Flag of Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands

Flag of Solomon Islands
Use	National flag
Proportion	1:2
Adopted	18 November 1977
Design	A thin yellow narrow diagonal stripe divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner to the upper fly-side corner: the upper triangle is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern and the lower triangle is green

The flag of the Solomon Islands consists of a thin yellow diagonal stripe divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner, with a blue upper triangle and green lower triangle, and the canton charged with five white stars. Adopted in 1977 to replace the British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of the protectorate, it has been the flag of the Solomon Islands since 18 November of that year, eight months before the country gained independence. Although the number of provinces has since increased, the number of stars on the flag that originally represented them remained unchanged.

The Germans and the British agreed to partition the modern-day Solomon Islands in 1886, with the latter taking control of the southern section. Seven years later, in 1893, they declared this area a protectorate within their colonial empire. At the turn of the 20th century, Germany subsequently gave up their northern part to the United Kingdom in exchange for the latter's acceptance of German claims over Samoa and areas in Africa. During this time, the Union Jack and the Red Ensign identical to ones used in the UK were instituted, as well as a Blue Ensign defaced with the protectorate's name and the monarch's crown.

A new emblem for the protectorate was introduced in 1947 and featured a red field charged with a black-and-white sea turtle. This was modified only nine years later because the turtle was a motif affiliated with only one of the islands' provinces. The revised version of 1956 saw the shield divided quarterly and displayed a lion, an eagle, a turtle, a frigate bird, and assorted weapons from the region.