Pacific Islands (Trust Territory)

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

Last modified: 2002-03-15 by phil nelson
Keywords: pacific islands (trust territory) |
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by Phil Nelson
Source: World Encyclopedia of Flags

The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was a United Nations trusteeship in the North Pacific administerd by the United States. The territory consisted of islands originally controlled by Germany and ceded to Japan following World War I. Following the second World War, the islands were placed under U.N. control (1947).

The trust was dissolved when the last island group, Palau, approved a free association trade agreement with the United States in 1980.

The stars in the flag represented the Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Ponape, Truk, Yap, and Palau.

The flag was authorized by the U.N. High Commissioner and adopted by the Congress of Micronesia in July 1965. It became official on 19 August 1965. The flag has ceased to be used following the dissolution of the Trust.

According to "The Flag Book of the United States" by Whitney Smith (1975), The flag design was first hoisted on 24 October 1962, but was not officially adopted by the Congress of Micronesia, as the legislature of the Trust Territory was called, until 1965. The six stars represented the districts of Yap, Truk, Ponape, Marianas, Marshalls, and Palau.

Before this flag was adopted the flags of the US and UN were used.

The book also says the High Commissioner of the Trust Territory had a flag consisting of his seal in dark blue on a white field.
Ned Smith, 1 May 2001

by Chris Kretowicz

See also:

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Marshall Islands
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Palau