The national flag of Vanuatu () was adopted on 18 February 1980.

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.

Symbolism

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. 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).

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.

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.

Other flags of Vanuatu Government flag FlagDateUseDescription 1980–present Presidential standard A green field with a red border and the national coat of arms in the center

Military flags FlagDateUseDescription 1980–present Naval ensign A white field with the national flag in the canton Flag of the Vanuatu Mobile Forces Flag of the Vanuatu Police Force

Political flags FlagDateUseDescription 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 FlagDateUseDescription ?–present Flag of the Malampa Province ?–present Flag of the Penama Province ?–present Flag of the Sanma Province ?–present Flag of the Shefa Province ?–present Flag of the Tafea Province ?–present Flag of the Torba Province

Secessionist group flags FlagDateUseDescription 1980 Reconstructed secessionist flag of the Tafea Nation 1980 Flag of the island of Tanna, in Tafea Province, and of its secessionist movement

City flags FlagDateUseDescription 2020–present Flag of Port Vila ?–2020 Previous flag of Port Vila ?–present Flag of Luganville

Historical flags of the New Hebrides FlagDateUseDescription 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 1862–1866 Flag of the Tuʻi Tonga Empire in Vanuatu A white field with a red cross in the center 1889–1890 Flag of Franceville A vertical bicolour of white and red with a blue square in the center and five five-pointed stars inside the square 1906–1953 Flag of the British New Hebrides A Blue Ensign with the emblem of New Hebrides (with the Tudor Crown) 1906–1953 Flag of the British resident commissioner The Union Jack defaced with the emblem of New Hebrides (with the Tudor Crown) 1953–1980 Flag of the British New Hebrides A Blue Ensign with the emblem of New Hebrides (with the St Edward's Crown) 1953–1980 Flag of the British resident commissioner The Union Jack defaced with the emblem of New Hebrides (with the St Edward's Crown) 1906–19401944–1980 Flag of the French New Hebrides A vertical tricolour of blue, white, and red (proportions 3:2) 1940–1944 Flag of the Free French administration of New Hebrides A vertical tricolour of blue, white, and red with the Cross of Lorraine 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 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 1969 Dark blue version attested at the time of the 1969 South Pacific Games Similar to the previous flagpostage stamp New Hebrides Condominium 1F featuring 3rd South Pacific Games Port Moresby 1969 dated 1969 1977–1978 Flag of the Vanuaaku People's Provisional Government 1980 Flag of the ephemeral Republic of Vemerana A blue field with a green five-pointed star in the center

See also

Coat of arms of Vanuatu

References

Bibliography