| 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! |
