Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

What the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines looks like

The flag has three vertical bands: blue at the hoist, a wider gold band in the center and green at the fly. The proportions are 2:3. On the gold band sit three green diamonds (rhombuses) arranged in the shape of a V, with two on top and one below.

The flag is among the few national flags that use diamonds as the main symbol, and it is one of several flags with blue, yellow and green that you will find in the Caribbean. If you want a small version for messages or posts, see the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines flag emoji.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines flag meaning

The commonly cited meanings are:

• Blue stands for the Caribbean Sea and the sky.
• Gold represents the brilliance of the sunshine and the warmth and bright spirit of the people. It is also linked to the golden sand of the beaches.
• Green stands for the lush vegetation of the islands and the vitality of the people.
• The three diamonds form the letter V for Vincent. They also show that the country is made of the main island and the Grenadines, and are often described as a symbol of the islands as gems of the Antilles.

The three diamonds are sometimes also said to stand for the three-part nature of the country or for the three main islands. These readings are informal, and the government describes the flag mainly in terms of the V shape and the colors.

History of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines flag

Saint Vincent was a British colony for much of its history, and used a blue colonial ensign with a badge. It became an associated state of the United Kingdom in 1969 and gained independence on 27 October 1979, when a new national flag was raised. The independence flag also used the colors blue, gold and green, but a breadfruit leaf appeared in the center instead of diamonds. The breadfruit is a plant tied to the island's history.

After a change of government in the 1984 election, the new leaders wanted a different flag and a design with the diamonds was adopted in October 1985. This is the flag that is still used. The design has the same three bands, and the diamonds replaced the breadfruit leaf. The change was a political one, and the new flag has stayed in place since.

Where the flag is used

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island nation in the eastern Caribbean, with its capital in Kingstown. The flag is raised on the main island of Saint Vincent and in the Grenadine islands, which include Bequia, Mustique and Union Island. The country is a member of the Commonwealth. See also flags of North America and the flag download page.