Flag of Jamaica

What the flag of Jamaica looks like

The flag of Jamaica is a rectangle with a width-to-height ratio of 2:1. A broad gold saltire, a diagonal cross that runs from corner to corner, divides it into four triangles. The triangles at the top and bottom are green, and the triangles at the hoist (next to the pole) and the fly (the free end) are black.

There is no coat of arms, star or other emblem on the flag. The whole design is made of the cross and four triangles, which makes it easy to recognize at a distance and to reproduce. Jamaica also has a separate coat of arms and a national motto, "Out of Many, One People", but they are not shown on the national flag.

The flag is one of the few national flags built on a diagonal cross. It is sometimes confused with the flag of Tanganyika, which had stripes in similar colors. You can also find it as the Jamaica flag emoji, or get a file from the download page.

Jamaican flag colors and meaning

The symbolism was set out at independence in 1962. The best-known line is "Hardships there are, but the land is green, and the sun shineth." In that reading:

• Black stands for the hardships faced and overcome by the people. It is also described as the strength and creativity of the Jamaican people.
• Gold stands for the natural wealth of the island and for the sunshine.
• Green stands for hope and for the island's agricultural resources and green land.

The meanings have shifted a little since 1962. Today black is often linked to the strength and creativity of the people, gold to wealth and sunlight, and green to hope and agriculture. There is no official explanation for the saltire shape itself.

The colors should not be confused with the red, gold and green of Rastafari and reggae, which come from the Ethiopian flag. Jamaica's flag has no red, which surprises many people who expect it.

History of the Jamaican flag

Jamaica was a British colony from 1655, and before independence it flew the British Union Jack, along with a colonial flag: a blue ensign with the Jamaican badge on the right side. The badge came from the colonial coat of arms.

When independence from the United Kingdom approached in the early 1960s, the government set up a bipartisan committee of the House of Representatives to choose a national flag. A public contest drew many entries. The committee's choice was a design with horizontal stripes of green, gold and black, but it was rejected because it was too close to the flag of Tanganyika, which became Tanzania. The diagonal cross was a revision and gave a distinct flag.

The new flag was raised for the first time at midnight on 6 August 1962, when Jamaica became independent, and the Union Jack was lowered. Jamaica has used it without change ever since. A related day, Independence Day, is celebrated on 6 August, and the flag appears widely on that day and during sporting events such as the Olympics.

Facts about the Jamaican flag

• It is often said to be the only national flag without red, white or blue.
• Its saltire is one of the few diagonal crosses on a modern flag.
• Its pairing of green and gold is shared with Brazil, but the two flags look completely different.
• The flag was first raised at midnight as Jamaica became independent, and it has not changed since.