The national flag of Tuvalu was instated when the country became independent in 1978, after the separation from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in 1976. == Features == Like many former and current British dependencies, the Tuvaluan flag is a blue ensign based on the Union Flag, which is shown in the canton of the flag; but has a sky blue field rather than the conventional navy blue. The stars represent the nine islands which compose Tuvalu; the arrangement is geographically correct, with the east towards the top (i.e.