Flag of Clipperton Island

Since the island is directly administered by France, it uses the French flag, namely the blue, white, and red three-striped vertical flag.

Meaning of the colors of the flag of Clipperton Island

For a more detailed description of the flag and the interpretation of the colors, please visit the French flag page. Below is an excerpt from it that describes the origin of the flag and its meaning:

"During the French Revolution, the slogan ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’ was first used, which means freedom, equality, fraternity. And the tricolor is considered to be the embodiment of the principles of the revolution, where blue symbolizes freedom, white symbolizes equality, and red symbolizes brotherhood."

There is no official confirmation or information about the designer of the Clipperton Island flag, but some sources claim that it is an unofficial version of the island's flag, which consists of a blue background, a palm tree in the middle of a white diamond and the inscriptions “Clipperton Island” and “Isla Clipperton” along its edges. 

History of the discovery of Clipperton Island

Clipperton Island, named after the English pirate John Clipperton, has a controversial history of discovery. Supposedly, in 1705, Clipperton sailed past the island, but no records of this trip have survived. However, from 1730 to 1735, the island was already marked on maps as Clipperton Island. Some believe that it could have been discovered earlier by Spanish explorers or even by Fernand Magellan in 1521. In 1711, French ships came across an unknown island, which they named Passion Island. The first detailed description and map of Passion Island was made by Captain Michel du Bocage and passenger Mr. de Prudhomme, but they never landed on the island. Clipperton Island officially became part of France in 1858, when Lieutenant Victor Kervegen carried out the annexation procedure. French entrepreneurs were interested in the island's phosphate deposits, which were discovered in 1856. 

In 1897, Mexico seized the island, declaring it its territory because of its proximity and use by Mexican fishermen and sailors. Mexico stationed a military garrison on the island, as well as installed a lighthouse and began mining phosphates. However, due to the inaccessibility of the island, these developments were economically unprofitable, which led to frequent changes of companies and the final abandonment of the island during World War I.

During the Mexican Revolution, the Mexican government forgot about the garrison on the island, which led to harsh conditions and the deaths of many soldiers and their families. A territorial conflict arose between France and Mexico, which lasted until 1931. In 1931, the International Court of Justice instructed King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy to resolve the conflict, and Clipperton was returned to French ownership.

During World War II, the United States occupied the island and set up a secret weather station on it. This caused a scandal between the US and France when it became known. After the war, the island was visited mainly by French military and Mexican fishing boats. Various plans for economic development were proposed, including the construction of an airstrip and a port, but due to the island's isolation and small size, these projects were abandoned. Since 2007, the island has been under the direct administration of France.