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List of country subdivision flags in Oceania

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Map of Oceania

This page lists the country subdivision flags in Oceania. It is a part of the Lists of country subdivision flags, which is split into continents due to its size. For purposes of this article, Oceania is taken to comprise Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

The principal subdivisions are generally the ones that are identified as first-order subdivisions under the ISO 3166-2 coding scheme. If a country has no such first-order subdivisions, but has second-order subdivisions that have their own official flags, then the flags of those second-order subdivisions are given here.

This gallery includes only current official flags. For historical or non-official flags of any particular country or territory (if any), see the main article for that country or territory.

Unless indicated otherwise, information on each country has been taken from the World Factbook, as updated through July 11, 2016 (for which see the External Links section, below).[1]

Australasia

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Australia

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Main article: List of Australian flags § States and territories
See also: States and territories of Australia

Australia comprises six states and two territories, as well as several dependant islands located in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

The official flag for each of the six states consists of the Australian national flag, but with the stars removed and replaced with the state's coat of arms.

Most of the dependent areas (sometimes called the "external territories") have no official flag of their own and instead use the Australian national flag. Three external territories do have their own official flags–Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island.

States

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Flag Date Use Description
1876–present Flag of New South Wales A St George's Cross with four gold stars and a lion in the fly of a British blue ensign.[2]
1876–present[a] Flag of Queensland A light blue Maltese cross with a crown on a white background in the fly of a British blue ensign.[3]
1904–present Flag of South Australia A piping shrike on a gold background in the fly of a British blue ensign.[4]
1875–present Flag of Tasmania A red lion on a white background in the fly of a British blue ensign.[5]
1877–present[a] Flag of Victoria The Southern Cross surmounted by a crown in the fly of a British blue ensign.[6]
1953–present Flag of Western Australia A black swan on a gold background in the fly of a British blue ensign.[7]

Territories

[edit]
Flag Date Use Description
1993-present Flag of the Australian Capital Territory A vertical 1:2 bicolour of blue (charged with the Southern Cross) and gold (charged with a modified Coat of arms of the city of Canberra)[8]
1978-present Flag of the Northern Territory A vertical 1:2 bicolour of black (charged with the Southern Cross) and ochre (charged with a stylised Sturt's Desert Rose)[9]

Dependent areas

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Flag Date Use Description
2002 – Flag of Christmas Island Blue and green diagonal bicolour charged with a southern cross of four seven-pointed white stars and one smaller five-pointed white star on the blue half, a golden bosun bird in gold on the green half, and a gold circle in the centre containing the shape of the island in green[10]
2004 – Flag of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands A green field with a palm tree on a gold disc in the canton, a gold crescent in the centre of the flag and a gold southern cross in the fly.
1979 – Flag of Norfolk Island Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) in a central white stripe between two green stripes[11]

New Zealand

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Main article: List of New Zealand flags
See also: Regions of New Zealand
See also: Realm of New Zealand

New Zealand has sixteen first-level administrative subdivisions. Eleven of them are governed by regional authorities; the other five are governed by unitary authorities (which combine the roles of regional and territorial governance). The Chatham Islands lie outside any of the sixteen regions, but collectively possess some of the governing authority of a region. Most of these seventeen authorities have not adopted official flags.

The Realm of New Zealand includes two non-self-governing territories, one of which (Tokelau) has its own official flag. The other, the Ross Dependency, does not. It also includes the two island nations that are in free association with New Zealand–the Cook Islands and Niue. Their official flags are shown here.

Regions

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Flag Date Use Description
1987 – Flag of Nelson The flag is based on the City of Nelson's coat of arms.[12]
2004 – Flag of Otago Per fess dancetty azure and or, two mullets of eight points in pale counterchanged.

Non-self-governing territories

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Flag Date Use Description
2009 – Flag of Tokelau A yellow Tokelauan canoe sailing towards the Southern Cross represented by four white stars on a blue field

Nations in free association with New Zealand

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Flag Date Use Description
1979 – Flag of the Cook Islands A British Blue Ensign, with a ring made of fifteen stars defaced on the fly.
1975 – Flag of Niue A golden yellow flag with the Union flag in the upper left (hoist) quarter of the flags. On the Union Jack are two yellow five-pointed stars on the vertical stripe and two on the horizontal stripe. In the centre of the Union flag is a blue disc with another, slightly larger, yellow five-pointed star.

Melanesia

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Fiji

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See also: Local government of Fiji

Fiji is subdivided into fourteen provinces, which are loosely aggregated into four "divisions". There is also a self-governing dependency, Rotuma. None of these administrative units has adopted an official flag.

