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National personification

Fictional character representing a country


Fictional character representing a country

A national personification is an anthropomorphic personification of a state or the people(s) it inhabits. It may appear in political cartoons and propaganda. In the first personifications in the Western World, warrior deities or figures symbolizing wisdom were used (for example the goddess Athena in ancient Greece), to indicate the strength and power of the nation. Some personifications in the Western world often took the Latin name of the ancient Roman province. Examples of this type include Britannia, Germania, Hibernia, Hispania, Lusitania, Helvetia and Polonia.

Examples of personifications of the Goddess of Liberty include Marianne, the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World), and many examples of United States coinage. Another ancient model was Roma, a female deity who personified the city of Rome and her dominion over the territories of the Roman Empire. Roma was probably favoured by Rome's high-status Imperial representatives abroad, rather than the Roman populace at large. In Rome, the Emperor Hadrian built and dedicated a gigantic temple to her as Roma Aeterna ("Eternal Rome"), and to Venus Felix, ("Venus the Bringer of Good Fortune"), emphasising the sacred, universal and eternal nature of the empire. Examples of representations of the everyman or citizenry in addition to the nation itself are Deutscher Michel, John Bull and Uncle Sam.

Italia turrita (), the allegorical personification of Italy, appears as of a young woman with her head surrounded by a mural crown completed by towers (hence turrita or "with towers" in Italian). It is often accompanied by the Stella d'Italia ('Star of Italy'), which is the oldest national symbol of Italy, since it dates back to the Graeco-Roman tradition, from which the so-called Italia turrita e stellata ('turreted and starry Italy'), and by other additional attributes, the most common of which is the cornucopia. The allegorical representation with the towers, which draws its origins from ancient Rome, is typical of Italian civic heraldry, so much so that the mural crown is also the symbol of the cities of Italy. The origin of the turreted woman is linked to the figure of Cybele, a deity of fertility of Anatolian origin, in whose representations she wears a wall crown. Its most classic aspect derives from the primordial myth of the Great Mediterranean Mother.

Personifications by country or territory

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU ADD ANYTHING TO THE LIST BELOW! This is supposed to be a list of national personifications - that is NOT national heroes, founding fathers, heraldic figures or national animals. However, national heroes and national fauna or flora can only be added if they are used for the same purpose. Read the definition above first, then update the list. This list is also incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

