View source for Flag of Tuvalu

{{Short description|National flag}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name = Tuvalu
| Article = 
| Nickname = 
| Image = Flag of Tuvalu.svg
| Image_size = 250px
| Imagetext = Flag of Tuvalu
| Use = 111111
| Symbol = {{FIAV|111111}} {{FIAV|normal}}
| Proportion = 1:2
| Adoption = {{start date and age|1978|10|1|df=y}} (original)<br/>{{Start date and age|1997|04|11}} (readopted)
| Design = A [[Blue Ensign|Light Blue Ensign]] with a map of the 9 islands, using 9 yellow stars on the fly half of the flag.
| Image2 = Flag of Tuvalu (state).svg
| Imagetext2 = State flag of Tuvalu
| Use2 = 010000
| Symbol2 = {{FIAV|010000}} {{FIAV|normal}}
| Proportion2 = 1:2
| Adoption2 = 
| Design2 = Same design of the National Flag with the [[Coat of arms of Tuvalu|national coat of arms]] centred on the lower hoist-side quadrant.
| Image3 = Flag of the Governor-General of Tuvalu.svg
| Imagetext3 = Flag of the [[governor-general of Tuvalu]]
| Use3 = 000000
| Symbol3 = {{FIAV|000000}} {{FIAV|normal}}
| Proportion3 = 1:2
| Adoption3 = 
| Design3 = A navy blue field with a crown with a lion centered above a banner that reads "Tuvalu".
}}
[[File:Flag of Tuvalu.jpg|thumb|Flag of Tuvalu at the 2022 Commonwealth Games beach volleyball, Smithfield, Birmingham]]
[[File:Porta-bandeira de -Tuvalu na abertura da -rio2016 (28882641955) 2.jpg|thumb|Tuvalu flag-bearer at the [[2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony]]]]
The [[national flag]] of [[Tuvalu]] was instated when the country became independent in 1978, after the separation from the [[Gilbert and Ellice Islands]] in 1976.

==Features==
Like many former and current [[United Kingdom|British]] dependencies, the [[Tuvalu]]an flag is a [[blue ensign]] based on the [[Union Flag]], which is shown in the canton of the flag; but has a sky blue field rather than the conventional navy blue. The previous flag ([[Gilbert and Ellice Islands|with the Gilberts]]) was also based on the Union Flag but with the coat of arms created by Sir [[Arthur Grimble]] in 1932, the resident commissioner of the British colony.

The stars represent the nine islands which compose Tuvalu; the arrangement is geographically correct, with the east towards the top (i.e. north to the left).

The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people. The islands came within the [[British Empire]]'s sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a [[protectorate]] from 1892 to 1916 and as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1916 to 1974. In 1974 the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became a fully independent [[Commonwealth realm]] in 1978.

[[File:Flag of Tuvalu-(star interpretation).svg|thumb|250px|right|Each star in the flag represents one island in the country]]

==Changes and controversies==
[[File:Flag of Tuvalu (1996–1997).svg|thumb|right|200px|In 1996, Prime Minister [[Kamuta Latasi]] controversially removed the [[Union Jack]] from the Flag of Tuvalu, replacing it with the flag pictured above. The flag was returned to the original in April 1997.]]
The name "Tuvalu" means "eight together", referring to the eight islands which were originally inhabited. In October 1995 one of the stars on the flag was removed to conform with the country's name. By January 1996 the flag was replaced with a new one which was not based on the British flag, but the eight stars were retained. This flag, however, was not liked by the inhabitants, who felt that it was a move towards replacing the popular [[Monarchy of Tuvalu|Tuvaluan monarchy]] with a republic. In one incident, the people of [[Niutao]], one of Tuvalu's nine atolls, chopped down the flagpole as soon as the new flag was raised.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/tv.html#et |title=Tuvalu |website=[[Flags of the World (website)|Flags of the World]] |access-date=2022-10-08 |archive-date=2022-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008041918/https://www.fotw.info/flags/tv.html#et |url-status=live}}</ref> The old flag was reinstated in 1997, with all nine stars being restored. Population pressures have since resulted in the ninth island being settled.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://flagspot.net/flags/tv.html#tuvalu951 |title=Tuvalu |website=[[Flagspot]] |access-date=9 January 2018 |archive-date=17 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217210958/http://flagspot.net/flags/tv.html#tuvalu951|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Historical flags==
<gallery>
File:Flag of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands (1937–1976).svg|[[File:FIAV historical.svg|23px]]Flag of the [[Gilbert and Ellice Islands]], of which Tuvalu was a part.
File:Flag of Tuvalu (1976–1978).svg|[[File:FIAV historical.svg|23px]]Flag of the [[Colony of Tuvalu]] between 1 October 1976, and 1 October 1978.
File:Flag of Tuvalu (1978–1995).svg|[[File:FIAV historical.svg|23px]]Flag of Tuvalu from 1 October 1978, to 1 October 1995.
File:Flag of Tuvalu (1995).svg|[[File:FIAV historical.svg|23px]]From October to December 1995, Tuvalu slightly changed the flag, reducing the number of stars by one.
File:Flag of Tuvalu (1996–1997).svg|[[File:FIAV historical.svg|23px]]Flag of Tuvalu between January 1996 and 11 April 1997.
</gallery>

==See also==
* {{Section link|Kamuta Latasi#Flag issue}}
* {{Section link|Bikenibeu Paeniu#Second period of office as Prime Minister}}
* '''''{{portal-inline|Tuvalu}}'''''
*[[Flag of Fiji]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Flags of Tuvalu}}
* {{FOTW|id=tv|title=Tuvalu}}
* [http://www.paclii.org/tv/legis/num_act/tnfa1995212/ Tuvalu National Flag Act 1995] at paclii.org
* [http://www.paclii.org/tv/legis/num_act/tnfa1997292/ Tuvalu National Flag (Amendment) Act 1997] at paclii.org

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


{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuvalu, Flag of}}
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1978|Tuvalu]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1997|Tuvalu]]
[[Category:1996 controversies]]
[[Category:National symbols of Tuvalu]]
[[Category:National flags|Tuvalu]]
[[Category:Light blue ensigns|Tuvalu]]
[[Category:Flags that incorporate the Union Jack]]
[[Category:Flags with cantons|Tuvalu]]