Flag of Barbados

Meaning and history of the flag of Barbados

The flag of Barbados consists of three vertical stripes: ultramarine blue on the outer sides and gold in the middle. The central gold stripe bears a black trident head, known as the broken trident. Blue represents the Caribbean Sea and sky, while gold stands for the island's sandy beaches.

The broken trident is the flag's most meaningful element. It refers to the trident of Neptune, or Poseidon, the god of the sea, which appeared on Barbados's old colonial seal. Here, however, the trident's shaft has been deliberately removed, symbolizing the break from Britain's colonial past and the birth of an independent nation. The trident's three prongs represent the three principles of democracy: government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

The flag was designed by Grantley Prescod, an art teacher, and adopted on November 30, 1966, when Barbados gained independence from the United Kingdom. It is one of the few national flags to use a deliberately altered, or broken, symbol as its central element, giving it a particularly powerful meaning of emancipation and self-determination. Its blue-and-gold palette is visually striking and representative of the Caribbean landscape.

You can view the flag of Barbados in high resolution above and download it in several sizes for personal, educational or reference use. To explore more, visit the full Barbados profile, its map, or the current local time in Bridgetown.