Flag of Palau
Oceania
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Ngerulmud
- Flag adopted
- 1981
- Population
- 16,733
- Area
- 459 km²
- Languages
- English, Palauan
- Currency
- United States dollar ($) — USD
- Demonym
- Palauan
- Government
- presidential republic in free association with the US
- Subregion
- Micronesia
- Driving side
- Right
- Timezones
- UTC+09:00
- Independence
- 1994
Religions
- Roman Catholic 46.9%
- Protestant 30.9%
- Other 12.3%
- Modekngei 5.1%
- Muslim 4.9%
About This Flag
The flag of Palau features a light blue field with a large golden-yellow disc shifted slightly toward the hoist side of center. The blue represents the Pacific Ocean and the transition from foreign domination to self-governance.
The golden disc represents the full moon, which in Palauan culture is considered the optimal time for planting, harvesting, fishing, and celebrating — it is the time when human activity is believed to be most productive and harmonious. The disc is offset to the left, similar to the design principle used by Bangladesh and Japan, so that it appears centered when the flag is flying.
The flag was adopted on January 1, 1981, when Palau adopted its constitution.
What the colors & design mean
Light blue represents the Pacific Ocean, freedom, and the transition to self-governance. The golden circle represents the full moon, which is considered the most auspicious time for all human activities in Palauan tradition.
Pattern: Solid Field
Fun Facts
- Palau's flag intentionally mirrors Japan's Hinomaru design — a circle on a solid field — but replaces the red sun with a golden moon and the white field with blue, creating a complementary relationship.
- The full moon holds deep cultural significance in Palau — it is the traditional time for harvesting, fishing, and holding celebrations, making the golden disc a symbol of Palauan cultural values.
- Palau contains the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 400 limestone islands covered in dense vegetation, often described as one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
- Palau created one of the world's first shark sanctuaries in 2009, banning all commercial shark fishing in its waters — an area roughly the size of France.
Similar looking flags
These flags share similar colors and patterns:
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🇦🇺 Australia · 🇫🇯 Fiji · 🇰🇮 Kiribati · 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands · 🇫🇲 Micronesia · 🇳🇷 Nauru · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea
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