Flag of Tuvalu

Flag origins

Tuvalu's flag has a light-blue field, Union Jack at upper hoist and nine yellow stars. The basic design was adopted at independence on 1 October 1978. The Union Jack records the British connection, while the stars represent nine islands and atolls. Their arrangement approximates island geography, but rotated: east is toward the top and north toward the hoist.

Flag story

Tuvalu's name means eight standing together, referring to eight traditionally inhabited islands before later settlement of Niulakita. In 1995 the flag's star count briefly fell to eight; a different flag without the Union Jack followed in 1996. That design was unpopular, and on 11 April 1997 the earlier arrangement returned, including all nine stars.

Editorial notes and references

Edited by ABELHA WORKS. The English text translates the administrator-edited Japanese description. Legends should be distinguished from documented history. General reference links do not substantiate every statement in the text.

• Tuvalu — general information on Wikipedia
• Japan MOFA: countries and regions (Japanese)

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