Thursday, May 19, 2016

Marshall Islands Flag And Its History

By Eddy Johns


The Marshall Islands, the easternmost islands of Micronesia, are coral caps set on the rims of submerged volcanoes rising from the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Scattered over 750,000 square miles, they consist of two parallel chains of coral atolls: the Ratak, or sunrise, to the east and the Ralik, or sunset, to the west. The chains are 125 miles apart and extend about 800 miles northwest to southeast.

The Marshall Islands - now officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands - were part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands administered by the United States, from which the Marshall Islands and Micronesia split. This nation of about 62,000 people is located north of Nauru and Kiribati, east of the Federated States of Micronesia, and south of the U.S. territory of Wake Island. The country consists of 29 atolls and 5 isolated islands. The atolls and islands form two groups: the Ratak Chain and the Ralik Chain (meaning "sunrise" and "sunset" chains). 24 of them are inhabited.

While western Micronesia was probably settled by peoples from the Philippines or Indonesia about 1500 B.C., it is believed that eastern Micronesia including the Marshall Islands was settled by Melanesians at about the same time and possibly by peoples from western Micronesia at about the beginning of the Christian era. Relics found on Majuro have yielded carbon dates of 30 B.C. and A.D. 50. Early Micronesians were skilled navigators who made long canoe journeys among the atolls.

In 1874, the Spanish sovereignty was recognized by the international community. They were sold to Germany in 1884 through papal mediation. A German trading company settled on the islands in 1885. They became part of the protectorate of German New Guinea some years later. In 1914, Japan joined the Entente powers during World War I, and found it possible to capture German colonies in China and Micronesia. Unlike the German Empire, which had economic interests primarily in Micronesia, the accession of the territory to Japan resulted in the migration of over 1,000 Japanese to the Marshall Islands.

The four longer points in the star represent the capital of Majuro, and the three subcenters, Ebeye (Kwajalein), Jaluit, and Wotje. These points also form a cross signifying the importance of Christianity in the Marshalls.

The expanding width of the stripes represents growth and vitality of the country. The star represents each of the 24 municipalities of the Marshall Islands. The four longer points represent the capital city of Majuro, and the administrative districts of Kwajalein, Wotji, and Jaluit. The longer points also form a cross and symbolize the Christian faith of the country. The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize the history of Marshall Islands Flag for the future.




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