Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

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See Again

© Getty Images

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

© Getty Images

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!

Interesting facts you never knew about the world's national anthems

© Getty Images

16/08/24 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Countries

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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