French collectivities in Melanesia

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Main article: Flags of the regions of France
See also: Overseas departments and territories of France

One of France's overseas regions is located in Melanesia. This region is New Caledonia, which is a special-status collectivity of France. It has a flag that shares its official status with that of the French tricolor.

Flag Date Use Description
1794 – 2010 – Flags of New Caledonia A vertical tricolour of blue, white, and red.

A horizontal tricolour of blue, red, and green charged with a yellow disc outlined in black and defaced with a black flèche faîtière.

New Caledonia

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Main article: Flag of New Caledonia § Provincial flags

New Caledonia is a special-status collectivity of France, divided administratively into three provinces. Each has its own official flag.

Flag Date Use Description
Flag of South Province
Flag of North Province
Flag of Loyalty Islands Province

Indonesia

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See also: Provinces of Indonesia

The administration of Indonesia is divided among 38 provinces, eight of which are located in Melanesia (the others are located in Southeast Asia). The eight Melanesian provinces are Maluku, North Maluku, Central Papua, Highland Papua, Papua, South Papua, Southwest Papua, and West Papua.

Maluku Provinces

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Flag Date Use Description
Flag of Maluku
Flag of North Maluku

Papua Provinces

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Flag Date Use Description
Flag of Central Papua
Flag of Highland Papua
Flag of Papua
Flag of South Papua
Flag of Southwest Papua
Flag of West Papua

Papua New Guinea

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See also: Provinces of Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is divided into twenty provinces plus a national capital district (i.e., Port Moresby) and Bougainville, an autonomous region. Each has its own official flag.[13]

Provinces

[edit]
Flag Date Use Description
Flag of Central Province
Flag of Chimbu
Flag of Eastern Highlands
Flag of East New Britain
Flag of East Sepik
Flag of Enga
Flag of Gulf Province
Flag of Hela
Flag of Jiwaka
Flag of Madang
Flag of Manus
Flag of Milne Bay
Flag of Morobe
Flag of New Ireland
Flag of Oro
Flag of Southern Highlands
Flag of Western Province
Flag of Western Highlands
Flag of West New Britain
Flag of Sandaun

Districts and autonomous regions

[edit]
Flag Date Use Description
Flag of the National Capital District
1975-Present Flag of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Red and white upe headdress superimposed on a green and white kapkap, on a field of cobalt blue.

Solomon Islands

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See also: Provinces of Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands is divided into ten administrative areas, of which nine are provinces administered by elected provincial assemblies and the tenth is the capital Honiara. Each has its own official flag.

Flag Date Use Description
Flag of Central Province
Flag of Choiseul Province
Flag of Guadalcanal Province
Flag of Isabel Province
Flag of Makira-Ulawa Province
Flag of Malaita Province
Flag of Rennell and Bellona Province
Flag of Temotu Province
Flag of Western Province
Flag of Capital Territory

Vanuatu

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See also: Provinces of Vanuatu

Vanuatu is divided administratively into six provinces. Each province has its own official flag.[14]

Flag Date Use Description
?–present Flag of the Malampa Province A descending diagonal tricolour of green-yellow-blue, with three black stars and a native canoe in the centre.
?–present Flag of the Penama Province Divided horizontally red-light blue-black-light blue-green (5:2:2:2:5). This flag had a white canton, with a boar's tusk, surrounded by a wreath of leaves of the namele fern. In the upper red stripe is a yellow five-pointed star, in the lower green stripe are two yellow five-pointed stars.[15]
?–present Flag of the Sanma Province Light blue, with the national flag in the canon. The fly bears twelve white stars in four rows of three, and the lower fly carries two yellow cogwheels, one inside the other.[16]
?–present Flag of the Shefa Province A horizontal tricolour of blue-red-green, with the national flag (approximately one-sixth size along the hoist) in the canton. The fly a white-rimmed golden disk, extending into the blue and green stripes.[17]
?–present Flag of the Tafea Province A light blue, a central horizontal stripe of yellow-red-yellow, five white stars, and a green canton, with a yellow cross and black shield.
?–present Flag of the Torba Province Diagonally arranged, blue in the upper hoist, stripes of red-yellow-black-white-green, and yellow in the lower fly. with the emblem in the lower yellow triangular field.[18]

Micronesia

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Federated States of Micronesia

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See also: Administrative divisions of the Federated States of Micronesia

The Federated States of Micronesia is a federal republic that has entered into a compact of free association with the United States. It has four states, each of which has its own official flag.[19]

Flag Date Use Description
Flag of Chuuk
Flag of Kosrae
Flag of Pohnpei A flag featuring a wreath of coconut leaves with six stars and a sakau cup in the middle, on a blue field.
Flag of Yap

Guam

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Guam is a self-governing territory of the United States. It has no first-order administrative divisions.

