The flag of Barbados and its history

Barbados is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea, located in the West Indies. It belongs to the group of Lesser Antilles. The closest neighbors are the Grenadines, St. Lucia and Saint Vincent. This is not just one of the most popular destinations in tourism, but also the leader among developing countries in terms of literacy and standard of living.

The flag of Barbados: photo

The flag has a rectangular shape and is vertically divided into 3 bands. The proportions of the parties are 2: 3. On the right and left side there are bands of blue color, in the center - yellow. Also in the middle is a black trident.

The blue stripes symbolize the sea, and the yellow stripes symbolize the sandy land. The black trident is a symbol of democracy, the government of Barbados. Also, the trident symbolizes the sea god - Neptune. There is a version that its image is connected with the colonial history of Great Britain. In the past, this country was nicknamed "the mistress of the seas", and the trident was the emblem of the empire.

Development of the flag of the state

The flag of the state of Barbados was officially approved in 1966 after the national contest was announced. The authors of the design were Adven Kendall, Grantley Prescod and Karl Brudhagen.

Grantley Prescod, who taught painting, claimed that the stripes of blue and yellow on the flag symbolize the deep blue sea and golden sand surrounding the island state. Designers could not but pay tribute to the old national symbol, which is why the flag of Barbados was preserved by a trident, symbolizing the state's break with its colonial past. In addition, the trident reflects the importance of the sea to the state.

History of the flag of Barbados

On the island in 1625 the English colony was founded. Then the first flag of Barbados appeared, which was blue, with the "Union Jack" at the shaft and the emblem in the free part. In 1870 it was officially approved. The emblem was in the form of a beautiful woman in a long dress and with a trident in her hands. She stood in the sink and sailed on the sea, accompanied by "sea horses". The whole emblem was inscribed in the circle under which the signature of Barbados is located. The blue flag with the emblem was used until 1966.

During the years 1958-1962, Barbados was an integral part of the West Indies, which also had its own national symbols. In 1966, the West Indies ceased to exist as a federation, and Barbados gained independence within the framework of the British Commonwealth. The Constitution of the state was approved.

Barbados does not have a Navy, but Coast Guard vessels serve and protect the island. The Coast Guard has its own white flag with a red cross located centrally, and the flag of Barbados is depicted in the canton. The canvas resembles the symbols of the Navy and has the proportions of the sides 1: 2. The width of the red cross is 1/8 of the width of the canvas itself.

The Queen of England is the official head of state. It has its own standard since 1975. However, the power of the queen is nominal. The governor governs the state, which represents the interests of the queen and the country.