Adopted in 2009, the flag of Tokelau is deep blue bearing a yellow Polynesian canoe sailing toward four white stars that form the Southern Cross. The canoe represents Tokelau's journey toward self-determination, while the stars—one for each of the atolls of Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo, plus the nearby Swains Island that Tokelau also claims—echo the constellation's traditional role guiding Pacific navigators. Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand made up of just three small atolls in the South Pacific, home to roughly 1,500 people. It has no airport or harbour, so the only way in or out is a boat journey of a day or more from Samoa. In 2012, Tokelau became the first nation in the world to generate 100% of its electricity from solar power.
