The crescent on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands flag represents Islam. It specifically reflects the Islamic faith of the Cocos Malays, who form the majority of the territory’s population.
The flag was designed by Mohammed Minkom, who won a territory-wide design competition held in 2003. It was formally declared on 6 April 2004. Its green field carries three main symbols: a palm tree on a gold disc for the islands’ tropical vegetation, the gold crescent for Islam, and the Southern Cross for Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.
A common mix-up is to treat the crescent as a generic symbol of the night sky or to associate it with another religion. In this flag’s documented symbolism, its meaning is specifically religious and connected to the Cocos Malay community. The design is widely used locally, although the Australian Government does not officially recognize it as an Australian territorial flag.