Most nation states have an anthem, defined as "a song, as of praise, devotion, or patriotism"; [1] most anthems are either marches or hymns in style. A song or hymn can become a national anthem under the state's constitution, by a law enacted by its legislature, or simply by tradition. [2] A royal anthem is a patriotic song similar to a national anthem, but it specifically praises or prays for a monarch or royal dynasty. Such anthems are usually performed at public appearances by the monarch or during other events of royal importance. [3] Some states use their royal anthem as the national anthem, such as the state anthem of Jordan.
Contents
- UN member states and observer states
- Partially recognized states
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Anthems became increasingly popular among European states in the 18th century. [4] In 1795, the French First Republic adopted "La Marseillaise" as its national anthem by decree, making France the first country in history to have an official national anthem. [5] Some anthems are older in origin but were not officially adopted until the 19th or 20th century. For example, the Japanese anthem, "Kimigayo", employs the oldest lyrics of any national anthem, taking its words from the "Kokin Wakashū", which was first published in 905, yet these words were not set to music until 1880. [6] The national anthem of the Netherlands, the "Wilhelmus", contains a melody and lyrics dating back to the 16th century, but it was not officially adopted as the country's national anthem until 1932. [7]
National anthems are usually written in the most common language of the state, whether de facto or official. States with multiple national languages may offer several versions of their anthem. For instance, Switzerland's national anthem has different lyrics for each of the country's four official languages: French, German, Italian, and Romansh. [8] One of New Zealand's two national anthems is commonly sung with the first verse in Māori ("Aotearoa") and the second in English ("God Defend New Zealand"). The tune is the same but the lyrics have different meanings. South Africa's national anthem is unique in that it is two different songs put together with five of the country's eleven official languages being used, in which each language comprises a stanza. [9]
Denmark and New Zealand are two countries with two official national anthems of equal status. Denmark has two anthems, Der er et yndigt land ("There is a Lovely Country") and Kong Christian stod ved højen mast ("King Christian stood by the lofty mast"). Der er et yndigt land is considered the civil national anthem and is often played at civil and sports events. Kong Christian stod ved højen mast is both a royal and national anthem. New Zealand has two anthems, God Defend New Zealand and God Save the King. God Defend New Zealand was added in 1977 after a petition to Parliament and Queen Elizabeth II's approval. The two anthems are almost never sung together. Usually the first verse of God Defend New Zealand is sung in Māori ("Aotearoa") and the second in English.
India has both a national anthem, Jana-gana-mana, and a national song, Vande Mataram. Jana-gana-mana was originally written in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore in 1911 and adopted as the national anthem in 1950. Vande Mataram was composed in Sanskritised Bengali by Bankimchandra Chatterjee in the 1870s and inspired people during their fight for freedom.
