The flag of the Marshall Islands has orange and white stripes. What do these stripes represent?

The orange and white stripes on the flag of the Marshall Islands represent the country’s two main island chains. The white stripe represents the Ratak Chain, or “sunrise” chain, while the orange stripe represents the Ralik Chain, or “sunset” chain.

The Marshall Islands is an atoll nation spread across two roughly parallel chains in the central Pacific. Ratak lies to the east and Ralik to the west, so the flag turns the country’s geography into a bold diagonal design. The blue field represents the surrounding Pacific Ocean and the nation’s place within it.

The stripes also carry additional symbolic meanings: white is associated with peace, while orange represents courage. A large white star sits above the stripes. Its 24 points represent the Marshall Islands’ electoral districts, and four elongated rays refer to major cultural centers: Majuro, Jaluit, Wotje, and Ebeye.

The flag was designed by Emlain Kabua, the first First Lady of the Marshall Islands, and was adopted on May 1, 1979, when the country achieved self-government. The stripes therefore function as both a map-like reference and a statement of national identity.