Introduction

The national flag of Belize is a distinctive and complex design, notable for being the only national flag in the world to feature human beings as central elements. It consists of a royal blue field with a thin red horizontal stripe at the top and bottom, and a large white disc at the center containing the national coat of arms.

The flag's blue color represents the People's United Party (PUP), which led the country to self-government, while the red stripes were added by the opposing United Democratic Party (UDP) to symbolize their contribution. This makes the flag a unique political compromise, incorporating colors from the nation's two major political parties.

The central coat of arms is rich in symbolism, depicting a mahogany tree, tools, a shield, and two supporters—a woodcutter and a boatman. The flag's proportions and the intricate details of its central emblem contribute to its status as one of the more elaborate national flags.

Meaning & Symbolism

The royal blue field symbolizes the Caribbean Sea and the nation's clear skies, while also representing the People's United Party. The red stripes at the top and bottom stand for the opposition United Democratic Party and the blood shed during the nation's quest for independence.

Within the central white disc, the coat of arms holds deep meaning: the mahogany tree recalls the historical importance of the timber industry; the shield and its tools (a paddle and an axe) represent the tools of the early settlers; and the woodcutter and boatman supporters symbolize the people who built the nation. The Latin motto "Sub Umbra Floreo" translates to "Under the Shade I Flourish."

History of the Belize Flag

The flag was adopted on September 21, 1981, the day Belize achieved full independence from the United Kingdom. It evolved from an earlier design, the British Honduras coat of arms on a blue ensign, used while the country was a colony.

The final design was the result of a political compromise between the two major parties, incorporating both blue and red. The flag was designed by a committee of the National Symbols Committee, with the coat of arms itself dating back to a design granted in 1907 and subsequently modified.

Curiosities

  • It is the only national flag in the world to depict human beings (the woodcutter and boatman) as a primary design feature.
  • The flag contains twelve different colors within its coat of arms, making it one of the most colorful national flags.
  • Prior to independence, a proposed flag design featured a blue field with a single white stripe, but it was rejected in favor of the more elaborate current version.

Download Flag

Download the flag of Belize in high-quality SVG vector format or PNG raster images. SVG files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.

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Construction Sheet

The flag has a standard proportion of 2:3 (width to length). The royal blue field makes up the majority of the flag. Two narrow red stripes run along the entire top and bottom edges, each with a width equal to 1/12 of the flag's total width. A large white disc, with a diameter equal to half the flag's width, is centered on the blue field, containing the full-color coat of arms.

Flags Similar to Belize Flag

Honduras Flag Honduras central emblem on a triband Ecuador Flag Ecuador coat of arms centered on a tricolor Nicaragua Flag Nicaragua coat of arms centered on a tricolor Australia Flag Australia blue field/Union Jack canton New Zealand Flag New Zealand blue field/Union Jack canton/red stars Samoa Flag Samoa red/blue field/white stars

Common Misidentifications

Rarely misidentified due to its unique central emblem, but from a distance, the blue field with a central circular device can be momentarily confused with other national flags featuring a disc, such as Palau or Bangladesh.