View source for Flag of Palau

{{Short description|National flag}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name = Palau
| Article =
| Nickname = 
| Image = Flag of Palau.svg
| Use = 110110
| Symbol = {{FIAV|110110}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Proportion = 5:8
| Adoption = {{start date and age|1981|01|01|df=y}}
| Design = A light blue field with a large yellow disk slightly leaning towards the hoist side.
| Designer =  Blau J. Skebong 
}}

The '''Flag of [[Palau]]''' was adopted on 1 January 1981, when the island group separated from the [[United Nations Trust Territory]]. As with the flags of several other Pacific island groups, light blue is the color used to represent the ocean and the nation's place within it. While this puts Palau in common with the [[Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia|Federated States of Micronesia]] and other neighboring island groups, the disc on the flag similar to that on the [[flag of Japan]] is off-centre like that of the [[flag of Bangladesh]], but in this case the disk represents the [[moon]] instead of the sun. The current flag was introduced in 1981 when Palau became a republic.

Previously, the flag of the [[Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands]] was flown jointly with the [[Flag of the United Nations|United Nations]] and [[Flag of the United States|American]] flags. The explanation for the choice of colors is rooted in the history and customs of the Palauan people. The light blue of the field symbolizes the Pacific Ocean, and also represents the transition from foreign domination to self-government.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060815161815/http://www.palauconcon2.com/_doc/Palau%20flag%20description.pdf Republic of Palau Convention History of the National Flag]</ref> The golden disk, which sits slightly off-center toward the hoist, represents the [[full moon]]. The [[Palauans]] consider the full moon to be the optimum time for human activity. At this time of the month, celebrations, [[fishing]], [[sowing]], [[harvest]]ing, tree-felling, and the carving of traditional [[canoe]]s are carried out. The full moon is a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility.<ref name=":0" />

== Construction ==
[[File:Flag of Palau (construction sheet).svg|alt=Construction sheet of the flag of Palau|thumb|Flag construction]]
According to the Palauan government website, the flag is a golden-yellow full moon slightly off-centered on a field of sky blue. The width of flag is 1<sup>3</sup>⁄<sub>5</sub> of the flag's height, meaning the aspect ratio is 5:8. The moon's diameter is <sup>3</sup>⁄<sub>5</sub> of the flag's height, its center is placed on the middle of the flag's height and, horizontally, at a <sup>7</sup>⁄<sub>10</sub> part of the flag's height from the hoist side.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.palaugov.pw/about-palau/flag/|title=Flag – PalauGov.pw|language=en-US|access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref>
[[File:Team Palau Summer Olympics 2008.jpg|thumb|[[Palau at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Palau team]] at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] with the flag.]]
[[File:Capitol-complex-melekeok-palau20071220.jpg|thumb|The Palau flag flies over the [[Capitol of Palau]].]]

==Supposed relationship to the Rising Sun Flag==
Japanese [[international relations]] professor Futaranosuke Nagoshi has suggested that the Palauan flag (which depicts the Moon) pays tribute to the [[Rising Sun Flag]] of [[Japan]] and symbolizes amity between Palau and Japan.<ref>Futaranosuke Nagoshi (1987) 世界に生きる日本の心(''Sekai ni ikiru nihon no kokoro'', Japanese spirits being around the world). Tendensha.</ref> Former Palauan President [[Kuniwo Nakamura]] responded to this theory in an interview with the ambiguous statement, "That's one way of putting it."<ref>{{cite journal|author=Reizō Utagawa |date=December 1999 |title=Travels in Republic of Palau |journal=The Financial World |publisher=Zaikai Kenkyujo |url=http://www.yashinomi.to/micronesia/palau1.html |language=ja |access-date=3 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503061639/http://www.yashinomi.to/micronesia/palau1.html |archive-date=3 May 2009 }}</ref> John Blau Skebong, the designer of the flag, denied such allegation, saying there is no special connection between the two flags.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.canpan.info/fukiura/archive/7313|title=パラオ国旗の作者との対話|date=26 October 2010}}</ref>

==Governmental flags==
<gallery>
File:Presidental Standard of Palau.svg|Standard of the [[president of Palau]]
File:Presidential Standard of Palau (vertical).svg|Standard of the [[president of Palau]] (vertical)
</gallery>

==Historical flags==
<gallery>
File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of [[Habsburg Spain|Spain]], until 1842
File:Bandera de España 1808-1813.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of [[Spain under Joseph Bonaparte|Spain]], until 1813
File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of [[Spain under the Restoration|Spain]], until 1899
File:Estandarte real de 1700-1761.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Royal flag of Spain, from 1710 to 1761
File:Estandarte real de 1761-1833.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Royal flag of Spain, from 1761 to 1833
File:Estandarte real de 1833-1868 y 1875-1931.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Royal flag of Spain, from 1833 to 1899
File:Flag of the Philippines (1898–1901).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the [[First Philippine Republic]], from January 23, 1899 to February 12, 1899
File:Flag of German New Guinea.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the [[German New Guinea Company]], 1885–1899
File:Flag of the German Empire.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the [[German colonial empire]], in some of Palau from 1885 and all of the territory, 1899–1914
File:Kaiserstandarte.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} [[German Emperor]]'s standard, from 1899 to 1914
File:Merchant flag of Japan (1870).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of [[Empire of Japan|Japan]] used during the [[South Seas Mandate]], 1914–1944
File:Flag of the Governor of the South Pacific Mandate.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of Governor of the [[South Seas Mandate]]
File:Flag of the Japanese Emperor.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Imperial standard of the [[emperor of Japan]], from 1914 to 1944
File:US flag 48 stars.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Forty-eight-star flag of the [[United States]], 1944–1959
File:US flag 49 stars.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Forty-nine-star flag of the United States, 1959–1960
File:Flag of the United States.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Fifty-star flag of the United States, 1960–1994
File:Flag of the President of the United States (1916–1945).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} [[Flag of the president of the United States]], from 1944 to 1945
File:Flag of the President of the United States (1945–1959).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the president of the United States, from 1945 to 1959
File:Flag of the President of the United States.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the president of the United States, from 1959 to 1994
File:Flag of the United Nations.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} [[United Nations]] flag, 1947–1965
File:Flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} [[Flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands]], 1965–1981
File:Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} [[Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia]], 1978–1981
</gallery>

== Miscellaneous ==
<gallery>
PalauFlagCIA.png|A variant of the main flag as shown in [[The World Factbook]] by the [[CIA]]<ref name=":0">{{Citation |title=Details |work=The World Factbook |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/palau/flag/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en}}</ref>
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Flags of the states of Palau]]
* [[Flag of Japan]]
* [[Flag of Bangladesh]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://palaugov.pw/about-palau/flag/ Introduction of the flag] at Palau National Government 
*{{FOTW|id=pw|title=Palau}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060815161815/http://www.palauconcon2.com/_doc/Palau%20flag%20description.pdf Republic of Palau Convention History of the National Flag]
*[https://russelljohn.net/journal/2019/05/flags-of-bangladesh-japan-and-palau/ Similarities between flags of Bangladesh, Japan, and Palau]

{{Oceania topic|Flag of|title=[[Flags of Oceania]]}}

{{US state flags}}
{{Palau topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palau, Flag of}}
[[Category:National symbols of Palau|Flag]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1981]]
[[Category:National flags]]
[[Category:Blue flags]]
[[Category:Flags with circles]]
[[Category:Blue and yellow flags]]
[[Category:Vertically symmetrical flags]]