Kiribati

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See also: Kiribati § Administrative divisions

Although Kiribati is split geographically into three areas (the Gilbert Islands, the Line Islands and the Phoenix Islands), these geographic divisions are not used for administration. Administrative units exist at the district and island levels, but none are first-order administrative subdivisions.

Marshall Islands

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The Marshall Islands is a federal republic that has entered into a compact of free association with the United States. There are no first-order administrative subdivisions.

Nauru

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See also: Nauru § Administrative divisions

Nauru is divided into fourteen administrative districts, none of which has an official flag.

Northern Mariana Islands

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The Northern Mariana Islands are a self-governing territory of the United States. There are no first-order administrative subdivisions.

Palau

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See also: States of Palau

Palau is a republic that has entered into a compact of free association with the United States. It is composed of sixteen states, each of which has its own official flag.[20]

State Flag Description
Aimeliik The five stars represent the five hamlets of Aimeliik. The green stripe represents Aimeliik's rainforest, the black stripe represents the fact that it was not conquered and the blue represents Aimeliik's large fishing area.[21]
Airai The blue background represents the ocean and the white circle represents peace. The six stars stand for the six hamlets of Airai and the six fish for the six chiefs. In the centre is a ti plant.[22]
Angaur The four stripes stand for the four hamlets of Angaur. In the center is a kelau flower.[23]
Hatohobei The stars represent the three islands that make up the state. The clam shell represents Romohparuh, the first person on Hatohobei, who claimed ownership of the island by burying a clam shell.[24]
Kayangel The flag is blue with a yellow triangle. It features an oar and two hibiscus vines.[25]
Koror
Main article: Flag of Koror
A dark blue field with a crescent moon, seven stars and a bai on top of ten stones.
Melekeok The sun indicates that Melekeok is facing the east where the sun rises. The six sun rays represent the six hamlets of Melekeok.[26] The bird, the 'Paluan money bird' or Bai-ra-Irrai [27] (a Far Eastern curlew[28]), is holding Palauan money known as chelbucheb.[29]
Ngaraard The star's five points represent the five hamlets of Ngaraard.[30] Earlier versions of the flag had a blue background instead of purple.[31]
Ngarchelong The flag has eight stars representing the eight municipalities of Ngarchelong. Previous versions of the flag had seven stars. The flag has seven stripes representing the seven original municipalities.[32]
Ngardmau The three stars represent the three hamlets of Ngardmau. Inside the circle is a picture of Ngerdmau Waterfall and Mount Ngerchelchuus. On top of the cirlcle is a kedam.[33]
Ngatpang The flag consists of vines on a white background encircling a lamp made of clay. The three strands that hold the lamp represent the three hamlets of Ngatpang.[34]
Ngchesar The green background represents the jungle and the six stars represent the six hamlets of Ngchesar. In the center is the state's spirit god ochaio.[35]
Ngeremlengui The map in the center is the territory of Ngeremlengui. The linked chains represent the hamlets of Ngeremlengui.[36]
Ngiwal The four stars represent the four hamlets of Ngiwal. The picture represents the abundance of sea food.[37]
Peleliu The flag features the native bird belochel. The blue represents the ocean and the five stars represent the five hamlets of Peleliu.[38]
Sonsorol The blue background represents the Pacific Ocean and the four stars represent the four islands that make up Sonsorol. The boat represents the finding of the islands by the people's ancestors.[39]

United States in Micronesia

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Main article: History of the flags of the United States § Territorial and commonwealth flags
Main article: History of the flags of the United States § Associated state flags
See also: Territories of the United States

The United States has three territories in Micronesia. Two of them (Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands) are self-governing and have their own official flags. The third (Wake Island) is not self-governing and uses the flag of the United States as its official flag.

Three Micronesian nations have entered into a compact of free association with the United States. These are the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau.

Territories

[edit]
Flag Date Use Description
1948-Present Flag of Guam A dark blue background with a thin red border and the Seal in the center.
1985-Present Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands A circle of flowers and plants with a gray sculpture and a white star on a blue field.
1976-Present Flag of Wake Island Unofficial flag.

