A horizontal bicolour of red and blue with the yellow frigate bird flying over the rising sun with seventeen rays centered on the upper half and three white wavy horizontal stripes on the lower half.
Theflag ofKiribati (buraki ni Kiribati) is red in the upper half with a goldfrigatebird (Fregata minor, inGilbertese:te eitei) flying over a gold rising sun (otintaai), and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent theocean and the threearchipelagoes (Gilbert,Phoenix andLine Islands). The 17 rays of the sun represent the 16 Gilbert Islands andBanaba (former Ocean Island).
The yellow frigatebird symbolises command over the sea, freedom, and dance patterns.[1][2] The blue and white wavy bands represent thePacific Ocean, which surrounds Kiribati, and the sun refers to Kiribati's position astride the Equator.[3]
Kiribati's flag is an armorial banner, a flag having a design corresponding exactly to that of the shield in the coat of arms, the former badge of the flag of the British colony of theGilbert and Ellice Islands. In a letter on 15 August 1892 to theWestern Pacific High Commissioner,Arthur Grimble has written (concerning his badge proposal):
"Sea. Represents the space of the ocean in which the colony is isolated".
"Sun. The islands lie close to the 180 degree meridian. Sun is either rising or setting".
"Bird. Frigate bird (Fregat Aquilla (sic)) symbolises power, poise and freedom. To the natives it is a sign of sovereignty and kingly birth, and highly regarded as such".
The coat of arms dates was then granted by theCollege of Arms in May 1937 when it was officially granted to the colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands. The shield was incorporated into the centre of the fly half of a BritishBlue Ensign as the state ensign of the colony.
A competition was held to design a new flag in the run-up to national independence, and a design based on the colonial coat of arms was submitted to theCollege of Arms, which initially decided to modify the submission. Both the golden frigatebird and the sun were to be enlarged, whereas the widths of the waves was to be decreased. The locals insisted on the original design. The new flag was hoisted during the independence day celebrations in the capital,Tarawa, on 12 July 1979.[5]
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