Flag of Bahamas
The flag of the Bahamas has three horizontal stripes, aquamarine, gold and aquamarine, with a black triangle pointing in from the pole side.
At a glance
- Adopted
- July 10, 1973adopted on Independence Day in 1973; the exact colours were standardised in 2006
- Shape (height : width)
- 1:2
- Capital
- Nassau
- Continent
- North America
- Colours
- aquamarine
- gold
- black
What it means
- Aquamarine stripes: the clear sea around the islands
- Gold stripe: the sun and the golden sands and land resources of the islands
- Black: the strength, energy and unity of the Bahamian people
- Triangle: the people's determination to develop the land and sea
Where it came from
The flag was first raised at midnight on 10 July 1973, the day the Bahamas became independent from Britain. It is credited to Hervis Bain, and it combined ideas from several entries in a national design contest rather than copying one winning entry.
The national coat of arms had been adopted a little earlier, in December 1971.
History
As a British colony, the Bahamas flew a dark blue British ensign with the Union Jack and a colonial badge. The badge showed a British ship chasing two pirate ships, with a Latin motto meaning "Pirates expelled, commerce restored". The badge had been designed around 1850, but it was only officially approved in 1964.
The new flag has stayed the same since 1973. In 2006 the design was officially standardised.
Fun facts
- The old colonial badge showed pirates being chased away, because the islands were once a famous pirate base.
- Many ships owned by companies in other countries are registered in the Bahamas, so its flag flies on ships all over the world.
- The flag is twice as long as it is tall.
Easy to mix up with
Jamaica: Jamaica also uses black, gold and green, but in a diagonal cross
Questions
What does the flag of Bahamas look like?
The flag of the Bahamas has three horizontal stripes, aquamarine, gold and aquamarine, with a black triangle pointing in from the pole side.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Bahamas mean?
Aquamarine stripes: the clear sea around the islands; Gold stripe: the sun and the golden sands and land resources of the islands; Black: the strength, energy and unity of the Bahamian people; Triangle: the people's determination to develop the land and sea.
When was the flag of Bahamas adopted?
The current flag of Bahamas was adopted on July 10, 1973. (adopted on Independence Day in 1973; the exact colours were standardised in 2006)
What colours are on the flag of Bahamas?
The flag of Bahamas uses aquamarine, gold and black.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Bahamas?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Jamaica. Jamaica also uses black, gold and green, but in a diagonal cross
Famous landmarks in Bahamas
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)