[ BELIZE ] Flag of Belize

The flag of Belize is a blue field with the coat of arms of Belize in the center, on a white circle.

Holding the shield with the coat of arms are two men, woodcutters, one carrying an axe and the other a wooden oar. Behind them is a mahogany tree, which was important to the economy of early Belize. The shield is divided into three sections. The top two sections have tools for woodcutting, while the bottom section features a ship, demonstrating the importance of woodcutting and boat-building to Belize. Below the men and the shield is a banner that reads "Sub Umbra Floreo," which means "Under the Shade I Flourish," the national motto of Belize. Encircling all of this is a chain of twenty-five leaves. A thin red stripe borders the top and bottom of the flag.
The flag of Belize uses twelve colors, more than any other national flag. The colors represent the national parties of Belize - the red for the opposition party and the blue for the People's United Party.
The flag of Belize was officially adopted upon independence on September 21, 1981, though it has been used unofficially since 1950 without the top and bottom red stripes. The coat of arms was granted to Belize in 1907. Gracias Lando!