| Colors | HEX Code | RGB | CMYK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | #010101 | 1, 1, 1 | 0, 0, 0, 100 |
| Red | #CE1126 | 206, 17, 38 | 0, 92, 82, 19 |
| White | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 | 0, 0, 0, 0 |
| Yellow | #FCD116 | 252, 209, 22 | 0, 17, 91, 1 |
The flag of Papua New Guinea is diagonally cut from the upper left corner to the lower right corner. The flag has two triangles, a black triangle at the hoist side, and a red triangle at the fly side. On the black triangle, the southern cross is depicted with five white, five-pointed stars. Four of the stars are of the same size and one is a smaller star. On the red triangle, a yellow Raggiana Bird of Paradise is depicted in the middle of the middle of the triangle.
Meaning of the Flag of Papua New Guinea
The red and black colors are the traditional colors of the original tribes of Papua New Guinea. The red color represents bravery. The black color symbolizes the people of Papua New Guinea, while the yellow color stands for the mineral wealth of the country. The bird of paradise is a tribal symbol and a national emblem. The Southern Cross represents the relationship between Papua New Guinea and Australia. It also signifies the country’s location in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s also a prominent feature in the night sky of Papua New Guinea and holds cultural significance for the people.
History of the Flag of Papua New Guinea
Papua and New Guinea were two separate territories. In 1905, the British gave the Australians the administration of the Southern half of the country known as Papua. Then in 1914, the Australians gained control over the Eastern part called New Guinea which was under German rule. In 1949, the two parts were merged into one country and were named New Guinea and the Territory of Papua. In 1957, the country was renamed as Papua New Guinea. The country remained under the Australian administration. In 1971, a competition was held to choose the best flag design. The winning design was for a 15-year-old girl whose name was Susan Karike. The flag was officially adopted on July 24, 1971, and has remained unchanged since full independence was granted to the country.