pacific ocean Archives - Page 3 of 6

Mexico

Flags / caribbean, latin america, North America, pacific ocean

Red, white, and green are the colors of the national army in Mexico. The central emblem is the Mexican coat of arms, based on the Aztec symbol for Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City), the center of the Aztec empire. It recalls the legend of an eagle sitting on a cactus while devouring a serpent that signaled to the Aztecs where to found their city, Tenochtitlan. A ribbon in the national colors is at the bottom of the coat of arms. Throughout history, the flag has changed several times, as the design of the coat of arms and the length-width ratios of the flag have been modified. However, the coat of arms has had the same features throughout: an eagle, holding a serpent in its talon, is perched on top of a prickly pear cactus; the cactus is situated on a rock that rises above a lake.

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Marshall Islands

Flags / economy, flags, geography, history, islands, pacific ocean, Pacific Ocean Islands, transportation, us possessions

The Marshall Islands were part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands administered by the United States, from which the Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia split. In common with other island nations in the region, this flag features the symbolic representation of the islands’ place within the ocean. The rising diagonal band represents the equator, the star above representing this Northern Hemisphere archipelago. The white and orange portions of the band represent, respectively, the Ratak Chain (“sunrise”) and the Ralik Chain (“sunset”), as well as symbolizing peace and courage. The sun’s 24 points represent the number of electoral districts, while the four elongated points represent the principal cultural centers of Majuro, Jaluit, Wotje and Ebeye. The flag is also the national flag with the most points on a star, at 24.

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Kiribati

Flags / economy, flags, geography, history, islands, pacific ocean, Pacific Ocean Islands, political, transportation

The flag of Kiribati is red in the upper half with a gold frigatebird flying over a gold rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean and the three archipelagoes (Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands). The 17 rays of the sun represent the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba (former Ocean Island).

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Japan

Flags / asia, economy, flags, geography, history, islands, pacific ocean, Pacific Ocean Islands, transportation

The Nisshōki flag is designated as the national flag in the Act on National Flag and Anthem, which was promulgated and became effective on August 13, 1999. Although no earlier legislation had specified a national flag, the sun-disc flag had already become the de facto national flag of Japan. Two proclamations issued in 1870 by the Daijō-kan, the governmental body of the early Meiji period, each had a provision for a design of the national flag. A sun-disc flag was adopted as the national flag for merchant ships under Proclamation No. 57 of Meiji 3 (issued on February 27, 1870), and as the national flag used by the Navy under Proclamation No. 651 of Meiji 3 (issued on October 27, 1870). Use of the Hinomaru was severely restricted during the early years of the Allied occupation of Japan after World War II; these restrictions were later relaxed.

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Guatemala

Flags / Atlantic Ocean, Central America, economy, flags, geography, history, North America, pacific ocean, political, social, social/political

The flag of Guatemala, often referred to as “Pabellón Nacional” (literally, “National Flag”) or “Azul y Blanco” (“Blue and White”) features two colors: Sky blue and white. The two Sky blue stripes represent the fact that Guatemala is a land located between two oceans, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean sea); and the sky over the country (see Guatemala’s national anthem). The white signifies peace and purity. The blue and white colors, like those of several other countries in the region, are based on the flag of the former Federal Republic of Central America.

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Wallis and Futuna

Flags / economy, flags, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, pacific ocean, Pacific Ocean Islands, transportation

The official flag of Wallis and Futuna is the French national flag, as it is a French territory. Wallis and Futuna has a locally used unofficial flag which bears the French flag in the canton.

The unofficial flag of Wallis and Futuna features a red saltire on a white square, which in turn is placed on a red field (alternatively, a larger white cross pattée is used). The cross is shifted a little off centre toward the fly (the cross pattée is also shifted slightly downwards); the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist quadrant.

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New Caledonia

Flags / economy, flags, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, pacific ocean, Pacific Ocean Islands, social/political

Two flags are in use in New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France. Up to 2010, the only flag used to represent New Caledonia was the flag of France, a tricolor featuring three vertical bands coloured blue (hoist side), white, and red known to English speakers as the French Tricolour or simply the Tricolour. However, in July 2010, the Congress of New Caledonia voted in favour of a wish to fly the Kanak flag of the independentist movement FLNKS alongside the French tricolor. The wish, legally non-binding, proved controversial. A majority of Neo-Caledonian communes, but not all, now fly both flags, the rest flying only the Tricolour.

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French Polynesia

Flags / childhood, economy, flags, france, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, pacific ocean, Pacific Ocean Islands

Two red horizontal bands encase a wide white band in a 1:2:1 ratio; centered on the white band is a 0.43m diameter disk with a blue and white wave pattern depicting the sea on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern depicting the sun on the upper half; a Polynesian canoe rides on the wave pattern; the canoe has a crew of five represented by five stars that symbolize the five island groups; red and white are traditional Polynesian colors.

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Fiji

Flags / economy, flags, geography, history, islands, pacific ocean, Pacific Ocean Islands, political, UK dependencies

The flag’s bright blue background symbolizes the Pacific Ocean, which plays an important part in the lives of the islanders, both in terms of the fishing industry, and the huge tourist trade. The Union Jack reflects the country’s links with the United Kingdom. The shield is derived from the country’s coat of arms, which was granted by Royal Warrant in 1908. It is a white shield with a red cross and a red chief (upper third of a shield). The images depicted on the shield represent agricultural activities on the islands, and the historical associations with the United Kingdom. At the top of the shield, a British lion holds a cocoa pod between its paws. The first quarter is sugar cane, second quarter is a coconut palm, the third quarter is a dove of peace, and the fourth quarter is a bunch of bananas.

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El Salvador

Flags / Central America, economy, flags, geography, history, North America, pacific ocean

The flag of El Salvador features a horizontal triband of cobalt blue-white-cobalt blue, with the coat of arms centered and entirely contained within the central white stripe. This design of a triband of blue-white-blue is commonly used among Central American countries.

The colors signify:

Cobalt blue: represents the great sky and two massive oceans of Central America.
White: represents peace, concordia and solidarity with the world
Golden Amber: represents the entire bold phraseology in the flag, the coat of arms of El Salvador; the bold equilateral triangle, 5 indigenous spears, beaming solar rays, scroll, the bold motto (God Union Liberty) and the bold etymology (Republic of El Salvador in Central America)

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