Kiribati has a flag showing a golden frigatebird flying above a rising sun.
The flag’s upper half is red and carries the golden frigatebird and sun. Its lower half is blue with three white, wavy stripes representing the Pacific Ocean and Kiribati’s three island groups: the Gilbert, Phoenix, and Line Islands. The frigatebird symbolizes power, freedom, and patterns associated with Kiribati dance.
The sun has 17 rays, representing the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba, also known historically as Ocean Island. Its rising position reflects Kiribati’s location astride the Equator. The bird is generally identified as a lesser frigatebird, Fregata minor, although real frigatebirds are mostly dark; the gold is a heraldic color linked to the glowing sun.
The design originated with a badge created by British colonial official Sir Arthur Grimble in the early 20th century. The national flag was hoisted at independence celebrations in Tarawa on 12 July 1979. This makes it more distinctive than the blue-field designs of several neighboring Pacific nations.