Flag of Vanuatu

File:Vanuatu Flags (23865330525).jpg

Vanuatu flag bunting flying prior to the 2016 Vanuatuan general election

The national flag of Vanuatu (Template:Transliteration) was adopted on 18 February 1980.<ref name="FotW" />

In 1977 a flag of almost the same colours and symbolism as the future national flag was designed by local artist Kalontas Malon and adopted by the Vanua'aku Pati. When the party led the New Hebrides to independence as Vanuatu in 1980, the colours of the party flag (red, green, black and yellow) were chosen to be the basis for the national flag on Independence Day, 30 July 1980. A parliamentary committee chose the final design based on submissions from local artists.<ref name="FotW">Template:Cite web</ref>

Symbolism

File:Vanuatu tusk and fern.svg

Tusk and cycad frond detail

The green represents the richness of the islands, the red symbolises blood which unites humanity as humans, and the black the Melanesian ni-Vanuatu people.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Father Walter Lini, requested the inclusion of yellow and black fimbriations to make the black stand out. The yellow Y-shape (pall) represents the shape of Vanuatu islands on the map and the light of the gospel going through the pattern of the islands in the Pacific Ocean (approximately 83% of the people of Vanuatu profess Christianity).<ref name="FotW"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The emblem in the black is a boar's tusk—the symbol of customs and tradition but also prosperity. It is worn as a pendant on the islands—along with two leaves of the local namele tree. These leaves are supposed to be a token of peace, and their 39 leaflets represent the original 39 members of the Parliament of Vanuatu.<ref name="FotW"/>

Construction

The government does not publish a formal specification sheet on its website. The construction sheet shown below is based on measurements from the official 2:3 flag image that appears in the State Flag and Armorial Bearings Public Declaration dated March 18, 1980.<ref name="declaration">Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Flag of Vanuatu (construction sheet).svg

Other flags of Vanuatu

Government flag

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Flag of the President of Vanuatu.svg	1980–present	Presidential standard	A green field with a red border and the national coat of arms in the center<ref name="FotW"/>

Military flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Naval Ensign of Vanuatu.svg	1980–present	Template:FIAV Naval ensign	A white field with the national flag in the canton<ref name="FotW"/>
File:Flag of Vanuatu Mobile Forces.svg		Flag of Vanuatu Mobile Forces
File:Flag for Vanuatu Police Force.svg		Flag of Vanuatu Police Force

Political flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
Link to file	1966–present	Flag of the Nagriamel Movement
Link to file	1971–present	Flag of the Vanua'aku Pati

Subnational flags from Vanuatu

Provincial flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Flag of Malampa Province.svg	?–present	Flag of the Malampa Province
File:Flag of Penama Province.svg	?–present	Flag of the Penama Province	<ref name="FotW Penama">Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Flag of Sanma Province.svg	?–present	Flag of the Sanma Province	<ref name="FotW Sanma">Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Flag of Shefa Province.svg	?–present	Flag of the Shefa Province	<ref name="FotW Shefa">Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Tafea Province Flag.svg	?–present	Flag of the Tafea Province
File:Flag of Torba Province.png	?–present	Flag of the Torba Province	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Secessionist group flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Tafea Flag.svg	1980	Template:FIAV Reconstructed secessionist flag of the Tafea Nation	<ref name="FotW Tafea">Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Bandera Tanna Vanuatu.svg	1980	Flag of the island of Tanna, in Tafea Province, and of its secessionist movement	<ref name="FotW Tanna">Template:Cite web</ref>

City flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Flag of Port Vila.svg	2020–present	Flag of Port Vila	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Flag of Port Vila (until 2020).png	?–2020	Previous flag of Port Vila
File:Flag of Luganville.gif	?–present	Flag of Luganville	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Historical flags of the New Hebrides

Flag	Date	Use	Description
File:Flag of Tongatapu (1858-1862).svg	1845–1862	Flag of the Tuʻi Tonga Empire in Vanuatu	A white field with two red crosses, two blue crosses and the letters and a blue "M" and a red "A" in the center
File:Flag of Tonga (1862-1866).svg	1862–1866	Flag of the Tuʻi Tonga Empire in Vanuatu	A white field with a red cross in the center
File:Flag of Franceville.svg	1887–1906	Flag of the Anglo-French Joint Naval Commission	A vertical bicolour of red and white with a blue square in the center and five five-pointed stars inside the square<ref name="FotW historical">Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Flag of the British New Hebrides (1906–1952).svg	1906–1953	Flag of the British New Hebrides	A blue ensign with the emblem of New Hebrides (with the Tudor Crown)
File:Flag of the Resident Commissioner of the British New Hebrides (1906–1952).svg	1906–1953	Flag of the British resident commissioner	The Union Jack defaced with the emblem of New Hebrides (with the Tudor Crown)<ref name="FotW historical"/>
File:Flag of the British New Hebrides (1952–1980).svg	1953–1980	Flag of the British New Hebrides	A blue ensign with the emblem of New Hebrides (with the St Edward's Crown)<ref name="FotW historical"/>
File:Flag of the Resident Commissioner of the British New Hebrides (1952–1980).svg	1953–1980	Flag of the British resident commissioner	The Union Jack defaced with the emblem of New Hebrides (with the St Edward's Crown)<ref name="FotW historical"/>
File:Flag of France (1794–1815, 1830–1974, 2020–present).svg	1906–1940 1944–1980	Flag of the French New Hebrides	A vertical tricolour of blue, white, and red (proportions 3:2)<ref name="World Statesmen"/>
File:Flag of Free France (1940-1944).svg	1940–1944	Flag of the Free French administration of New Hebrides	A vertical tricolour of blue, white, and red with the Cross of Lorraine<ref name="FotW historical"/>
File:Flag Vanuatu 1963.svg	1963	Flag attested as being used in the 1963 South Pacific Games	A vertical tricolour of blue, white, and red with the flags of France and the United Kingdom in the center<ref name="FotW historical"/>
File:Flag of New Hebrides.svg	1966; 1971	Flag attested as being used in the 1966 and 1971 South Pacific Games	A blue field with the emblem of the New Hebrides in the center<ref name="FotW historical"/>
File:Flag of New Hebrides (1969).svg	1969	Dark blue version attested at the time of the 1969 South Pacific Games	Similar to the previous flag<ref>postage stamp New Hebrides Condominium 1F featuring 3rd South Pacific Games Port Moresby 1969 dated 1969</ref>Template:Better source needed
File:Flag of Vemerana.svg	1980	Flag of the ephemeral Republic of Vemerana	A blue field with a green five-pointed star in the center<ref name="FotW Vemerana">Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Flag of the People's Provisional Government of Vanuatu (1977-1978).svg	1980	Flag of the People's Provisional Government of Vanuatu led by Vanua'aku Pati	<ref name="World Statesmen">Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• Coat of arms of Vanuatu
• Flag of South Africa

Bibliography

• Template:Cite web