Nauru’s flag (31 January 1968) is a deep blue field crossed by a narrow golden horizontal stripe representing the Equator, with a white twelve‑pointed star set below the stripe near the hoist to mark the island’s position one degree south. The twelve points denote the island’s traditional tribes; white has been associated with phosphate, central to Nauru’s economy. Ratio is 1:2; construction fixes the stripe at one‑twelfth of the flag’s length and standardises star size and offsets. Protocol covers precedence, respectful handling, and half‑masting. The design, chosen at independence, has remained unchanged, projecting precise geographic symbolism and indigenous identity.
Adopted on 31 January 1968, the day of independence, Nauru’s national flag translates the island’s geography and social memory into three elements: a deep blue field for the Pacific Ocean, a narrow golden stripe for the Equator, and a white twelve‑pointed star placed just below the stripe near the hoist to mark the island’s position one degree south of that line. Its disciplined construction and concise symbolism have supported consistent use at sea level and on the international stage.
Origins and Adoption Prior to independence, Nauru flew the flags of administering powers in succession—German, British, Japanese, and, during the final Trusteeship years, Australian ensigns. In the 1960s, as constitutional change gathered pace, a public competition sought a design that would be unmistakably local yet straightforward to manufacture. The chosen concept—subsequently refined by professional manufacturers—fixed a golden stripe at the flag’s midline to represent the Equator and placed a white twelve‑pointed star just below the stripe near the hoist to identify Nauru’s latitude. The Cabinet adopted the design for first raising on Independence Day, establishing an enduring visual identity at the moment of sovereignty.
Design, Ratio, and Construction The flag’s proportion is 1:2. The golden stripe spans the full length of the flag with a width equal to one‑twelfth of the flag’s length, a specification that ensures the stripe remains visually slender even on large ceremonial banners. The star, rendered in pure white to maximise contrast, is positioned beneath the stripe near the hoist according to fixed offsets from the flag’s edges; its twelve points are evenly spaced to preserve symmetry when stitched or printed. The deep blue ground is specified for high contrast with the gold stripe and white star under tropical light and maritime glare.
Symbolism Each point of the white star represents one of the island’s twelve traditional tribes, anchoring present civic life in ancestral structures. The star’s placement below the Equator stripe is a literal cartographic statement of Nauru’s latitude. The blue field evokes the Pacific environment that defines transport, climate, and economy; the golden stripe can be read both as the Equator and, by association, as the light of the tropical belt. Many explanations note that the white star also recalls phosphate—historically central to Nauru’s development—without turning the emblem into economic heraldry.
Protocol
and Usage Government instructions follow commonwealth practice: the flag is raised briskly, lowered ceremonially, and not allowed to touch the ground or water; it may be flown from sunrise to sunset or at night if illuminated. Half‑masting is ordered for national mourning, with the flag first raised to the peak before being lowered to the prescribed position and re‑hoisted at day’s end. When displayed with other national flags, precedence rules and alphabetical order by English name typically apply; when shown with institutional or regional banners, the national flag holds the position of honour. Vertical displays preserve the stripe’s horizontal orientation and the star’s position beneath it toward the hoist.
Continuity
and Manufacture Since 1968 the design has remained unchanged. Construction sheets standardise the stripe width, star diameter, and placement to prevent drift, particularly on small hand flags where star geometry can distort. Dye references are circulated to suppliers to keep the deep blue and gold within tolerances under strong sunlight; reinforced stitching is recommended along the stripe to prevent puckering on tall masts. Civic education materials emphasise the Equator symbolism and the tribal points to sustain public understanding of the design’s meaning.
In practice, the Nauruan flag has proven adaptable across formats—from coastal government buildings and schools to international sport and diplomacy—its off‑centre star and measured stripe standing out in a field of more conventional canton‑based designs. As such, the banner continues to function as both a precise geographic diagram and an emblem of a small island nation’s unity and independence.