Palau’s national flag has a large golden disk on a light blue field.
The flag was adopted on 1 January 1981, when Palau became self-governing, and it remained the national flag after independence in 1994. The light blue field represents the Pacific Ocean and the nation’s peaceful identity.
The golden disk represents the moon, which is traditionally associated with the best time for human activity in Palauan culture. It is positioned slightly toward the hoist rather than exactly at the center, a detail that distinguishes the design.
Palau’s flag is often mistaken for Japan’s because both feature a disk. Japan’s disk is red and represents the sun, while Palau’s is golden and represents the moon. Kazakhstan also has a sun, but its flag includes an eagle and ornamental pattern.