The Dutch anthem is pretty clever, with its lyrics paying tribute to William of Nassau, who started the Dutch Revolt against Spain, is considered the founder of the Netherlands, and from whom the Dutch royal family are direct descendants.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
The Netherlands
- The lyrics are an acrostic, and spell out Nassau's name over 15 verses. The first letter of every verse spells his name out.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Andorra - The sovereign microstate also has a unique anthem, adding a personal touch to the country's tune.
© Reuters
20 / 31 Fotos
Andorra - It's written from a first-person narrative, telling the story of Andorra's history, describing the state as the daughter of Charlemange.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
South Africa - The country's national anthem was adopted quite recently, in 1997 to be exact. It combines lyrics from different African languages, like Xhosa, Zulu, Sethotho, and Afrikaans.
© Reuters
22 / 31 Fotos
Zambia and Tanzania - South Africa's anthem is inspired by the hymn, 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika,' which also inspired the national anthems of Zambia and Tanzania.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Estonia and Finland - Meanwhile, the national anthems of Estonia and Finland have the same melody, but with different lyrics entirely.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Liechtenstein - The country's national anthem has the same melody as the UK's national anthem.
© Getty Images
25 / 31 Fotos
France - France's national anthem, 'La Marseillaise,' is a blood-soaked battle cry. "May your dying enemies see your triumph and our glory!" is one of the many bold lines.
© Reuters
26 / 31 Fotos
India and Bangladesh
- India and Bangladesh are two countries with a complicated history. However, both their anthems were written by the same man, Mr. Rabindranath Tagore.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
The Cook Islands - The self-governing island country has a cute history behind its national anthem. It was written by husband-and-wife duo Sir Thomas Davis and Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki.
© Reuters
28 / 31 Fotos
United States - Of course, 'The Star Spangled Banner' is America's world-famous national anthem. However, it wasn't always the country's tune.
© Reuters
29 / 31 Fotos
United States
- Previously, songs like 'Hail, Columbia' and 'My Country 'Tis of Thee' were used as anthems until 1931, when congress decreed that 'The Star Spangled Banner' must be the distinctive anthem. Also check out the countries named after real people.
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems
Some of these facts would really surprise you!
© Shutterstock
National anthems are serious business. Throughout history, people have lived and died by their country's flag and anthem. There are some amazing untold stories behind national anthems around the world that are definitely worth a read. For example, the Costa Rican anthem was written by a prisoner, who refused to write it the first time around. The Mexican anthem was only written after a stubborn woman forced it out of her fiancé. Click on to read all about these incredible stories, and discover the facts behind the world's national anthems.
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