Flag of Marshall Islands
A dark blue field with two diagonal stripes, orange above white, widening as they rise from the lower hoist to the upper fly. A white star with 24 points, four of them longer, is in the upper hoist.
What the flag means
Unofficial accounts give the blue as the Pacific, the diagonal band as the equator and the star above it as the islands north of the line. White stands for the Ratak (sunrise) chain and peace, orange for the Ralik (sunset) chain and courage. The 24 points are the districts, and the four long ones the main centres.
History
Emlain Kabua, wife of the country's first president, designed the flag. It dates from 1979, when the Marshall Islands became self-governing on 1 May. The Official Flag of the Marshall Islands Act 1979 (Public Law 1979-1) sets out its design, colours and 10:19 proportions.
No other national flag has a star with as many points as the 24 on this one.
Earlier flags of Marshall Islands
- 1965–1979Flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Sources
- Wikipedia: Flag of the Marshall Islands
- Flags of the World: Marshall Islands
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Read how we research flags in our editorial policy, or report a mistake.
