Flag of Anguilla

What the flag of Anguilla looks like

The Anguilla flag is a blue ensign with a 1:2 ratio. The Union Jack fills the upper corner nearest the pole, and the coat of arms of Anguilla is placed on the right half. The shield shows three orange dolphins that curve around each other in a circle, set on a white background. A band of turquoise wavy lines runs along the bottom of the shield.

Three dolphins are shown in an interlocking circle, each with its head pointing toward the tail of the next. The design is the same as the one used on a flag that was flown on the island in the late 1960s. For a smaller version of the flag, see the Anguilla flag emoji.

Anguilla flag meaning and symbolism

The dolphins are the main symbol. They are said to stand for endurance, unity and strength, and the way they circle each other is meant to show the three qualities working together. The white of the shield is described as peace and tranquility, while the turquoise base stands for the surrounding sea. The Union Jack and the blue ensign show that Anguilla is a British overseas territory.

The meanings are traditional and are given in several forms. Some sources also say the three dolphins stand for the three main islands or for the faith, youth and hope of the people, but this is not always repeated.

History of the Anguilla flag

Anguilla was part of a British colonial association with Saint Kitts and Nevis from 1967. The people of Anguilla did not want to be ruled from Saint Kitts and in 1967 they declared themselves separate in what is called the Anguillan Revolution. For a short time the island flew its own flag, a white flag with the dolphin emblem over a blue wavy base, as the Republic of Anguilla. British authority was restored in 1969.

Anguilla formally separated from Saint Kitts and Nevis in 1980 and became a British dependent territory. The dolphin design was approved for the official flag on 30 May 1990, when the territory adopted a blue ensign with a coat of arms in the fly. The dolphin flag, which many islanders had treated as their own, is still seen unofficially, and the two designs are often mixed up.

The government sits in The Valley, the capital. The flag is used together with the Union Jack on official days.

Flags that look like the Anguilla flag

The flags of the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands are also blue ensigns with a shield on the right, so the dolphins are the quickest way to recognize Anguilla. Browse all flags of the world to compare more.