The flag of the Marshall Islands features a star with 24 points. Its large white star appears in the upper hoist-side corner, above the diagonal orange and white bands.
The flag was adopted on May 1, 1979, when the Marshall Islands began self-government. Emlain Kabua, who later became the republic's first First Lady, designed it. The rising diagonal bands symbolize the equator and the country's position in the Pacific. Their white and orange colors also represent the Ratak and Ralik island chains, traditionally associated with sunrise and sunset.
The 24 points of the star represent the Marshall Islands' 24 electoral districts. Four of the points are elongated, symbolizing the country's four main cultural centers: Majuro, Jaluit, Wotje, and Ebeye.
This flag is sometimes confused with other Pacific flags that use stars to represent islands or states. The Marshall Islands' star is distinctive because its 24 points combine a political count with four specially lengthened rays.