Introduction
The flag of the Cook Islands is a British Blue Ensign with a ring of fifteen white stars in the fly.
The stars are set in a circle of equal size, which is the point: no island is placed above another.
Meaning & Symbolism
The fifteen stars are the fifteen islands of the group. The circle stands for the unity of a country whose land is scattered across an area of ocean roughly the size of western Europe.
The blue is the Pacific and the character of the islanders; the Union Jack records the historical link with Britain and, through it, with New Zealand.
History of the Cook Islands Flag
The Cook Islands have changed flag more than most. A green flag with fifteen stars was adopted in 1973 under a government that wanted to break with the colonial look, and the present blue ensign replaced it in 1979 after a change of government.
The country is self governing in free association with New Zealand, and Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens.
Curiosities
- All fifteen stars are the same size and sit in a circle, so no island outranks another.
- A green flag with fifteen stars flew from 1973 to 1979 and was dropped after a change of government.
- The fifteen islands are spread over an area of ocean about the size of western Europe.
- Cook Islanders hold New Zealand citizenship.
- The country is self governing in free association, which is neither independence nor dependency.
Download Flag
Download the flag of Cook Islands in high-quality SVG vector format or PNG raster images. SVG files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
Digital icon artwork; its proportions may differ from the official flag proportions listed on this page.