Flag of Jamaica

What the flag of Jamaica looks like

The flag of Jamaica is a rectangle with a width-to-height ratio of 2:1. A broad gold saltire, a diagonal cross that runs from corner to corner, divides it into four triangles. The triangles at the top and bottom are green, and the triangles at the hoist (next to the pole) and the fly (the free end) are black.

There is no coat of arms, star or other emblem on the flag. The whole design is made of the cross and four triangles, which makes it easy to recognize at a distance and to reproduce. Jamaica also has a separate coat of arms and a national motto, "Out of Many, One People", but they are not shown on the national flag.

The flag is one of the few national flags built on a diagonal cross. It is sometimes confused with the flag of Tanganyika, which had stripes in similar colors. You can also find it as the Jamaica flag emoji, or get a file from the download page.

Jamaican flag colors and meaning

The first official explanation, in a government paper of 22 May 1962, was "Hardships there are, but the land is green, and the sun shineth." Gold recalled the sun, black the hardships and green the land. The meanings were revised in 1996 on the recommendation of a committee on national symbols chaired by Rex Nettleford:

• Black stands for the strength and creativity of the people, which has allowed them to overcome difficulties.
• Gold stands for the wealth of the country and the golden sunshine.
• Green stands for the lush vegetation of the island, and for hope.

The colors should not be confused with the red, gold and green of Rastafari and reggae, which come from the Ethiopian flag. Jamaica's flag has no red, which surprises many people who expect it.

History of the Jamaican flag

Jamaica was a British colony before independence, and it flew the British Union Jack, along with a colonial flag: a blue ensign with the Jamaican badge on the right side. The badge came from the colonial coat of arms.

When independence from the United Kingdom approached in the early 1960s, the government ran a flag design competition, and over 360 designs were submitted. The competition failed to yield a winner, and a bipartisan committee of the House of Representatives came up with the modern design. It was first conceived with horizontal stripes, but that was considered too similar to the flag of Tanganyika (as it was in 1962), so the saltire was substituted.

The flag was adopted on 6 August 1962, the day Jamaica became independent. The design has not changed since. A related day, Independence Day, is celebrated on 6 August, and the flag appears widely on that day and during sporting events such as the Olympics.

Facts about the Jamaican flag

• It is often said to be the only national flag without red, white or blue.
• Its saltire is one of the few diagonal crosses on a modern flag.
• Its pairing of green and gold is shared with Brazil, but the two flags look completely different.
• The flag was adopted on the day Jamaica became independent, and its design has not changed since.