Different countries, different cultures have their own history, their own traditions, their own national "sovereign" symbols. And all this is very important for every state. Of course, Canada is no exception. It also has its own state symbols, and the most important, known to everyone, is the maple leaf.
It so happened historically that each country has its own national symbols that personify the national identity and traditions of the state. And for each country, these symbols are individual. The main state symbols are the flag, anthem, coat of arms, and state colors.
General information about Canada
Canada is a highly developed, multinational and large country (the second after Russia). There are many beautiful rivers, lakes and mountains in it. And just like all other countries, it has its own state symbols. First of all, they are associated with the animal and plant world. Maple leaf, maple, elk, beaver are considered to be the leading state symbols. But the most important symbol of the country remains the maple leaf, because it is depicted on the national flag (the leaf is located on a white background, and on both sides of it there are red stripes). And this leaf is not from simple maple, but from sugar.
Sugar maple
The sugar maple is a fairly tall and beautiful tree with wide leaves. Maple gets its special beauty in autumn. Its leaves turn bright red. And this is an impressive sight. Canada is a country where maples grow, but this species is found only in one part of the state (Eastern). In the rest of the country it is not found. Like any national symbol, the maple leaf has its own history of origin.
Legend
Legend has it that the maple leaf became a symbol of Canada in 1860. The Prince of Wales was supposed to visit the country for the first time. It was necessary to meet him with dignity. Immigrants from England and Scotland brought their national symbols to the meeting, while Canadians at that time had a beaver as their sovereign symbol. And of course, carrying a beaver to the meeting of such a guest was generally an unacceptable option, which is why they met the prince with maple leaves. Since that time, the maple leaf is considered to be the state national symbol of Canada.
If we talk about how long the maple leaf has been on the national flag of the country, then this happened relatively recently. In 1964, the Canadian parliament chose the maple leaf option from a large number of options presented. Currently, the maple leaf is located not only on the flag, but also on the state emblem.
