Flag of Antigua and Barbuda

What the flag of Antigua and Barbuda looks like

The flag of Antigua and Barbuda has a ratio of 2:3. Its background is red. Pointing down from the top edge to the bottom is a large isosceles triangle, which is split into three horizontal bands: black at the top, then blue, then white. The black band holds a yellow sun with its rays spreading upward, drawn as if it were rising over the horizon.

The red areas to either side of the triangle also form a V when seen together, with the point at the bottom center. The flag has five colors in total: red, black, blue, white and yellow.

Antigua and Barbuda flag meaning and symbolism

The meanings commonly given to the parts of the flag are as follows. The rising sun represents the dawning of a new era, which was the start of the country's modern history. Black stands for the African ancestry of most of the people, whose forebears were brought to the islands as enslaved labor. Blue is the color of hope, and it also refers to the Caribbean Sea. Yellow, blue and white together are often said to stand for sun, sea and sand, the features that attract visitors. Red is said to stand for the energy of the people, and the V shape formed by the red triangles is a sign of victory.

Some versions give slightly different explanations, since the meanings are not fixed in law, but this is the most common set.

History of the Antigua and Barbuda flag

Antigua was a British colony for over three centuries, and Barbuda was linked to it administratively. The islands flew the British blue ensign with a colonial badge during this time. When Antigua and Barbuda became an Associated State of the United Kingdom, taking control of its internal affairs in 1967, a competition was held to choose a national flag. The winning design, by the art teacher Reginald Samuel, was adopted on 27 February 1967.

The flag was kept when the country became fully independent on 1 November 1981, and it has not been changed since. The flag remains one of the most recognizable in the Caribbean. The same flag flies over both Antigua and Barbuda.

Which flag has a Bible on it?

This question is often asked in connection with Caribbean flags. The Antigua and Barbuda flag has no Bible. The only national flag that shows a Bible is that of the Dominican Republic, which has an open Bible on its coat of arms at the center of the flag. See the full list of flags of North America for more Caribbean flags.