Flag of Samoa
Encyclopedia
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
was adopted on February 24, 1949. It consists of a red field with a blue rectangle in the canton
Canton (heraldry)
Canton is a square charge placed in the upper dexter corner. It is classed by some heraldic writers as one of the honorable ordinaries; but, strictly speaking, it is a diminutive of the Quarter, being two-thirds the area of that ordinary. However, in the roll of Henry III the quarter appears in...
. The blue rectangle bears the Southern Cross Constellation: four large white stars and one smaller star.
Historical flags
From the capture by New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
forces on August 29, 1914, a defaced ensign with three palm trees encircled, and emblazoned on the fly were used. The defaced Blue Ensign was used on land, and the defaced Red Ensign at sea.
Similar flags
The flag of
Samoa is similar to the flag of the 
Republic of China in the fact it has white inside a blue canton on a red background.Other flags
Southern Cross Flag
Southern Cross Flags are flags which depict the Southern Cross. "Southern Cross" is the English name of Crux, a constellation visible in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also depicted in coats of arms of various countries and sub-national entities...
also include the southern cross in their design.