Monday, December 5, 2011

Flag of Jarvis Island

Flag of Jarvis Island

Here is a flag for Jarvis Island - a rare part of the USA that is below the equator in the Southern Hemisphere.

Jarvis Island is at a latitude of zero degrees twenty-two seconds south. This puts it on par with the Galapagos, Brazil and Mount Kenya. Yet Jarvis is still in the Western-American Hemisphere since it is due south of Selawik, Alaska. Unlike American Samoa which is also below the equator, there is little chance of Jarvis Island ever breaking away. Jarvis Island is as much a part of the United States as is the Statue of Liberty.

Residents of Millersville waving
in front of Jarvis Island flag

Jarvis Island is an unincorporated unorganized territory managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service under the Department of Interior. Thus all 50 states play a small role in supporting the micro-science economy of the island.


Not much has ever happened on Jarvis. But during WWII there was the Battle of Millersville. The residents of Millersville, Jarvis Island mistook an Imperial Japanese Sub for their own and were shot at, luckily no one was hurt. Soon the the population of Millersville was evacuated and a scorched earth policy destroyed the town. It is reported that the Japanese bombed the island afterwards, when no one was there.


Jarvis' No Trespassing Sing with local flag

The design of the flag is based upon the flag of the United States. In the canton are 50 white stars that represent the 50 US States. The red stripe represents the equator. The large yellow star represents Jarvis Island which is directly below or arguably on the equator - at 0 degrees.



























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PHOTO CREDITS
English: "No Trespassing" sign of USFWS on Jarvis Island in the Pacific Ocean
October 2003. Joann94024 at en.wikipedia.Original Uploader was Joann94024 (talk) at 27 October 2006

Black and White - Millersville Settlement 1930s
http://www.jarvisisland.info/pictures_land.html

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Added July, 25 2012 - 9:51pm EST
Jarvis Island Flag as created by myself is now declared in the public domain. Anyone is free to copy and distribute the above flag for profit or not in the representation as a flag for Jarvis Island. Declared by the sole and original designer - Christopher Maddish.

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