The Flag of Palau was adopted on 1 January 1981, when the island group separated from the United Nations Trust Territory. As with the flags of several other Pacific island groups, light blue is the color used to represent the ocean and the nation's place within it. While this puts Palau in common with the Federated States of Micronesia and other neighboring island groups, the disc on the flag is similar to that on the flag of Japan but is off-centre like that of the flag of Bangladesh. In the case of Palau, the disk represents the moon instead of the sun. The current flag was introduced in 1981 when Palau became a republic.
Previously, the flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was flown jointly with the United Nations and American flags. The explanation for the choice of colors is rooted in the history and customs of the Palauan people. The light blue of the field symbolizes the Pacific Ocean, and also represents the transition from foreign domination to self-government. The golden disk, which sits slightly off-center toward the hoist, represents the full moon. The Palauans consider the full moon to be the optimum time for human activity. At this time of the month, celebrations, fishing, sowing, harvesting, tree-felling, and the carving of traditional canoes are carried out. The full moon is a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility.
thumb|[[Palau at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Palau team at the 2008 Summer Olympics with the flag.]]
thumb|The Palau flag flies over the [[Capitol of Palau.]]
Supposed relationship to the Rising Sun Flag
Japanese international relations professor Futaranosuke Nagoshi has suggested that the Palauan flag (which depicts the Moon) pays tribute to the Rising Sun Flag of Japan and symbolizes amity between Palau and Japan. Former Palauan President Kuniwo Nakamura responded to this theory in an interview with the ambiguous statement, "That's one way of putting it." John Blau Skebong, the designer of the flag, denied such allegation, saying there is no special connection between the two flags.
Governmental flags
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File:Presidental Standard of Palau.svg|Standard of the president of Palau
File:Presidential Standard of Palau (vertical).svg|Standard of the president of Palau (vertical)
</gallery>
Historical flags
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File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg| Flag of Spain, until 1842
File:Bandera de España 1808-1813.svg| Flag of Spain, until 1813
File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg| Flag of Spain, until 1899
File:Estandarte real de 1700-1761.svg| Royal flag of Spain, from 1710 to 1761
File:Estandarte real de 1761-1833.svg| Royal flag of Spain, from 1761 to 1833
File:Estandarte real de 1833-1868 y 1875-1931.svg| Royal flag of Spain, from 1833 to 1899
File:Flag of the Philippines (1898–1901).svg| Flag of the First Philippine Republic, from January 23, 1899 to February 12, 1899
File:Flag of German New Guinea.svg| Flag of the German New Guinea Company, 1885–1899
File:Flag of the German Empire.svg| Flag of the German colonial empire, in some of Palau from 1885 and all of the territory, 1899–1914
File:Kaiserstandarte.svg| German Emperor's standard, from 1899 to 1914
File:Merchant flag of Japan (1870).svg| Flag of Japan used during the South Seas Mandate, 1914–1944
File:Flag of the Governor of the South Pacific Mandate.svg| Flag of Governor of the South Seas Mandate
File:Flag of the Japanese Emperor.svg| Imperial standard of the emperor of Japan, from 1914 to 1944
File:US flag 48 stars.svg| Forty-eight-star flag of the United States, 1944–1959
File:US flag 49 stars.svg| Forty-nine-star flag of the United States, 1959–1960
File:Flag of the United States.svg| Fifty-star flag of the United States, 1960–1994
File:Flag of the President of the United States (1916–1945).svg| Flag of the president of the United States, from 1944 to 1945
File:Flag of the President of the United States (1945–1959).svg| Flag of the president of the United States, from 1945 to 1959
File:Flag of the President of the United States.svg| Flag of the president of the United States, from 1959 to 1994
File:Flag of the United Nations.svg| United Nations flag, 1947–1965
File:Flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.svg| Flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, 1965–1981
File:Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg| Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia, 1978–1981
</gallery>
Miscellaneous
<gallery>
PalauFlagCIA.png|A variant of the main flag as shown in The World Factbook by the CIA
</gallery>
See also
- Flags of the states of Palau
- Flag of Japan
- Flag of Bangladesh
References
External links
- Introduction of the flag at Palau National Government
- Republic of Palau Convention History of the National Flag
- Similarities between flags of Bangladesh, Japan, and Palau