caribbean Archives - Page 4 of 5

Dominican Republic

Flags / caribbean, economy, flags, geography, history, North America, us possessions

As described by Article 21 of the Dominican Constitution, the flag features a centered white cross that extends to the edges and divides the flag into four rectangles; the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue. The national coat of arms, featuring a shield with the flag design and supported by a bay laurel branch (left) and a palm frond (right), is at the center of the cross. Above the shield, a blue ribbon displays the national motto Dios, Patria, Libertad (English: God, Fatherland, Liberty). Below the shield, the words República Dominicana appear on a red ribbon (this red ribbon is depicted in more recent versions as having its tips pointing upward). In the center of the shield, flanked by three spears (two of them holding Dominican banners) on each side, is a Bible with a small cross above it and said to be opened to the Gospel of John, chapter 8, verse 32, which reads Y la verdad os hará libres (And the truth shall make you free).

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Dominica

Flags / caribbean, economy, flags, geography, history, islands, North America, UK dependencies

The green field represents the lush vegetation of the island. The cross represents the Trinity and Christianity, with its three colours symbolising the natives, the fertile soil, and the pure water. The 10 green five-pointed stars stand for the country’s 10 parishes: (St Andrew, St David, St George, St John, St Joseph, St Luke, St Mark, St Patrick, St Paul, and St Peter), while the red disc stands for justice.

The sisserou parrot is sometimes colored either blue or purple (the parrot’s actual color). The use of purple makes the flag of Dominica one of only two flags of sovereign states (alongside the flag of Nicaragua) to contain the color.

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Cuba

Flags / caribbean, economy, flags, geography, history, islands, North America, political, social, social/political, us possessions

The national flag of Cuba consists of five alternating stripes (three blue and two white) and a red equilateral triangle at the hoist, within which is a white five-pointed star. It was designed in 1849 and officially adopted May 20, 1902.

It is one of the two flags of a currently socialist country (the other being Laos) that does not use any communist symbolism.

The three blue stripes represent the three departments in which Cuba was divided at that time, the white purity of ideals, the light; the red triangle, originating from the French Revolution – and the three ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity: red for the blood and the courage; the star was the new state that should be added to the United States.

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Colombia

Flags / caribbean, economy, flags, geography, history, pacific ocean, political, social, social/political, south america

According to the current interpretation, the colors signify:

Yellow: Represents the riches of the country, the wealth of the Colombian soil, the gold, sovereignty, harmony, justice and agriculture, as well as the Sun, the source of Light.
Blue: represents the seas on Colombia’s shores, the rivers that run through, and the sky above.
Red: represents the blood spilled for Colombia’s independence and also the effort of Colombian people, the determination and the perseverance. It represents that although Colombia’s people have had to struggle they have thrived.

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Belize

Flags / caribbean, Central America, flags, geography, history, North America

The flag of Belize was adopted on 21 September 1981, the day Belize became independent. It consists of the Coat of Arms on a blue field with red stripes at the top and bottom.

British Honduras obtained a coat of arms on 28 January 1907, which formed the basis of the badge used on British ensigns. The coat of arms recalls the logging industry that first led to British settlement there. The figures, tools, and mahogany tree represent this industry. The national motto, Sub Umbra Floreo, meaning “Under the Shade I Flourish”, is written in the lower part of the coat of arms.

The flag is royal blue, with a white disc at the centre containing the national coat of arms held by a mestizo and a man of African descent. The flag of Belize is the only country to have humans depicted as a major design element on its national flag. The flag is bordered at top and bottom by two red stripes.

The colours on the flag are respectively those of the country’s national parties, the People’s United Party (PUP) and United Democratic Party (Belize) (UDP).

The two red stripes at the top and bottom were added to the original design at independence. The coat of arms was granted in 1907. Red stripes were added to denote the colour of the opposition party. The 50 leaves recall 1950, the year PUP came to power.

In 1981, Belize gained its independence and a competition was held to design a national flag for the country. The winning submission consisted of the unofficial national flag used by the People’s United Party with a red border added to all four sides. This was changed to a red border on just the top and bottom before the design was officially adopted.

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Barbados

Flags / Atlantic Ocean, caribbean, flags, geography, history, islands

he national flag of Barbados was officially adopted on 30 November 1966, the island’s first Independence Day, when it was raised for the first time by Lieutenant Hartley Dottin of the Barbados Regiment.

It consists of a triband of two bands of ultramarine, which are said to stand for the ocean surrounding the country and the sky, separated by a golden middle band, which represents the sand. A black trident head, commonly called the broken trident, is centred in the golden band, and the fact that the staff is missing is significant. The trident symbol was taken from Barbados’ colonial badge, where the trident of Poseidon is shown with Britannia holding it. The broken lower part symbolises a symbolic break from its status as a colony. The three points of the trident represent the three principles of democracy: 1) government of the people, 2) government for the people, and 3) government by the people.

The design of the flag was created by Grantley W. Prescod and was chosen from an open competition arranged by the Barbados government. Over a thousand entries were received.

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Bahamas

Flags / caribbean, flags, geography, history, islands, North America

The national flag of the Bahamas consists of a black triangle situated at the hoist with three horizontal bands: aquamarine, gold and aquamarine. Adopted in 1973 to replace the British Blue Ensign defaced with the emblem of the Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands, it has been the flag of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas since the country gained independence that year. The design of the present flag incorporated the elements of various submissions made in a national contest for a new flag prior to independence.

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Antigua and Barbuda

Flags / caribbean, flags, geography, history, islands

Antigua and Barbuda is a country in the West Indies in the Americas, lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands (including Great Bird, Green, Guiana, Long, Maiden and York Islands and further south, the island of Redonda). The permanent population numbers about 81,800 (at the 2011 Census) and the capital and largest port and city is St. John’s on Antigua. Lying near each other (the main Barbuda airport is less than 30 nautical miles north of the main Antigua airport), Antigua and Barbuda are in the middle of the Leeward Islands, part of the Lesser Antilles.

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United Nations

Flags / birthright, caribbean, childhood, europe, flags, france, french overseas territories, geography, history, indian ocean, islands, Multi National Organizations, North America, pacific ocean, political, south america, United States

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization that was tasked to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international co-operation and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. The headquarters of the UN is in Manhattan, New York City, and is subject to extraterritoriality. Further main offices are situated in Geneva, Nairobi, and Vienna. The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states. Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development and upholding international law. The UN is the largest, most familiar, most internationally represented and most powerful intergovernmental organization in the world. In 24 October 1945, at the end of World War II, the organization was established with the aim of preventing future wars. At its founding, the UN had 51 member states; there are now 193. The UN is the successor of the ineffective League of Nations.

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