Gilbert and Ellice Islands Gilbert and Ellice Islands The Gilbert and Ellice Islands were a British protectorate from 1892 and colony from 1916 until 1 January 1976, when the islands were divided into two colonies which became independent nations shortly after. A referendum was held in December 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a consequence of the referendum, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony ceased to exist on 1 January 1976 and the separate countries of Kiribati and Tuvalu came into existence. The Gilbert Islands (formerly "Kingsmill Islands") are a chain of sixteen
Flag of the Gambier Islands Flag of the Gambier Islands The Flag of the Gambier Islands is the flag of the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean administered by France. In 1837, the seaman Armand Mauruc requested that King Maputeoa adopt a Gambier national flag to commence trade. The flag of the Gambier Islands is horizontally divided white-blue-white with five stars placed 2 (blue stars in the upper white stripe), 1 (white star in the middle blue stripe) and 2 (blue stars in the upper white stripe). The four blue stars in the corners represent the islands of Mangareva, Taravai, Aukena and