Flag of Australia

What the flag looks like

A dark blue field with the Union Jack in the upper hoist, a large white seven-pointed Commonwealth Star below it, and the Southern Cross in the fly as four white seven-pointed stars and one small white five-pointed star.

What it means

The Union Jack recalls Australia's British heritage and the Southern Cross its place in the southern sky; the Commonwealth Star's seven points stand for the six states plus the territories.

How to remember it

Australia's stars are all white, with a big seven-pointed Commonwealth Star under the Union Jack; New Zealand's four stars are red with white borders and nothing sits under its Union Jack.

Fun facts

• The design came from a 1901 public competition that drew over 32,000 entries; five entrants with near-identical designs shared the prize.
• The Commonwealth Star originally had six points; a seventh was added in 1908 to represent the territories.
• The Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag were proclaimed official flags of Australia in 1995.

Australia at a glance

Capital

Canberra

Region

Australia and New Zealand

Population

27 million

Area

7,692,024 km²

Languages

English

Currency

Australian dollar ($)

Flag adopted

1908

Flags often confused with Australia

• New Zealand: Australia and New Zealand are both dark blue with the Union Jack and the Southern Cross. New Zealand has four red stars with white edges; Australia has six white stars, including a large one under the Union Jack.
• Tuvalu: Australia and Tuvalu both have the Union Jack in the corner. Australia is dark blue with white stars; Tuvalu is light blue with nine yellow stars.
• Fiji: Australia and Fiji both have the Union Jack in the corner. Australia is dark blue with white stars; Fiji is light blue with a shield in the fly.
• United Kingdom: Australia's flag has the United Kingdom's Union Jack in its upper-left corner. The UK flag is the Union Jack alone, while Australia adds a dark blue field with white stars.