Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia

The flag of the Federated States of Micronesia was adopted on November 30, 1978 and consists of a blue background with four five-pointed stars, which together form a diamond and symbolize the four main states of the federation.

Meaning of the flag of the Federated States of Micronesia

• The blue color symbolizes the Pacific Ocean and is associated with peace, harmony, and stability;
• The four stars represent the four main states of Micronesia: Yap, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk, and their diamond-shaped arrangement emphasizes their equality;
• The white color symbolizes purity, peace and harmony.

Flags of the FSM states

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. The FSM consists of four semi-autonomous island states - Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae - with a total of 607 islands and the capital Palikir (on the island of Pohnpei).

1. The flag of the state of Chuuk (Truk) consists of 38 stars in a circle surrounding a white coconut palm tree on a blue background. Each of the 38 stars represents one of the inhabited islands or island atolls that make up the state of Chuuk, and the circle arrangement symbolizes the unity and harmony between them. The flag was first adopted in 1979, when the state was called Truk. This name was used until 1989, and the flag itself was updated only in 1997, leaving the number of stars unchanged - 38, despite the fact that there are now 40 municipalities in the state: 16 of which are located in the Chuuk Lagoon and 24 on the outer islands.
2. The flag of the state of Kosrae was adopted in 1981 and includes 4 white stars, bay leaves and the Fafa stone:
   • The 4 stars represent the four main municipalities of the state: Lelu, Malem, Tafunsak and Utwa;
   • Laurel leaves symbolize peace and harmony;
   • The blue color symbolizes the ocean;
   • Fafa stone - the ceremonial knocking stone fafa is a symbolic uniqueness of Korean culture. From the name, it is difficult to imagine what this instrument looks like, but according to photos from various sources, it resembles a stupa.
3. The Pohnpei state flag was created by student Rosendo Alex in 1976 for a state flag competition and was one of 60 designs submitted. In December of the following year, the flag was adopted and at that time consisted of 6 stars for 6 atolls: Pingelap, Mokil, Ponape, Ngatik, Nukuoro and Kapingaramangi. From 1992 to the present, the number of stars on the flag has been changed from 6 to 11. In addition to the stars, the flag consists of a ceremonial bowl (sakau) made of half a coconut shell and a wreath of coconut leaves.
4. The flag of the state of Yap is a white star surrounded by the silhouette of a canoe under full sail, which, in turn, is circled by a white circle on a blue background. The flag was adopted in 1981 and symbolizes the following:
   • A canoe under full sail symbolizes the tradition of navigation and the historical skills of the Yap people, who were masters of navigation. It also symbolizes forward movement and development;
   • The star represents the leadership of Yap State;
   • The blue background symbolizes the ocean that surrounds the islands, as well as peace and brotherhood;
   • The white circle symbolizes stone money, a traditional symbol of Yap's cultural heritage.

History of the flag of the Federated States of Micronesia

In 1525, Portuguese sailors first came to the islands of Yap and Ulithi. Later, as a result of Spanish expeditions in 1565, Micronesia became part of the Spanish Empire. The territory, which included the Caroline Islands, was subject to the authority of Spanish colonial administrations, although actual control over the remote islands was minimal. The islands did not have a separate flag and used the Spanish flag, a red and yellow tricolor.

After the Spanish-American War and the loss of control over many of its overseas colonies, Spain sold the Caroline Islands, including the territory of the present-day Federated States of Micronesia, to the German Empire in 1899 for 25 million pesetas, with the exception of Guam, which became a territory of the United States. During German rule in Micronesia, the flag of the German Empire was used, consisting of horizontal stripes: black, white, and red, and a black eagle inside a white disk. The German rule in Micronesia was mainly focused on the use of natural resources, namely copra (dried coconut pulp), and infrastructure development.

During the First World War, Japan captured the Caroline Islands and later received an official mandate to govern the islands from the League of Nations in 1920. During this period, the Japanese naval flag became the official symbol in the Micronesian territories. The flag consisted of a white base with a red sun located closer to the pole and 16 rays emanating from it. Japan was focused on the development of agriculture, fishing and the main method of enrichment - the extraction of copra. Within 15 years, Japan significantly increased its presence on the island: 40,000 indigenous people, while the resettled Japanese numbered more than 100,000. The Japanese occupation was brutal, and the locals were often subjected to forced labor. In addition to extracting natural resources, Japan also used the area to establish a military base, especially during World War II, which was one of the reasons for the bombing and military action by the United States in 1945.

After the end of World War II in 1945, Japan lost control of Micronesia and the territory came under US control, so from 45 to 47 the official flag was the flag of the United States of America, which at that time consisted of 48 stars on a blue canton field and 13 red and white stripes.
In 1947, the Federated States of Micronesia came under the administration of the United States, but under the auspices of the United Nations. The official flag of this Trust Territory was the UN flag adopted in 1947, which consisted of a light blue field with white symbols: two olive branches symbolizing peace surrounded a projection of a globe depicting all the continents.

In 1960-1962, the modern US flag, consisting of 50 stars, was used in the territory of the FSM. This was due to the fact that Micronesia remained under the administrative control of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
In 1962, a separate flag was created for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI). The flag of the TTPI consisted of a blue background with six white stars arranged in a circle in the center. The stars symbolized the six administrative regions of the Trust Territory: The Marshall Islands, Palau, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and the Marianas. This flag was used until the dissolution of the TTIP, when each region began to gain its own autonomy and create its own national symbols.

In July 1978, the residents of the four former trust territories - Chuuk, Yap, Pohnpei, and Kosrae - voted to form a federation under the Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). On May 10, 1979, the former districts became states of the federation and eventually adopted their own state constitutions. The Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States was signed in October 1982 and entered into force in November 1986. The treaty with the United States was renewed in 2004 and allows FSM citizens to live, work, and travel in the United States, and the United States is allowed to station military facilities in the FSM.