护照为什么是这种颜色的？

各个国家的护照颜色为什么不一样？这其中的“秘密”你了解吗？

There's a significant reason behind the four standard colors found on passports—but there are some unusual shades, too.

世界上各个国家的护照主要有蓝色、绿色、黑色和红色这四种标准颜色，而且其颜色背后自有深意。但是也有一些国家的护照采用不一样的色度。

Take a closer look at that small, rectangular booklet in your hand. Depending on where you're from, its color could tell you a lot about the country you call home.

你可以仔细观察一下手中的矩形小本本。它的颜色取决于你从哪里来，并且护照颜色可以透露许多与你的国家相关的信息。

Although there are no strict international guidelines for passport colors, the shades are by no means random. Countries typically choose colors that pay tribute to their culture, politics, or faith, Claire Burrows of De La Rue, a British passport-making company, told the Economist.

虽然并没有严格的国际指南来规定护照的颜色，但是各个国家的护照颜色并不是随意选择的。护照颜色一般是对国家文化、政治或者宗教信仰的独特致敬。英国护照生产公司——托马斯德纳罗印钞公司的员工克莱尔·巴罗斯（Claire Burrows）这样告诉《经济学人》。

For example, Islamic countries often use green passport covers because the color is important in their religion. Member countries of ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) cover their passports with various shades of green, too. Members of the European Union, on the other hand, use burgundy-colored passports, as do countries who would like to join the EU, such as Turkey.

例如，伊斯兰国家经常使用绿色护照封面，因为绿色在他们的宗教信仰中具有重要意义。西非国家经济共同体（ECOWAS）的成员国也采用不同深浅的绿色护照封面。而欧盟成员国和那些想要加入欧盟的国家（如土耳其）则使用酒红色护照。

The United States tends to march by the beat of its own drum, and its passport's hue is no different. While the country flipped between beige, green, and a variety of reds into the latter half of the 20th century, it finally settled on blue in 1976. As for the shade? It matches the blue on the American flag, according to the Economist. Citizens of many Caribbean and South American countries, including Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, also carry blue passports.

美国护照的颜色变化自成一格，其明暗度也不例外。20世纪后半叶，美国护照在米色、绿色和深浅不同的各种红色之间摇摆不定，最终于1976年确定使用蓝色。至于护照的明暗度呢？《经济学人》称，它与美国国旗上的蓝色深浅一致。许多加勒比国家和南美国家的公民，包括巴西、阿根廷和乌拉圭的公民，也持有蓝色护照。

And we're not even close to finished yet! Smaller organizations have their own passport colors, as well. Interpol provides its members with black travel documents, while the UN passport's pacific blue matches the helmets of its peacekeeping force.

这还远远不够！一些较小的组织也有自己的护照颜色。国际刑警组织为其成员提供黑色旅行证件，而联合国护照的太平洋蓝与维和部队的头盔蓝相符。

But why all of the dark shades? According to Bill Waldron of Holliston, a Tennessee-based passport-printing firm, darker colors are preferred because they can hide dirt, provide a nice contrast with the crest, and appear more official. There are some exceptions, of course. If you're a Swedish national who lost your passport, the country will send you an emergency travel document—in pink.

但是为什么护照几乎都是深色的呢？据Holliston护照印刷公司（总部位于田纳西州）的比尔·沃尔德伦（Bill Waldron）说，会优先考虑深色，因为深色比较耐脏，可以与徽章区分开来，而且看起来更正式。当然，也有一些例外。如果你是瑞典公民，丢失了自己的护照，那么瑞典会给你寄一份粉色的紧急旅行证件。