King of Babylonia from 605 BC. Shortly before his accession he defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish and brought Palestine and Syria into his empire. Judah revolted, with Egyptian assistance, in 596 and 587586 BC; on both occasions he captured Jerusalem and took many Hebrews into captivity. He largely rebuilt Babylon and constructed the hanging gardens.
Red symbolizes blood. Yellow represents sunshine. Green stands for the islands' riches. Black reflects the Melanesian population. Effective date: 30 July 1980.