Flag of Haiti
The Haiti flag has two horizontal bands, blue over red, with a white panel in the center holding the coat of arms: a palm tree, cannons and flags. Haitians celebrate it every year on Flag Day, 18 May.
What the flag of Haiti looks like
The Haitian flag is a horizontal bicolor of two equal bands, blue above and red below. In the center is a white rectangle holding the national coat of arms. The flag has a ratio of 3:5.
The arms show a royal palm tree, with a red Phrygian cap (the liberty cap) on a pole at the top. The tree rises from a green hill, with flags on each side and a pile of weapons: cannons, rifles, drums, an anchor and cannonballs. Beneath it is a white ribbon with the national motto, L'Union fait la force ("Unity makes strength").
There are two forms of the flag. The state flag has the coat of arms, and the civil flag used by the public is a plain bicolor, blue over red. The result is a flag that is distinctive among national flags for the detailed emblem. The simplified Haiti flag emoji shows only the bands and a small white panel.
Haiti flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#00209FRGB
0, 32, 159CMYK
100, 80, 0, 38 HEX
#D21034RGB
210, 16, 52CMYK
0, 92, 75, 18 HEX
#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0 Haiti flag meaning and symbolism
The colors came out of the French tricolor of blue, white and red. In the traditional explanation, blue stands for the Black population of the island and red for the mixed-race (mulatto) population, and joining them together symbolized the unity of those groups in the fight against French colonial rule. White was removed because of its association with the white Europeans.
The palm tree is a symbol of independence and strength, and the liberty cap on top represents freedom. The weapons and flags are often read as the military struggle that won independence. The motto on the ribbon is L'Union fait la force, "Unity is strength". These readings are widely taught in Haiti, though the constitution describes the design rather than assigning official meanings.
History of the Haitian flag
Haiti's flag comes from the Haitian Revolution. According to tradition, on 18 May 1803 at the congress of Arcahaie, Jean-Jacques Dessalines took the French tricolor and tore out its white center, and Catherine Flon sewed the remaining blue and red together. This is why 18 May is celebrated as Flag and Universities Day in Haiti. It marks the creation of the flag before independence was even declared, which came on 1 January 1804.
After Dessalines became Emperor Jacques I, his constitution of 20 May 1805 changed the colors of the flag to black and red. That flag was later adopted by Henri Christophe in the north, while the republicans under Alexandre Pétion in the south returned to blue and red, turned the bands horizontal and added the Haitian coat of arms. The present design was first used by the Republic of Haiti under Pétion in 1806, and after the country was reunified in 1820 the blue and red horizontal flag became national.
Between 1964 and 1986 the family dictatorships of François Duvalier and then his son Jean-Claude Duvalier returned to the black and red design of Dessalines, with the flags in the coat of arms also made black. When Jean-Claude Duvalier fled in 1986, the blue and red flag with the coat of arms returned. That is the version in use today. Haiti's flag is easy to confuse with the flag of Liechtenstein, which has the same blue and red bands but a crown in the corner. The similarity was first noticed at the 1936 Summer Olympics, and Liechtenstein then added the crown to its flag.
Haiti flag facts
| Country | Haiti |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | February 25, 1986 |
| Proportions | 3:5 |
| Colors | #00209F, #D21034, #FFFFFF |
| Symbols | Coat of Arms of Haiti |
| Flag emoji | 🇭🇹 |
| Country code | HT, HTI (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Port-au-Prince |
| Continent | North America |
| Population | 10,981,229 |
| Area | 27,750 km² |
| Currency | gourde |
| National anthem | La Dessalinienne |
Haiti flag: frequently asked questions
Why did Haiti change its flag?
The flag was changed in 1964, when the Duvalier regime returned to the black and red design of Dessalines. After the end of the Duvalier regime in 1986, the blue and red flag was restored.
What do Haitians celebrate on May 18th?
On 18 May Haiti marks Flag and Universities Day. It commemorates the 1803 Congress of Arcahaie, where by tradition Dessalines tore the white from the French tricolor and Catherine Flon sewed the blue and red together, creating the first Haitian flag. It is the answer to why Haitian Flag Day is celebrated.
What country has the same flag as Haiti?
Liechtenstein's flag has the same blue and red horizontal bands, but it carries a golden crown in the upper left blue band. The match was first noticed at the 1936 Olympics, and Liechtenstein then added the crown.
What is the original flag of Haiti?
The first flag was the French tricolor with the white removed, giving blue and red. Dessalines is said to have had it made in 1803.
What do the colors of the Haitian flag mean?
Blue is traditionally said to stand for the Black population and red for the mixed-race population, with their union shown in a single flag. White was removed because it was associated with the French.
Is Haiti in Africa or America?
Haiti is in the Americas, on the western part of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, which it shares with the Dominican Republic.
How many flags did Haiti have?
Haiti has had several designs: the blue and red flag of 1803, Dessalines' black and red flag of 1805, the blue and red horizontal flag first used under Pétion in 1806, and the black and red flag of the Duvalier era (1964-1986). The blue and red flag returned in 1986, and the coat of arms was added after the 1936 Olympics, when the match with Liechtenstein's flag was noticed.
What flag is 🇭🇹?
It is the flag of Haiti, shown on screens as the Haiti flag emoji. It is a blue and red horizontal bicolor with a small white panel in the center, and it is made from the regional indicator letters H and T.
