Flag: Kiribati

The emblem depicts a golden frigatebird flying over a rising sun and sea waves.

The upper red half features a golden frigatebird (Fregata minor, locally te eitei) soaring over a rising sun with seventeen rays. The bird symbolizes power, freedom, and Kiribati cultural dance patterns, while the seventeen rays represent the sixteen Gilbert Islands plus Banaba.

The lower half displays three pairs of wavy white and blue stripes representing the Pacific Ocean and the nation's three main island groups: the Gilbert, Phoenix, and Line Islands. Adopted at independence in 1979, the design directly adapts the colonial coat of arms granted in 1937.

How is Kiribati pronounced and where is it located?

Kiribati is pronounced roughly like “KEE-ree-bahss”.

In the indigenous Gilbertese language (taetae ni Kiribati), the letter combination ti makes an “s” sound, making the spoken name sound like Kiribas. The name is the local adaptation of “Gilberts,” named after British captain Thomas Gilbert.

Composed of 32 low-lying coral atolls and one raised coral island, Kiribati is distinctive for spanning the equator and the 180th meridian, giving its island groups territory across the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western hemispheres.