Tuvalu

3×5' nylon national flag of Tuvalu.

Tuvalu's nine stars are a map. They are placed as the nation's nine islands lie in the Pacific, making the flag one of the few to chart its own geography.

Design

A light blue field with the Union Jack in the canton and nine yellow five-pointed stars in the fly, arranged in the pattern of the islands.

History & Symbolism

The flag was adopted at independence from Britain on 1 October 1978. In 1995 it was replaced by a design without the Union Jack, but the change proved unpopular and the original was restored in 1997. Light blue stands for the Pacific, and the Union Jack for the country's historic ties to Britain.

Flag Specifications

• Adopted: 1 October 1978; restored 1997
• Official proportions: 1:2
• Colors: light blue, yellow, with the Union Jack
• Emblem: nine stars mapping the islands

Vexillographer's Note

Tuvalu means "eight standing together," for the eight islands that were traditionally inhabited, yet the flag shows nine stars. The ninth is the small island of Niulakita.

Humphrys Flag Company · Old City Philadelphia · Est. 1864