Page 228 - (DK) Complete Flags of the World

Australasia and Oceania

Vanuatu

Ratio: 11:18 Adopted: February 18, 1980 Usage: National and Civil

Red is symbolic
The boar’s tusk of blood
symbolizes
prosperity
The yellow Y-shape
depicts the outline
The fern leaves
represent peaceful of the Vanuatu
intentions archipelago and the
color of sunshine
Green recalls the richness
of the islands

Australasia and Oceania
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6!.5!45 Vanuatu, formerly known as the New Hebrides,
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.EW W W W was jointly administered by Britain and France
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#ALEDONIAIA I IA
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from 1906. In 1980, it gained its independence.
During its time as an Anglo-French the black is for the Melanesian
condominium, the New Hebrides people. The Prime Minister
flew the French Tricolore side by side requested the inclusion of the
with the Union Jack. After the yellow and black fimbriations to
anglophone Vanuaaku Party led the give more prominence to the color
country to independence as Vanuatu representing the people. The yellow
in 1980, the colors of the party flag – Y-shape denotes the pattern of the
red, black, green, and yellow—were islands in the Pacific Ocean.
adopted as the basis for the design of
a new national flag. The final design THE BOAR’S TUSK
was chosen a few months before Between the arms of the “Y” lies
independence by a parliamentary the traditional emblem of a boar’s
committee from designs submitted tusk—the symbol of prosperity,
by a local artist. worn as a pendant on the islands—
crossed by two leaves of the local
THE SYMBOLISM OF THE COLORS namele fern. The leaves are a token
The yellow symbolizes sunshine; of peace, and their 39 fronds
the green, the richness of the islands. represent the 39 members of
The red is symbolic of blood, and Vanuatu’s legislative assembly.

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