The flag of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) was adopted on 30 November 1978 amid the transition from the UN Trust Territory to self‑government and entered use in 1979. It is a light (later darker) blue field charged with four white five‑pointed stars in a circle, symbolising the Pacific Ocean and the FSM’s four states—Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Yap. After the 1986 Compact of Free Association, the field shifted from UN blue to a deeper blue. A common ratio is 1:1.9; construction places the stars equidistant on a circle, one point of each oriented outward. Law and protocol govern respectful use, order of precedence, and half‑masting. The design continues the Trust Territory star motif while expressing a distinct federal identity in the Pacific.
The flag of the Federated States of Micronesia emerged directly from the islands’ path from United Nations trusteeship to constitutional self‑government and international association. Its clean geometry—a blue field with four white five‑pointed stars arranged in a circle—condenses geography, federal structure, and oceanic identity into a legible emblem suitable for masts, schools, and diplomatic halls.
Trust Territory Background and Early Symbols Following the Second World War, the islands that now form the Federated States of Micronesia were administered by the United States as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands under the auspices of the United Nations. In 1962 the Trust Territory introduced a flag featuring six white stars on a blue field, the blue deliberately echoing the hue of the UN banner. The stars represented the administrative districts—Yap, Truk (now Chuuk), Ponape (now Pohnpei), Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands—serving as a unifying device across a wide expanse of ocean and cultures.
Constitutional Formation and 1978 Adoption As political development accelerated in the 1970s, the districts that would comprise the FSM moved to establish distinct national symbols. With Kosrae’s separation from Ponape in 1977, the prospective federation coalesced around four states: Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Yap. On 30 November 1978, during the constitutional transition, a new national flag was adopted: a blue field carrying four white five‑pointed stars in a circle. The design maintained continuity with the Trust Territory motif while reducing the stars to reflect the FSM’s final composition. The flag entered regular use in 1979 alongside the new constitution, appearing at state offices, schools, and on official publications.
Compact of Free Association and Colour Refinement On 3 November 1986, the Compact of Free Association with the United States took effect, formally ending UN trusteeship and defining the FSM’s international status. In this context, the field colour shifted from the earlier "UN blue" to a deeper blue, reinforcing the flag’s national identity while keeping the oceanic reference. The change improved contrast for print and textile manufacture and clarified the flag’s distinctness from UN imagery.
Geometry, Ratio, and Construction Statute and government drawings define the flag’s geometry. A commonly used proportion is 1:1.9. The four stars are equidistant on an imaginary circle centered in the flag. Each five‑pointed star is oriented with one point facing outward, creating a balanced composition that reads at distance and in motion. The circle’s diameter and star radii are given as fractions of the flag’s height, ensuring that stitching and digital artwork reproduce the intended relationships across sizes. The blue field occupies the entire background, with no fimbriations or additional charges, foregrounding the stars.
Symbolism The stars represent the four states—Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Yap—standing in equality around a shared center. The circle suggests union without hierarchy; the outward‑facing points imply openness to the Pacific world. The blue field reads first as the Pacific Ocean, the environmental and cultural medium that unites the archipelagos, and second as a historical nod to the UN framework out of which the FSM’s statehood emerged. In educational materials, the constellation‑like arrangement is often used to teach both civic structure and the oceanic geography that shapes daily life.
Protocol
and Usage Government guidance prescribes respectful treatment: sunrise‑to‑sunset display unless illuminated, prohibition on contact with the ground or water, and dignified retirement of worn flags. Order‑of‑precedence charts address co‑display with foreign flags and the flags of the four states at national ceremonies. Half‑masting follows presidential proclamations of mourning, with instructions for hoisting fully before lowering to the prescribed position and for re‑hoisting before sunset. The flag is used across civil and ceremonial contexts; the FSM does not widely employ separate civil or naval ensigns.
Continuity
and Practice Since 1978 the flag has remained unchanged in its core geometry, with the principal refinement being the post‑1986 deepening of the field blue. Ministries maintain vector artwork to avoid drift in star size or spacing, and procurement notes emphasise consistent dyes that hold colour under tropical light. The flag’s simplicity has aided faithful reproduction on cloth, print, and screens, from village schools to international sporting events and diplomatic missions.
In sum, the FSM flag integrates federal equality and oceanic belonging within a disciplined construction. It inherits the Trust Territory’s star lexicon while articulating a specific four‑state polity, projecting continuity and self‑government in a region where the sea is both connective tissue and horizon.