Micronesian nations in free association with the United States

[edit]
Flag Date Use Description
1978-Present Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia A light blue field with four white five-pointed stars arranged in the diamond pattern in the center.
1979-Present Flag of the Marshall Islands A blue field with two diagonal stripes of orange and white radiating from the lower hoist-side corner to the upper fly-side corner and the large white star with four large rays and twenty small rays on the upper hoist-side corner above the stripes.
1981-Present Flag of Palau A light blue field with the large yellow disk shifted slightly to the hoist-side of center.

Wake Island

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Wake Island is a territory of the United States. It has no first-order administrative subdivisions.

Polynesia

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American Samoa

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American Samoa is a territory of the United States. It has no first-order administrative subdivisions.

Chilean territory in Polynesia

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Chile has one territory in Polynesia, Isla de Pascua (also known as Easter Island). However, it is administered as a province in the country's Valparaiso region, and not as a first-order subdivision of Chile.

Cook Islands

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The Cook Islands are a nation that is in free association with New Zealand. It has no first-order administrative subdivisions.

French collectivities in Polynesia

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Main article: Flags of the regions of France
See also: Overseas departments and territories of France

There are two French collectivities in Polynesia—French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna. French Polynesia has a flag that shares its official status with that of the French tricolor; Wallis and Futuna does not. Also, Clipperton Island is a French territory in Polynesia, but not a collectivity. It is uninhabited and does not have its own official flag.

Flag Date Use Description
1984 – Flag of French Polynesia Two red horizontal bands encase a wide white band in a 1:2:1 ratio, with the Coat of arms centred on the white stripe

French Polynesia

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See also: Administrative divisions of French Polynesia

French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France. It consists of six archipelagos: the Austral Islands, the Gambier Islands, the Marquesas Islands, the Tuāmotu Islands, plus the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands (the last two collectively formerly known as the Society Islands). Although French Polynesia has no first-order administrative subdivisions within the meaning of the ISO 3166-2 coding scheme, there are five second-order subdivisions that correspond to each of the archipelagos, except that the Gambier and Tuāmotu Islands are combined into a single administrative division. None of these divisions has adopted an official flag. However, a 1985 territorial decree permits the official use, alongside the French tricolour and the French Polynesian flag, of the official flag of the archipelago on which the flags are displayed.[40] Four of the archipelagos have adopted such official flags.[41] The two that have not are the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands.

Flag Date Use Description
Flag of the Austral Islands The flag has a ratio of 2:3 and is divided into three vertical stripes: red, white and red, with the proportions 1:3:1. In the white central stripe is a blue emblem surrounded by five stars.
Flag of the Gambier Islands Three horizontal stripes of equal width in the order white-blue-white charged with a blue star in each corner and a white star in the middle.
Flag of the Marquesas Islands A flag divided in to a top yellow half and a bottom red half with a white triangle in the hoist charged with the design of Maitiki.
Flag of Tuamotus [42]

Niue

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Niue is a nation that is in free association with New Zealand. It has no first-order administrative subdivisions.

Pitcairn Islands

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The Pitcairn Islands are a territory of the United Kingdom. There are no administrative subdivisions.

Samoa

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See also: Districts of Samoa

Samoa is divided administratively into eleven districts. None of them have adopted an official flag.

Tokelau

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Tokelau is a self-administering territory of New Zealand. It has no administrative subdivisions.

Tonga

[edit]
See also: Administrative divisions of Tonga

Tonga is a constitutional monarchy composed of five administrative divisions. None of them have adopted official flags.

Tuvalu

[edit]
See also: Administrative divisions of Tuvalu

Tuvalu is a nation administered by seven island councils, plus one town council (Funafuti). Only two of which, Funafuti and Vaitupu, have adopted official flags.

United Kingdom in Polynesia

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The Pitcairn Islands are the only British overseas territory in Oceania. It has an official flag.

Flag Date Use Description
1984 – Flag of Pitcairn Islands A Blue Ensign charged in the fly with the coat of arms of the Pitcairn Islands

United States in Polynesia

[edit]
Main article: History of the flags of the United States § Territorial and commonwealth flags
See also: Territories of the United States

Hawaii, one of the fifty United States, is located in Polynesia, as is one of the territories of the United States (American Samoa).

Seven of the nine islands in the United States Minor Outlying Islands group are located in Polynesia. These are Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll and Palmyra Atoll. None have a permanent population and all use the flag of the United States as their official flags.

