🇰🇮 The colours of Kiribati

Kiribati’s flag features red, gold, blue, and white. The gold frigatebird stands for power, freedom, and cultural dance, while the gold sun marks the islands’ equatorial location. Blue and white wavy stripes symbolise the surrounding Pacific Ocean and the three main island groups.

Where no official value is given, the swatch shows the colour family, not the exact shade.

• The gold frigatebird symbolises power, freedom, and dance patterns.
• The sun’s 17 rays stand for the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba.
• Three wavy white stripes represent the three main island groups.
• The flag’s design is based on a colonial badge from 1931.
• The flag was first raised at independence in 1979.

The colours of the flag of Kiribati

The flag of Kiribati is divided horizontally. The upper half is red, displaying a gold frigatebird flying above a gold rising sun. The lower half is blue, crossed by three wavy white stripes. The gold frigatebird stands for power, freedom, and traditional dance patterns, while the gold sun highlights the islands’ position near the Equator. The blue and white waves represent the Pacific Ocean and the three main island groups: Gilbert, Phoenix, and Line Islands. These meanings are officially described in the National Identity Act of 1989.

How the colours were chosen of Kiribati

Kiribati’s flag design comes from the colonial badge created by Sir Arthur Grimble in 1931 for the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. The badge, later used as a coat of arms, featured the same sun, bird, and wavy sea. The bird was chosen as a symbol of power and sovereignty, and was highly respected locally. When independence approached, a competition led to a flag based on this colonial design. The College of Arms suggested changes, but locals insisted on the original. The flag was first raised at independence on 12 July 1979.

Official shades and rules of Kiribati

The National Identity Act of 1989 gives an official description of the flag’s elements and their meanings, but does not specify exact shades or proportions for the colours. The design matches the shield of the national coat of arms.