Which Oceanian country's flag is divided diagonally with a red top and black bottom?

Papua New Guinea’s flag is divided diagonally, with a red upper triangle and a black lower triangle. The red section carries a golden Raggiana bird-of-paradise, while the black section contains the white Southern Cross.

The diagonal runs from the upper hoist-side corner to the lower fly-side corner. The unusual design combines two major national symbols: the bird-of-paradise represents Papua New Guinea’s wildlife and cultural identity, while the Southern Cross reflects the country’s position in the Southern Hemisphere and its links with nearby Australia and New Zealand.

Papua New Guinea adopted the flag on 1 July 1971, before independence in 1975. Its design came from a nationwide competition and is associated with Susan Karike, whose proposal gained broad support. Red and black were already traditional colors among many Papua New Guinean communities. Black, white, and red also echoed colors connected with the former German colonial presence.

The Southern Cross consists of five white stars: four larger stars and one smaller star. A common mix-up is to remember only the red-and-black division and overlook the yellow bird. Vanuatu also uses strong red, black, and yellow elements, but its flag is not split in this distinctive diagonal pattern.