Flag of Samoa

The flag of Samoa (Samoan: fu‘a o Sāmoa) was first adopted from 24 February 1949, for UN Trusteeships, and continuously applied for the state's independence on 1 January 1962. It consists of a red field with a blue rectangle in the canton. The blue rectangle bears the Southern Cross: four large white stars and one smaller star. It makes a total of five white stars.^[3][4]

Samoa

Use	National flag and ensign
Proportion	1:2
Adopted	24 February 1949; 76 years ago (1949-02-24) 1 January 1962; 63 years ago (1962-01-01)
Design	A red field with the blue rectangle on the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing the Southern Cross of four white larger five-pointed stars and the smaller star in the center.
Designed by	Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole and Malietoa Tanumafili II[1][2]

Construction sheet

The flag is officially defined by the Official Flag and National Anthem of Samoa Act 1994.^[5] When it is being raised or lowered in public, people and vehicles must stop and remain stationary until the performance is complete.^[6] Those who deface the flag or who wilfully insult it can be imprisoned for up to six months.^[7]

Historical flags

Prior to the First World War, Samoa was a colony of the German Empire. German colonies used the flag of the Imperial Colonial Office, a black-white-red tricolour defaced with the Imperial Eagle. The Imperial German government intended to introduce specific flags for the colonies (also based on the tricolour) and several proposals were created, but the war and the subsequent loss of all overseas territories prevented their official adoption. New Zealand occupied German Samoa in 1914 and officially gained control of the territory in 1919.

From the capture by New Zealand forces on 29 August 1914, a defaced ensign with three palm trees encircled, and emblazoned on the fly were used.

• 
  Flag of the Kingdom of Samoa as depicted in the Flags of Paradise chart, similar to the Ottoman flag (1858-1873)
• 
  Flag of the Kingdom of Samoa (1873-1875)
• 
  Flag of the Kingdom of Samoa (1875-1879)
• 
  Flag of the Kingdom of Samoa (1879-1887, 1889-1899). Flag was also used by the Mau Movement
• 
  Flag of the Tui A'ana dynasty in the Kingdom of Samoa (1875-1887, 1889–1900).
• 
  Flag of the Tupua Tamasesse in the Kingdom of Samoa (1887–1889)
• 
  Flag of the German Colonial Office (1899-1914)
• 
  The German colonial flag is raised, 1 March 1900
• 
  Proposal for German Samoa's flag, never adopted
• 
  Hoisting of the Union Jack, 30 August 1914
• 
  The flag of New Zealand was used during the control of NZ-forces (1914–1920)
• 
  Official flag of Western Samoa under Mandate with New Zealand (17 December 1920 – 1 January 1962)
• 
  Initial flag of Western Samoa acquired but not approved (26 May 1948)
• 
  Flag of Western Samoa, later renamed to Samoa (24 February 1949 – present)

See also

• Flags depicting the Southern Cross
• Flag of the Republic of China
• Flag of the Union of Burma (historical)