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LocationImagePersonificationAnimal or plants used for the same purpose
African Union Africa[[File:Rosalba Carriera - Africa - Google Art Project.jpg75px]]AfricaAfrican animals
Albania[[File:Mother Albania Tirana 2.JPG75px]]Mother AlbaniaDouble-headed eagle
Flag of the Americas.png Americas[[File:Sculpture "America" at main entrance to Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, New York, New York LCCN2010720091.tif75px]]Personification of the AmericasAmerican alligator
Argentina[[File:20060128_-_Mausoleo_del_General_San_Martín_en_la_Catedral_de_Buenos_Aires.jpg75px]]Allegory of the Republic, GauchoHornero
Armenia[[File:Mother Armenia Statue (55651114).jpeg65px]]Mother Armenia
Australia[[File:Anzac Bridge Aussie statue.JPG75px]]DiggerBoxing kangaroo
Austria[[File:Wien 01 Austriabrunnen 07.jpgframeless75px]]AustriaDouble-headed eagle
Bangladesh[[File:কোলকাতা ভাষা শহীদ মিনার.jpg75px]]Bangamataurl=http://visitbangladesh.gov.bd/about-bangladesh/national-symbol/title=NATIONAL SYMBOLSwork=Bangladesh Tourism Boardpublisher=Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourismlocation=Bangladeshaccess-date=2015-09-10archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228040953/http://visitbangladesh.gov.bd/about-bangladesh/national-symbol/archive-date=2016-12-28url-status=dead}}
Belgium[[File:La-Belgique-couronnant-ses-enfants-illustres-Jamar-1854.tif75px]]La Belgique, *Manneken Pis*Brabantic Lion, Leo Belgicus
Bolivia[[File:Borgarello - Monumento a la Pachamama.jpg75px]]PachamamaLlama
Brazil[[File:Rodrigues-republica-mab.jpg75px]]*Efígie da República*Rufous-bellied Thrush, Jaguar
BruneiAwang Budiman
Bulgaria[[File:Georgi-Danchov-Svobodna-Bulgaria.jpg75px]]Mother BulgariaLion
CambodiaPreah Thong and Neang Neak
Canada[[File:RCMP 1935 postcard.jpg75px]]Mountie, Johnny Canuck, *Canada Bereft* (Vimy Memorial).Canadian beaver
Chile[[File:Dfgsdgsdfgdsfh.jpg75px]]Huaso, Señora JuanitaCondorito
China[[File:DatongJiulongBi.jpg75px]]Chinese dragon, Panda, hare
Colombia[[File:Juanvaldez.png75px]]Juan Valdez
Croatia[[File:Ferdo Quiqerez,Predziđe kršćanstva.jpg75px]]Mother CroatiaBeech marten (kuna)
Cuba[[File:Larepublica.jpg75px]]*La República*Tocororo
Cyprus[[File:Nikosia BW 2023-09-21 09-52-38 v1.jpg75px]]*Liberty*Cypriot Mouflon
Czechia[[File:Vaclav Maly -The National Museum in Prague 048.jpg75px]]Čechie, Czech Vašek, Honza, SvejkCzech lion
Denmark[[File:Holger danske.jpg75px]]Holger Danske, Mother DenmarkMute swan
Dominican Republic[[File:Conchoprimo.jpeg75px]]Conchoprimo
Egypt[[File:Nahdet Misr.jpg75px]]*Egypt's Renaissance*Sphinx
El Salvador[[File:SalvadorDelMundo.jpg75px]]Salvador del MundoTorogoz
Estonia[[File:Kalevipoeg laudu kandmas, Oskar Kallis, EKM j 190-118 M 553.jpg75px]]Kalevipoeg
Europe[[File:Enlèvement d'Europe by Nöel-Nicolas Coypel (detail).jpg75px]]Europa or *Europa regina*
Finland[[File:Suomineito (1906).jpg75px]]Finnish MaidenFinnish lion
France[[File:Statue place de la République à Paris, 2010.jpg75px]]MarianneGallic rooster
Georgia*Mother of Kartvel*
Germany[[File:Image Germania (painting).jpg75px]]Germania, Deutscher MichelReichsadler, Bundesadler,
Greece[[File:Theodoros Vryzakis, Grateful Hellas (1858).jpg75px]]Hellas
Haiti[[File:Czestochowska.jpg75px]]Ezili Dantor, Le Marron Inconnu, Katrin
Iroquois Haudenosaunee[[File:Hiawatha MET DT265619.jpg75px]]HiawathaBeaver
Hungary[[File:Hungária nőalak Aradon.jpg75px]]The Lady of HungariaTurul
Iceland[[File:Arnason-front.jpg75px]]The Lady of the MountainsGyrfalcon
India[[File:Bharat Mata by Abanindranath Tagore.jpg75px]]Bharat MataBengal tiger, Asiatic lion, Indian Elephant, Indian peafowl
Indonesia[[File:Statue of Goddess or Queen at Monas.JPG75px]]Ibu Pertiwi (Mother Prithvi)Garuda Pancasila
Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan[[File:Rostam killing the White Demon.jpg75px]]RostamLion and sun
Ireland[[File:Éire 1798 Memorial (St. Michan’s Park) - panoramio (11).jpg75px]]Ériu, Banba, Fódla, Kathleen Ni Houlihan, Hibernia, The Old Woman of BeareIrish Hare
Israel[[File:Bat Zion I want your Old New Land join Jewish regiment.jpg75px]]Daughter of Zion, SrulikLion of Judah
Italy[[File:Philipp Veit 006.jpg75px]]Italia turritaItalian wolf
Japan[[File:Cover of Japanese Graphic vol.32.jpg75px]]Yamato-hime, SamuraiGreen Pheasant
Kazakhstan[[File:Sun emperor.JPG75px]]Altin AdamTulpar
Unification flag of Korea.svg Korea (North Korea and South Korea - despite mutual enmity, both states lay claim to the same historical heritage)[[File:Choe Nam-seon's Korean peninsula tiger.jpg75px]]Korean Tiger
Kyrgyzstan[[File:Manas.jpg75px]]ManasSiberian ibex
