The Belize Flag: A Study In Blue, Red, And White

The Belize flag, also known as the Flag of Unity, features three primary colours: red, blue, and white. It is made up of two red horizontal stripes at the top and bottom, with a royal blue field in the centre. The blue field features a white disc containing the national coat of arms, which includes a mahogany tree and a shield supported by a lumberjack and a rower, surrounded by fifty mahogany leaves. The flag's colours represent the nation's largest political parties, with red and blue being the colours of the People's United Party (PUP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP) respectively. The intricate design of the Belize flag makes it one of the most challenging flags to reproduce in the world.

The flag's colours

The flag of Belize is a symbol of the country's unity and history, from its earliest days as a British colony to its modern history as an independent nation. The flag features three primary colours: red, blue, and white. The blue field and red stripes are the colours that represent the country's largest political parties, the People's United Party (PUP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP).

The flag of Belize is unique in that it is the only country to have humans depicted as a major design element on its national flag. The flag features a white disc at the centre containing the national coat of arms held by a mestizo and a man of African descent. The coat of arms, designed in 1907, is based on the badge worn by British soldiers stationed in Belize and features the national motto, "Sub Umbra Floreo", which is Latin for "Under the Shade, I Flourish".

The coat of arms is surrounded by a wreath of fifty green leaves of indeterminate origin. The two men depicted on the coat of arms hold tools of the trade: an axe and a paddle used to send trees downriver for export. The axe refers to Belize's origins as a timber outpost, while the paddle represents the importance of the coast. Some locals refer to the two men as the "Yellow Man and Chocolate Man".

In front of the men, there is a mahogany tree, an important indigenous species of hardwood that was one of the primary types of trees logged by the early settlers. The shield in front of the tree is divided into three segments, each representing different aspects of Belize's history and economy. The first segment features a sailing ship, the second an axe and crosscut saw (the tools of the loggers), and the third a mallet and paddle to indicate fishermen and farmers.

The red, white, and blue colours of the Belize flag came from the two main political parties in the country, the PUP and the UDP, both of which predated Belize's independence. The PUP proposed the blue and white design, while the red stripes were added to represent the UDP. The final design was chosen through a national competition ahead of Belize's independence on September 21, 1981.

The coat of arms

The flag of Belize features the country's coat of arms in its centre. The coat of arms was adopted upon independence in 1981 and differs only slightly from the version used during British colonial rule. The current version features a Mestizo Belizean woodcutter and an Afro-Belizean woodcutter holding a shield. The circular border of the coat of arms is formed by 25 or 50 leaves.

The mahogany tree above the shield references the rich sylvan resources of the area and the logging industry that first led to British settlement in Belize. The shield is divided into three sections. The upper sections feature tools of the timber industry, including a paddle, a squaring axe, a saw, and a beating axe. The lower section features a sailing ship on blue waves, representing the Caribbean Sea.

The Latin motto "Sub umbra floreo" ("Under the shade I flourish") is written on a scroll in the lower part of the coat of arms. It refers to the area's forests and its establishment as a British colony. The coat of arms embodies an important aspect of Belize's history, as the mahogany industry formed the basis of the country's economy in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The national motto

The flag of Belize is made up of several symbolic elements, including the country's coat of arms, which itself contains the national motto. The flag's colours are those of the country's two national parties: the People's United Party (PUP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP). The PUP's colours are blue and white, while the UDP's colour is red. To ensure the flag represented a unified country, two red stripes were added to the original blue and white design.

The coat of arms was obtained in 1907 when Belize was British Honduras, and it recalls the logging industry that first led to the country's settlement. The mahogany tree depicted on the coat of arms represents the country's economic foundation, while the two men on either side represent log wood workers. The man on the left, who is fair-skinned, carries an axe, symbolising the log wood cutters. The man on the right, who is of African descent, carries an oar, symbolising how the workers travelled by river to find and transport log wood.

The coat of arms also includes a shield separated into three sections, each representing different tools or modes of transport used in the logging industry. The left section includes an oar and squaring axe, the right section features a saw and beating axe, and the base depicts a ship in full sail. The coat of arms is surrounded by a wreath of 50 leaves, representing the year 1950 when Belize, then British Honduras, began its quest for independence.

The flag's history

The flag of Belize is made up of the coat of arms of Belize on a blue field with red stripes at the top and bottom. It is a symbol of the nation's unity and independence.

The flag was adopted on 21 September 1981, the day Belize gained independence from the United Kingdom. In preparation for this transition to a sovereign nation, the founding fathers wanted to select a flag and national symbols that would unite the country. The two major political parties, the People's United Party (PUP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP), had to come together to agree on a flag design.

Prior to independence, the PUP proposed a blue flag with the coat of arms in a white circle. However, public opinion was divided as this design was closely associated with the PUP. The UDP did not propose a flag but called for a flag that could unite all citizens, regardless of their political affiliation. As a result, the self-rule government appointed a bipartisan National Symbols Committee, which launched a competition inviting citizens to submit their designs for a national flag.

The winning design was created by two public officers, Everal Waight, Permanent Secretary, and Inéz Sánchez, Chief Education Officer. They took the PUP flag, which had two horizontal blue stripes and a white centre, and added the country's coat of arms in the middle. They also added two horizontal red stripes at the top and bottom, representing the colours of the UDP. This design was chosen to ensure that the flag would not be associated with just one political party but would unite all Belizeans.

The coat of arms in the centre of the flag recalls the logging industry that first led to British settlement in Belize, then known as British Honduras. The figures, tools, and mahogany trees represent this industry. The national motto, "Sub Umbra Floreo", meaning "Under the Shade I Flourish", is written in the lower part of the coat of arms. This motto refers to the area's forests and its establishment as a British colony.

The flag's unique design

The flag of Belize is unique for several reasons. Firstly, it is one of the most colourful national flags in the world, incorporating 12 to 19 different colours and shades. Secondly, it is the only country to have humans depicted as a major design element on its national flag. The flag features two men, one a mestizo and the other a man of Afro-Belizean descent, holding tools of the logging trade—an axe and a paddle. These figures represent the logging industry that first led British settlers to Belize. The men are surrounded by a wreath of 50 leaves, commemorating the year 1950 when the People's United Party (PUP) came to power.

The flag's colours of red, white, and blue also have significant meanings. They were chosen to represent the colours of the country's two largest political parties, the PUP and the United Democratic Party (UDP). The red stripes were added to the original blue and white design to include the colours of the opposition party, the UDP, and create a flag that represented all Belizeans.

The centre of the flag features the national coat of arms, which was designed in 1907 and is based on the badge worn by British soldiers in Belize. The coat of arms includes the national motto, "Sub Umbra Floreo," which translates to "Under the Shade, I Flourish," and further references to the logging industry and the country's history as a British colony.

The intricate design of the Belizean flag is a result of a long political process involving all stakeholders in the country. The final design, known as the "Flag of Unity," was chosen through a national competition and officially adopted on 21 September 1981, the day Belize gained its independence.

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