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Flag of Tuvalu

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Tuvalu
Flag of Tuvalu
UseNational flag and ensign Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion1:2
Adopted1 October 1978; 46 years ago (1978-10-01) (original)
April 11, 1997; 27 years ago (1997-04-11) (readopted)
DesignA Light Blue Ensign with a map of the 9 islands, using 9 yellow stars on the fly half of the flag.
State flag of Tuvalu
UseState flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion1:2
DesignSame design of the National Flag with the national coat of arms centred on the lower hoist-side quadrant.
UseOther Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion1:2
DesignA navy blue field with a crown with a lion centered above a banner that reads "Tuvalu".
Flag of Tuvalu at the 2022 Commonwealth Games beach volleyball, Smithfield, Birmingham
Tuvalu flag-bearer at the 2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony

The national flag of Tuvalu was instated when the country became independent in 1978, after the separation from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in 1976.

Features

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Like many former and current British dependencies, the Tuvaluan flag is a blue ensign based on the Union Flag, which is shown in the canton of the flag; but has a sky blue field rather than the conventional blue. The previous flag (with the Gilberts) was also based on the Union Flag but with the coat of arms created by Sir Arthur Grimble in 1932, the resident commissioner of the British colony.

The stars represent the nine islands which comprise Tuvalu; the arrangement is geographically correct, with the east towards the top (i.e. north to the left).

The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people. The islands came within the British Empire's sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate from 1892 to 1916 and as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1916 to 1974. In 1974 the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became a fully independent Commonwealth realm in 1978.

Each star in the flag represents one island in the country

Changes and controversies

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The name "Tuvalu" means "eight together", referring to the eight islands which were originally inhabited. In October 1995 one of the stars on the flag was removed to conform with the country's name. By January 1996 the flag was replaced with a new one which was not based on the British flag, but the eight stars were retained. This flag, however, was not liked by the inhabitants, who felt that it was a move towards replacing the popular Tuvaluan monarchy with a republic. In one incident, the people of Niutao, one of Tuvalu's nine atolls, chopped down the flagpole as soon as the new flag was raised.[1] The old flag was reinstated in 1997, with all nine stars being restored. Population pressures have since resulted in the ninth island being settled.[2]

Historical flags

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Tuvalu". Flags of the World. Archived from the original on 2022-10-08. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
  2. ^ "Tuvalu". Flagspot. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
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