The Marshall Islands flag (1 May 1979) has a deep blue field crossed by two diagonal bands—wide orange over narrow white—radiating from the lower hoist toward the fly, with a white star of 24 points near the upper hoist. The bands evoke equatorial sunlight (orange) and peace (white) and the island chains’ sweep; the star’s points reference electoral districts, with elongated rays indicating the cardinal directions. Adopted at constitutional self‑government and retained under the Compact of Free Association, the flag’s ratio is commonly 10:19; drawings fix band widths, angles, star radius, and placement. Protocol addresses precedence and half‑masting.
Adopted on 1 May 1979, the flag of the Republic of the Marshall Islands reflects the atolls’ geography and constitutional identity in a composition optimised for legibility at sea and on parade. Its deep blue ground carries two sweeping diagonal bands—orange over white—issuing from the lower hoist corner toward the fly, and a white 24‑pointed star set near the upper hoist.
Origins and Adoption The Marshall Islands emerged from the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands with a new constitution in 1979. Seeking a banner independent of colonial ensign conventions, authorities endorsed a design that would read clearly against ocean and sky while encoding local meaning. The selected flag placed two diagonal bands radiating from the lower hoist across a blue field, with a white star near the upper hoist, and was raised at the inauguration of local self‑government. When the Compact of Free Association with the United States took effect in 1986, the flag was retained without change, underscoring continuity in national symbolism.
Geometry, Ratio, and Construction The flag is commonly manufactured at a 10:19 proportion. Government drawings fix the angle at which the bands emerge from the lower hoist, their relative widths (the orange band being wider than the white), and the clearspace around the star. The star’s radius and the lengths of alternating long and short rays are given as fractions of the flag’s height; the star is offset toward the canton to balance the visual weight of the sweeping bands. The blue field provides high contrast with both white and orange under strong equatorial light, and stitching guidance calls for reinforced seams along the diagonals.
Symbolism The deep blue field represents the Pacific; the twin bands, issuing like wakes or sun paths, symbolise the chain of atolls stretching northwest–southeast across the ocean and the equatorial sun’s track. The colour pairing assigns white to peace and orange to courage and the warmth of the islands. The 24‑pointed star represents the electoral districts, while the four elongated rays indicate the principal directions and the cultural centrality of navigation. Official explanations also tie the star’s placement near the upper hoist to the islands’ position just north of the Equator.
Protocol
and Usage Protocol follows commonwealth practice: the flag is raised briskly, lowered ceremonially, and retired with dignity when worn; it is displayed sunrise‑to‑sunset unless illuminated at night. Half‑masting is ordered during national mourning, with instructions for hoisting fully before lowering and re‑hoisting before sunset. At national events the flag is displayed with state seals and local atoll banners according to precedence charts. At international gatherings, the sweeping diagonals aid recognition on moving fabric and broadcast backgrounds.
Continuity
and Practice Since 1979 the design has been stable. Ministries distribute vector artwork to standardise the star geometry and band angles; procurement notes emphasise dye tolerances to keep the orange vivid without drifting toward red, and to maintain crisp separation between the bands. Civic education materials explain the star’s 24 points and elongated rays to curb common errors in simplified renderings. The flag’s dynamic diagonals, balanced by the poised star, have made it one of the Pacific’s most recognisable state emblems.
In sum, the Marshallese flag compresses maritime geography and civic structure into a clear, modern composition. Its diagonal bands sweep the eye across a wide ocean; its star fixes orientation and community; and its colour pairing reads with clarity from lagoon shorelines to international podiums.