States

[edit]
Flag Date Use Description
1898 – Flag of Hawaii Eight alternating horizontal stripes of white, red, and blue, with the United Kingdom's Union Flag (ratio 4:7) in the canton

Territories

[edit]
Flag Date Use Description
1960 – Flag of American Samoa A red-edged white triangle pointing towards the hoist charged with a bald eagle clutching a war club and a fly-whisk. The white triangle divides the dark blue field into two separate triangles.

Wallis and Futuna

[edit]
Main article: Flag of Wallis and Futuna § Subdivision flags
See also: Subdivisions of Wallis and Futuna

Wallis and Futuna is a collectivity of France. It is composed of three precincts—Alo, Sigave and Uvea—each corresponding to a traditional kingdom.

Flag Date Use Description
Flag of Alo
Flag of Sigave
Flag of Uvea

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b This note is un-defined.

General references

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The World Factbook". cia.gov. Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  2. ^ "The New South Wales State Flag (1876)". anfa-national.org.au. Australian National Flag Association. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  3. ^ "The Queensland State Flag (1876)". anfa-national.org.au. Australian National Flag Association. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  4. ^ "The South Australian State Flag (1904)". anfa-national.org.au. Australian National Flag Association. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  5. ^ "The Tasmanian State Flag (1876)". anfa-national.org.au. Australian National Flag Association. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  6. ^ "The Victorian State Flag (1877)". anfa-national.org.au. Australian National Flag Association. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  7. ^ "The Western Australian State Flag (1870)". anfa-national.org.au. Australian National Flag Association. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  8. ^ "The Australian Capital Territory Flag (1993)". anfa-national.org.au. Australian National Flag Association. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  9. ^ "The Northern Territory Flag (1978)". anfa-national.org.au. Australian National Flag Association. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  10. ^ "The Flag of the Territory of Christmas Island". shire.gov.cx. Shire of Christmas Island. Archived from the original on 2 March 2015.
  11. ^ "Norfolk Island Flag and Public Seal Act 1979". Federal Register of Legislation. Office of Parliamentary Counsel (Australia). 18 June 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Purchase a Civic Flag". nelson.govt.nz. Nelson City Council. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  13. ^ "Papua New Guinea–22 Provinces". vexilla-mundi.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  14. ^ "Vanuatu - 6 Provinces". vexilla-mundi.com. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  15. ^ "Penama Province (Vanuatu)". Flags of the World. 13 April 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  16. ^ "Sanma Province (Vanuatu)". Flags of the World. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  17. ^ "Shefa Province (Vanuatu)". Flags of the World. 8 July 2006. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  18. ^ "Tafea Province (Vanuatu)". www.fotw.info. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  19. ^ "Micronesia–4 States". vexilla-mundi.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  20. ^ "Palau–16 States". vexilla-mundi.com. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  21. ^ "Aimeliik State Flag". Pacific Digital Library. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  22. ^ "Airai, Palau". CRW Flags. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  23. ^ "Angaur, Palau". CRW Flags. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  24. ^ "About our Flag & the History of Hatohobei State—". Friends of Tobi. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  25. ^ "Kayangel, Palau". CRW Flags. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  26. ^ "Melekeok State Flag". Pacific Digital Library. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  27. ^ "Bai-ra-Irrai". Pacific Worlds. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  28. ^ "State of Palau's Birds 2017". issuu. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  29. ^ "chelbucheb". Palauan Language Online. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  30. ^ "Ngaraard, Palau". CRW Flags. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  31. ^ "Ngaraard State". Palau Government. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  32. ^ "Ngarchelong, Palau". CRW Flags. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  33. ^ "Flag of Ngardmau State". BCET. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  34. ^ "Flag of Ngatpang State". BCET. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  35. ^ "Ngchesar, Palau". CRW Flags. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  36. ^ "Ngeremlengui, Palau". CRW Flags. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  37. ^ "Ngiwal State Flag". Pacific Digital Library. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  38. ^ "Peleliu, Palau". CRW Flags. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  39. ^ "Sonsorol, Palau". CRW Flags. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  40. ^ "The Territorial Flag". presidence.pf. Archived from the original on February 17, 2003.
  41. ^ "La Polynesie Francaise - Histoire et Culture". tahitinui.cn. Embassy of French Polynesia in China. Archived from the original on April 6, 2009.
  42. ^ "Tuamotu Islands (Tuamotu and Gambier Islands, French Polynesia)". flagspot.net. Flags of the World. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
[edit]
Administrative subdivisions
Flags
  • Vexilla Mundi (site map; look for country links labeled 'divisions')
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