Kiribati

The flag of Kiribati is a horizontal bicolour of red (top of the flag) and blue (bottom of the flag). The red section of the flag contains a yellow frigate bird over a rising sun with seventeen rays whilst the blue section of the flag contains three wavy white horizontal stripes.

The flag of Kiribati is rich with symbolism - the frigate bird represents command of the seas, the three blue and white wavy stripes represent the Pacific Ocean that surrounds Kiribati and its three archipelagoes (Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands) and the sun's seventeen rays represent the sixteen Gilbert Islands as well as Banaba.

The flag of Kiribati is almost identical to the coat of arms designed by Sir Arthur Grimble for the British colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands in 1937. Upon gaining its independence in 1979 and adopting the name Kiribati, the current flag was adopted and first hoisted in the capital of Tarawa on 12 July 1979.

The flag's ratio is 1:2.

The flag of Kiribati