The official flag of the Pitcairn Islands features a solid blue background with a large portion of its upper hoist side corner occupied by the United Kingdom’s Union Jack design. On the flag’s opposite side, set against the field of blue, is the country’s coat of arms featuring a large blue, yellow, and green shield which displays a yellow anchor with a white book over it. Set atop the shield is a grey helmet and small traditional wheelbarrow along with an array of yellow and green vines and the bloom of the Indian tulip tree also known as a miro. This version of the flag was adopted on April 2, 1984.
Because the Pitcairn Islands is a British territory its flag of prominently includes a depiction of the United Kingdom’s national flag in its hoist side corner. Its blue and green colors are references to the island rising from the vast Pacific Ocean. The anchor on the coat of arms is a historical reference to the British ship the HMS Bounty. A great many citizens of European heritage presently living on the Pitcairn Islands can trace their origins back to sailors who were part of the 1789 mutiny of this famous ship.
The official flag design representing the citizens of the Pitcairn Islands was initially proposed by the Pitcairn Island Council in December 1980. It was approved by Britain’s reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, four years later in April 1984. The design of the Island’s coat of arms which occupies a large portion of the flag was granted royal approval many years prior to the adoption of the official flag on November 4, 1969.
The official flag of the Governor of the Pitcairn Islands features a different design than the one which represents the Pacific Island nation. This flag does, however, include all of the same symbolic elements of the official flag with the exception of the solid blue background. The Governor’s flag consists of a background made up of the Union Jack with its characteristic red, white, and blue design. In its center is a circle shape rimmed with green leaves and red berries as well as a small blue bow set at the bottom of the design. In the middle of the large circle, set against a white background, is Pitcairn Islands’ official coat of arms.
This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018
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