The design was publicly sought for, institued in 1997, and displayed for the first time in 1998 on the day of independence. It is based on the Blue Ensign, which represents that the nation is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The blue color represents the Pacific Ocean, and the locations of the nine atolls and bird are indicated by the yellow star. There are stars that are depicted upside down, but no explanations have been made.