Kiribati’s national flag shows a golden frigatebird flying above a rising sun on a red field, with blue-and-white wavy stripes representing the Pacific Ocean below.

What do the symbols mean?

The frigatebird represents freedom, power and command of the sea. The rising sun reflects Kiribati’s position near the Equator and International Date Line, while the wavy blue and white bands represent the Pacific Ocean and the country’s island groups.

History

The design is based on the colonial-era coat of arms created for the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It became Kiribati’s national flag at independence in 1979.

• Adopted: July 12, 1979
• Bird: frigatebird
• Other symbols: rising sun and ocean waves