A light blue field with a large yellow disk slightly leaning towards the hoist side.
Designed by
Blau J. Skebong
TheFlag ofPalau was adopted on 1 January 1981, when the island group separated from theUnited 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 theFederated States of Micronesia and other neighboring island groups, the disc on the flag is similar to that on theflag of Japan but is off-centre like that of theflag of Bangladesh. In the case of Palau, the disk represents themoon instead of the sun. The current flag was introduced in 1981 when Palau became a republic.
Previously, the flag of theTrust Territory of the Pacific Islands was flown jointly with theUnited Nations andAmerican 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.[1] The golden disk, which sits slightly off-center toward the hoist, represents thefull moon. ThePalauans 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 traditionalcanoes are carried out. The full moon is a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility.[2]
According to the Palauan government website, the flag is a golden-yellow full moon slightly off-centered on a field of sky blue. The width of flag is 13⁄5 of the flag's height, meaning the aspect ratio is 5:8. The moon's diameter is3⁄5 of the flag's height, its center is placed on the middle of the flag's height and, horizontally, at a7⁄10 part of the flag's height from the hoist side.[3]
Japaneseinternational relations professor Futaranosuke Nagoshi has suggested that the Palauan flag (which depicts the Moon) pays tribute to theRising Sun Flag ofJapan and symbolizes amity between Palau and Japan.[4] Former Palauan PresidentKuniwo Nakamura responded to this theory in an interview with the ambiguous statement, "That's one way of putting it."[5] John Blau Skebong, the designer of the flag, denied such allegation, saying there is no special connection between the two flags.[6]
^Futaranosuke Nagoshi (1987) 世界に生きる日本の心(Sekai ni ikiru nihon no kokoro, Japanese spirits being around the world). Tendensha.
^Reizō Utagawa (December 1999)."Travels in Republic of Palau".The Financial World (in Japanese). Zaikai Kenkyujo. Archived fromthe original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved3 May 2009.
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![A variant of the main flag as shown in The World Factbook by the CIA[2]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aPalauFlagCIA.png)
