Belize - Current

The flag of Belize is a continued version of the earlier flag of British Honduras (the name of Belize during the British colonial period). The flag is royal blue, with a white disc at the centre containing the National Coat of Arms surrounded by fifty mahogany leaves. The flag is bordered at top and bottom by two red stripes. [2]British Honduras obtained a coat-of-arms on 28th January 1907, which formed the basis of the badge used on British ensigns. The coat of arms recalls the logging industry that first led to British settlement there. The figures, tools, and mahogany tree represents this industry. From 1950 onward an unofficial national flag was in use. It was blue, with a modified version of the arms on a white disk in the centre (sometimes a blank white circle was used as the coat of arms was difficult to draw). [1]

The coat of arms is described in heraldic terms as follows. Crest a mahogany tree proper. Escutcheon Party per pall inverted, 1st Argent a paddle and a squaring axe proper in saltire 2nd Or a saw and beating axe proper in saltire 3rd per fess bleu celeste and barry wavy or vert azure above the last a sailing ship proper. Supporters Dexter a Caucasian woodsman proper garbed in trousers argent bearing in the dexter hand a beating axe proper, sinister an African woodsman proper garbed in trousers argent bearing in the sinister hand a paddle proper Compartment A grassy field proper Motto “SUB UMBRA FLOREO” “Under the shade I flourish” Other elements The whole surrounded by a wreath of 25 leaves proper. [5]

The red, white and blue flag of Belize are a symbol of national unity. The colours are respectively those of the country's national parties, the People's United Party (PUP) and United Democratic Party (Belize) (UDP). The UDP, established in 1973, had objected to the original blue and white design, those two colours being the PUP's representative colours. The two red stripes at the top and bottom were added to the original design at independence on 21st September 1981. They were added to denote the colour of the opposition party. The 50 leaves recall 1950, the year PUP came to power.[3]

The flag of Belize is unique in that it contains twelve colours, three more than on any other national flag. Also, it is the only country to have human beings depicted on its national flag (the flags of Montserrat and the Virgin Islands, both British dependencies, also depict humans). [4]

The colours of the flag are estimated as;
Red: Pantone 186c, RGB 200-17-38
Blue: Pantone 294c, RGB 0-63-135
White: Pantone Safe, RGB 255-255-255
Yellow: Pantone 110c, RGB 216-181-17
Green: Pantone 356c, RGB 0-122-61
Black: Pantone Safe, RGB 0-0-0 [6]

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Belize
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Belize
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Belize
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Belize
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Belize & http://www.governmentofbelize.gov.bz/ab_symbols.html
[6] http://www.caribbeanflags.com/Scripts/cp_CaribbeanFlagPantoneColors.asp