Flag of Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago

Name	Flag of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago The Sun-Sea-Sand Banner
Use	National flag
Proportion	3:5
Adopted	31 August 1962
Design	A red field with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist-side to the lower fly-side.
Variant flag of Trinidad and Tobago
Name	Civil ensign of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Use	Civil and state ensign
Proportion	1:2
Design	A red field with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist-side to the lower fly-side.
Variant flag of Trinidad and Tobago
Name	Naval ensign of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Use	Naval ensign
Proportion	1:2

The flag of Trinidad and Tobago was adopted upon independence from the United Kingdom on 31 August 1962. Designed by Carlisle Chang (1921–2001),^[1][2][3] the flag was chosen by the independence committee of 1962. Red, black and white symbolise fire (the sun, representing courage), earth (representing dedication) and water (representing purity and equality).^[4]

Design

Trinidadian flags flying at the University of the West Indies in Saint Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

The Flag of Trinidad and Tobago is a red field with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist-side to the lower fly-side. In blazon, Gules, a bend Sable fimbriated Argent.

Construction

The flag of Trinidad and Tobago flying at the San Fernando Hill, San Fernando in July 2009.

The width of the white stripes is  ¹⁄₃₀ of the flag length and the width of the black stripe is  ²⁄₁₅. The total width of the three stripes together is therefore  ¹⁄₅ of the length.^[5]

Other flags

The civil ensign is the national flag in a 1:2 ratio. The naval ensign (used by coast guard vessels) is a British white ensign with the national flag in the canton.

• 

  Presidential Standard

• 

  Prime Minister's Standard

• 

  Royal Standard of Trinidad and Tobago (1966–1976)

British colonial flag

Prior to independence from the United Kingdom in August 1962, Trinidad and Tobago used a British blue ensign defaced with a circular badge depicting a ship arriving in front of a mountain.

• 

  Colonial flag of Trinidad and Tobago (1889-1962)

Similar flags

• 

  Flag of Sealand

• 

  Flag of Barotseland

• 

  Diver down flag

See also

• Flag of the West Indies Federation (January 1958 – May 1962)

References

1. "Carlisle Chang", Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
2. "National flag of Trinidad and Tobago - Carlisle Chang", YouTube.
3. Carlisle Chang biography, NALIS.
4. Trinidad and Tobago government website
5. Flagspot