🇦🇺Australia

Australia's flag was chosen from a design competition in 1901, receiving over 32,000 entries. It features three elements on a blue background: the Union Jack in the canton representing historical ties to Britain, the seven-pointed Commonwealth Star (Federation Star) below representing the six states and territories, and the Southern Cross constellation of five white stars on the fly. The Southern Cross has been used by Australian explorers and navigators since the early colonial period as it is only visible from the Southern Hemisphere. The current design was formally adopted in 1954 under the Flags Act. Debates about changing the flag to remove British symbols continue to this day.