Latvia[[File:1916 Zariņš Tēvuzemei Grūti Laiki.jpg112x112px]]Latvian Maiden, *Liberty*
Lebanon[[File:Cedars18(js).jpg112x112px]]Cedrus
Lithuania[[File:CollegiumNovum-HerbWielkiegoKsięstwaLitewskiego(Pogoń)-POL, Kraków.jpg75px]]VytisWhite Stallion
Benelux Low Lands or Benelux[[File:Leo Belgicus (Dutch-Belgic Lion of the Low Countries) Famiano Strada c1647.jpg100x100px]]Leo Belgicus
Malaysia[[File:Hang Tuah, Muzium Negara - cropped.jpg75px]]Hang TuahMalayan tiger
Malta[[File:Malta 1922 One Pound.jpg75px]]MelitaDolphin
Mauritius[[File:DodoMansur.jpg75px]]Dodo
Mexico[[File:Alegoría de la Patria Mexicana 1.jpg75px]]Mexican Motherland, La China PoblanaGolden eagle, Jaguar, Chihuahueño
Mongolia[[File:Bust of Genghis Khan in Mongolia.jpg75px]]Genghis KhanMongolian horse, Saker falcon
Montenegro[[File:Vlah_Church_2.jpg75px]]Fairy of Lovćen, Mother MontenegroDouble-headed eagle
Morocco[[File:BarbaryLionB1898bw.jpg75px]]Barbary lion
Netherlands[[File:Rotterdam standbeeld maagdvanholland.jpg75px]]Dutch MaidenDutch Republic Lion, Leo Belgicus
Nepal[[File:Gurkha Soldier Monument, London - April 2008.jpg75px]]Gurkha, SherpaYeti
New Zealand[[File:Palmerston NZ Boer War Memorial closer.jpg75px]]ZealandiaKiwi
Nicaragua[[File:El Güegüense Original.jpg75px]]El GüegüenseMotmot
North Macedonia[[File:Mother Macedonia - personification of Macedonia.jpg75px]]Mother MacedoniaLioness
Norway[[File:Norges Grundlov 1814 Frihed Lighed Broderskab, 1914.jpg75px]]Mother Norway, Ola & Kari Nordmann, NórNorwegian lion
Flag of Palestine.svg PalestineHandalaEagle of Saladin
Panama[[File:Oorkonde, RP-D-2014-5.jpg75px]]Mother of PanamaJaguar
Peru[[File:Patria (foto de Eugenio Courret).jpg75px]]Peruvian Motherland, El Perú LibreVicuña
Philippines[[File:RizalParkIntramurosGolfClubjf8588 13.JPGleftframeless75px]]La Madre Filipinas, Juan dela CruzPhilippine Carabao
Poland[[File:Polonia 2.jpg75px]]PoloniaWhite eagle
Portugal[[File:Zepovinho.jpg75px]]*Zé Povinho*, Efígie da República, Guardian Angel of PortugalRooster of Barcelos
Rhodesia[[File:Rhodes statue Bulawayo.jpg75px]]Cecil RhodesSable antelope, Zimbabwe Bird
Romania[[File:Revolutionary Romania by C D Rosenthal.jpg75px]]RomâniaLynx
Russia[[File:Thecristisrizenoldrussiancivilwarposter.jpg75px]]Mother Russia, General WinterRussian bear
San Marino[[File:Pochini la repubblica 1899 by Stefano Bolognini.JPG75px]]Liberty
Serbia[[File:Jugoslavija na Jadranu.jpg75px]]Mother Serbia, Kosovo MaidenSerbian eagle
Singapore[[File:Singapore_Mini_Merlion.JPG75px]]Merlion
Slovakia[[File:Janosik - Wladyslaw Skoczylas (77104868) (cropped).jpg75px]]Jánošík
Slovenia[[File:Leopold Layer - Kralj Matjaž.jpg75px]]Kralj Matjaž
South Africa[[File:Castle of Good Hope (11).jpgframeless97x97px]]The Lady of Good Hope (*Die Dame van Goeie Hoop* or *INkosikazi Yethemba Elihle*)Springbok
Spain[[File:Madrid - Biblioteca Nacional de España, alegoría de Hispania 1.jpg75px]]HispaniaHispanic Lion, Spanish Fighting Bull
Sri LankaSri Lanka Matha (*Mother Sri Lanka*)Lion
Suriname[[File:Mama Sranan Sculpture.JPG75px]]Mama Sranan (*Mother Suriname*), a 1965 sculpture by Jozeph Klas in the center of Paramaribo, of a mother figure holding five children representing Suriname's ethnic groups in her arms.
Sweden[[File:Moder svea berga.JPG75px]]Mother Svea (*Moder Svea*)
Switzerland[[File:HELVETIA bronze statue ST KARLSHOF ZUG artist anna bang 2023 extra warm.jpg75px]]HelvetiaCow
French Polynesia Tahiti[[File:FP-tahiti-arahurahu-tiki-1.jpg75px]]TikiManta ray
Taiwan[[File:Bravo and visitors in Yangmingshan National Park 20160124b.jpg75px]]Formosan black bear
Thailand[[File:วัดอาวุธวิกสิตาราม_เขตบางพลัด_กรุงเทพมหานคร_(5).jpg75px]]Siam DevadhirajWhite elephant
Turkey[[File:1933 09 09 Cumhuriyet 9 Eylul.jpg75px]]Turkish MotherlandWolf
Turkmenistan[[File:Ashgabat IMG 5820 (25838312100).jpg75px]]Oghuz KhaganAkhal-Teke
Ukraine[[File:Майдан незалежностi. Памятник Казак Мамай - panoramio.jpg75px]]Cossack Mamay, Mother Ukraine, BerehyniaRuthenian Lion
United Kingdom[[File:Britannia-Statue.jpg75px]]BritanniaBulldog
United States[[File:(Columbia standing on the earth, holding an American flag and trademark sign) (LOC).jpg75px]]Columbia, Lady LibertyBald Eagle, American Buffalo, Timber rattlesnake (American Revolution)
Uruguay[[File:El Altar de la Patria.png75px]]Efigie de la República
UzbekistanTimurSnow leopard, Huma bird
VenezuelaJuan Bimba (obsolete)
Vietnam[[File:Phù điêu Quốc tổ Lạc Long Quân tại Đền Nội Bình Đà.jpg75px]]Lạc Long Quân and Âu CơVietnamese Dragon, Lạc Bird
ZimbabweSable antelope, Zimbabwe Bird

References

References

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