FLAG OF TUVALU: HISTORY AND MEANING - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The flag of Tuvalu is one of the many national insignia of the world that are based on the Union Jack flag. Although the country became independent in 1978, the influence of the United Kingdom during the colonial period has led to the maintenance of this insignia.

The Tuvaluan national flag has been used since the country became independent, after the island itself was separated from the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati) in 1976. In addition to maintaining a close relationship with the United Kingdom, it is also part of the United Nations since 2000.

Tuvalu flag. Nightstallion (original) Zscout370 (most recent)

The current flag has a light blue color, much lighter than the traditional British colonial flag, with nine stars in total and the Union Jack flag in its canton. The stars represent each of the islands of the archipelago that make up Tuvalu.

History

Flag of the Gilbert and Elice Islands (1892 - 1976)

The Tuvaluan people are of Polynesian origin, but the territory that includes all the islands of the central and western Pacific were divided between the United Kingdom and the German Empire in 1876. This brought the influence of many of the islands under the control of the British, Tuvalu being one of them, but being administered together with the rest of the Gilbert Islands.

During the early years of its colonial history, Tuvalu belonged to the British rule of the Gilbert and Elice Islands, which were run as a Crown dependency in the Pacific.

Originally, when the British and the Germans reached an agreement for the division of control of the islands, a government was not created immediately. In fact, while the agreement was reached in 1876, it was not until 1892 that the Gilbert and Elice Islands governorate came to have its own official flag.

In fact, from the same 1892, a governor commissioned by the Crown was assigned, who was responsible for administering the islands during the period of control of the United Kingdom.

The flag that was assigned was no different than the rest of the British colonial flags. It was a completely blue insignia with the Union flag in its canton and a shield on its right hand representative of the colony (as was customary).

Flag of the Gilbert and Elice Islands (1892 - 1976). Telim tor (original) Orange Tuesday (most recent)

During World War II the country was affected by the conflict. It was occupied by American troops during the War of the Pacific, which prevented the Japanese from conquering the territory and, therefore, from using the Japanese imperial flag in Tuvalu.

The American troops never exercised total control of the island; they simply occupied it as a strategic point to fight the Japanese. For this reason, while some American flags were used in military camps created during the war, Tuvalu never stopped using the British insignia officially.

Flag of the Territory of Tuvalu (1976 - 1978)

After the Second World War ended, the United Nations Committee on Decolonization focused its efforts on helping countries that were still under the influence of world powers to become independent and act autonomously.

During the course of the 1950s and 1960s, Tuvalu slowly began to build stronger control of its territorial dependencies, increasingly detaching itself from the United Kingdom. The country remained a Crown dependency and still belonging to the Gilbert Islands, but with much more decision-making power than before.

In fact, a local Council was created to be consulted before making any legal changes, even if this change was approved by the British Crown or by the British commissioner assigned to the island.

In 1975, after the 1974 referendum, Tuvalu was recognized as a direct dependency of the British government, definitively separating itself from the Gilbert and Elice Islands. Thus, the new flag was adopted, which was identical to the previous one but this time with a Tuvaluan insignia instead of one representative of the Gilbert and Elice islands.

Flag of the Territory of Tuvalu (1976 - 1978). Denelson83

First flag of Tuvalu (1978 - 1995)

With the independence of Tuvalu, a new flag was made that retained the Union flag in its canton, but with a much more iconic design of the country. The stars that were adapted into the new banner represented each of the nine islands that made up the country (Fongafale, Nanumea, Nanumanga, Niutao, Nui, Niulakita, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, and Vaitupu).

The order of the stars is the same as that of each island, seen from a geographical point of view. I mean, the stars are a map of Tuvalu.

First flag of Tuvalu (1978 - 1995). Thommy

Tuvalu flag with eight stars (1995 - 1996)

In 1995, the flag was changed to remove one of the stars. Tuvalu, in the local language, means "eight united", which refers to the eight Tuvaluan islands that were inhabited when the country became independent. The 1995 change was made with the intention of honoring the name of the country, so the star that was not considered as an originally inhabited island was removed.

Current flag of Tuvalu (1995 - 1996). Nightstallion (original) Zscout370 (most recent)

Temporary flag (1996 - 1997) yr

In 1996, a new flag was created that was not tied to that of the United Kingdom, but the change did not sit well with the local population, who considered that they were losing their essence.

Temporary flag (1996 - 1997). Thommy

A request was made to return the flag to its original 1978 design, which was approved. Thus, it has not been modified again until today, and it remains in force today.

Flag of Tuvalu (1997 - Present). Thommy

Meaning

The current flag of Tuvalu retains the banner of the Union in its canton, which honors the historical origin of the country, although it is no longer tied to the dependencies of the British Crown. The color blue does not represent anything specific, it was simply altered to a lighter color after its separation from the UK.

The stars are organized in the same geographic way as the islands that make up the country and are a representation of the nation's map on its national banner.

References

1. What do the Colors and Symbols of the Flag of Tuvalu Mean? World Atlas Website, 2018. Taken from worldatlas.com
2. History of Tuvalu, Wikipedia, 2019. Taken from wikipedia.org
3. Flag of Tuvaly, Wikipedia, 2019. Taken from wikipedia.org
4. Tuvalu Flags, Tuvalu Islands Website, (nd). Taken from tuvaluislans.com
5. Tuvalu, Flags of the World Website, (nd). Taken from fotw.info