BRAZIL
WORLD FLAGS
SITE ON THE ORIGIN, DESIGN AND SYMBOLOGY OF THE FLAGS OF THE WORLD
#F / FIJI / Oceania
FIJI
.FJ
Official name:
Republic of Fiji
*Fijian / Matanitu Tugalala or Viti
*English / Republic of Fiji
*Fijian Hindi / फ़िजी गणराज्य - Fiji Ga ṇ arājya
Capital: Suva
Idiom: Fijian, English and Fiji Hindi
Form of Government: Parlamentary republic
Currency: Fijian dollar
Demonym: Fijian/-na
Administrative divition: 4 Divisions and 1 Unit
FLAG
The national flag of Fiji was adopted on October 10, 1970. It is a light blue cloth in which the Union Jack, which is the flag of the United Kingdom, appears in the canton and, on its left side, the shield itself of the country (without the figures of the supports, the burelete, the crest, or the national motto). The shield is virtually identical to the one used during British colonial rule. The flag of Fiji is inspired by the Blue Ensign, which is a dark blue flag that incorporates the British flag in its upper right quadrant and is used as an emblem by numerous British government institutions, colonies and even four independent countries that chose to continue flying the same colonial flag after their respective independences, these countries being Australia, New Zealand, Tuvalu and Fiji included.
National flag
Ratio: 1 x 2
The coat of arms and the flag of Fiji were not altered when the country became a republic in 1987. The colonial flag was very similar to the current one but, following the scheme of the Blue Ensign, it was dark blue. Currently this flag is the flag of the government of Fiji and is used by some government institutions and departments.
OTHER FLAGS
civil flag
Ratio: 1 x 2
Government Flag
Ratio: 1 x 2
naval flag
Ratio: 1 x 2
Presidential Flag
Ratio: 7 x 10
ICONOGRAPHY
Union Jack
MEANING
It represents the Flag of the United Kingdom.
Lion
MEANING
The lion is another symbol of the United Kingdom. In its paws it holds a cocoa fruit, one of the country's most important resources.
Sugar cane
MEANING
Sugar cane is another of the most important crops in the country.
Palm
MEANING
The coconut palm is another of its natural resources.
dove
MEANING
It symbolizes peace.
bananas
MEANING
Another important natural resource.
CONSTRUCTION
A : 120 | B : 30 | C : 60 | D : 60 | E : 46 | F : 37
COLORS
67 %
Light blue
HEX CODE
# 69b3e7
15 %
Red
HEX CODE
# c8102e
11 %
White
HEX CODE
#ffffff
7 %
Blue
HEX CODE
# 012169
SYMBOLIZES:
REPRESENTS THE WATERS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN
HISTORY
flag of the
United Tribes of Fiji
1865 - 1867
flag of the
United Tribes of Fiji
1867 - 1869
flag of the
Kingdom of Lau
1869 - 1871
kingdom flag
Kingdom of Fiji
1871 - 1874
colonial flag
from Fiji
1877 - 1883
colonial flag
from Fiji
1883 - 1908
colonial flag
from Fiji
1908 - 1924
colonial flag
from Fiji
1924 - 1970
SHIELD
Fiji's coat of arms was granted by a Royal Letters Patent on July 4, 1908 and confirmed on September 30, 1970. It was part of the colonial ensign and is also part of the current flag of Fiji.
The elements that appear on the shield are:
- A silver field quartered by a cross of gules with its equal arms, which is the cross of Saint George, with a stripe also of gules located in the head and charged with a passing lion of gold, one of the three that appear in the shield of England and that holds, in this shield, a cocoa fruit.
- The cross of Saint George on white cloth that has been adopted in the coat of arms of Fiji, composes the flag of England.
- In the first quarter of the shield, three sugar canes; in the second, a coconut tree with its natural colors; in the third, a dove with an olive branch that is the symbol of peace and, in the fourth, a bunch of bananas.
- The shield is held (tenantes in heraldic terminology) by two Fijian warriors dressed in mulberry bark skirts, one of them carrying a spear and the other a pineapple mace. According to legend, they are twins; the older brother is holding a spear, while the younger has a totokia club. At the bottom appears the country's motto: Rerevaka na kalou ka doka na Tui (in Spanish: Fear God and honor the King).
- The coat of arms stamps with a silver and gules burelete as well as a canoe with a mast and sail. The crest at the top represents a takia—a traditional Fijian canoe
- At the bottom of the coat of arms is a ribbon with the national motto "Rerevaka na kalou ka doka na Tui" (Fear God and honor the King).
The colors and objects in the coat of arms have cultural, political and regional meanings. The cross of St. George – which divides the shield quarterly – and the golden lion at the top represent the United Kingdom, the former colonial power that ruled Fiji. The cocoa tree held in the lion's paw, along with sugarcane, coconut palms and bananas occupying three of the four quadrants, represent the country's natural resources as these are key agricultural crops in Fiji. The lower left quadrant contains a dove symbolizing peace - this was used on the country's flag during the reign of King Cakobau, whose rule was the last before the start of British Rule.
