The
flag of JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
was adopted on August 6, 1962 which was the original Jamaican Independence Day, the country having gained independence from the British-protected Federation of the West Indies. The flag consists of a gold
saltireA saltire, Saint Andrew's Cross, or crux decussata , is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter X...
, which divides the flag into four sections: two of them green (top and bottom) and two black (hoist and fly).
The present design emerged from those sent in by the public in a national competition.
Discussion
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The
flag of JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
was adopted on August 6, 1962 which was the original Jamaican Independence Day, the country having gained independence from the British-protected Federation of the West Indies. The flag consists of a gold
saltireA saltire, Saint Andrew's Cross, or crux decussata , is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter X...
, which divides the flag into four sections: two of them green (top and bottom) and two black (hoist and fly).
The present design emerged from those sent in by the public in a national competition. It was originally designed with horizontal stripes, but this was considered too similar to the
TanganyikaTanganyika was an East African territory lying between the Indian Ocean and the largest of the African great lakes: Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika. From 9 December 1961 to 26 April 1964 it was also an independent nation. Once part of the colony of German East Africa , it comprised...
n flag, and so the saltire was substituted. Black, green, and gold are Pan-African colors. They are also linked to the
African National CongressThe African National Congress has been South Africa's governing party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a "disciplined...
(ANC). An earlier interpretation of the colors was, "hardships there are but the land is green and the sun shineth": gold recalls the shining sun, black reflects hardships, and green represents the land. However, that was changed to the colour black representing the strength and creativity of the people which has allowed them to overcome the odds, yellow for the golden sunshine and green for the lush vegetation of the island. The flag is
blazonIn heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of, most often, a coat of arms or flag, which enables a person to construct or reconstruct the appropriate image...
ed
per saltireA saltire, Saint Andrew's Cross, or crux decussata , is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter X...
vert, sable, of the second, and of the first, a saltire Or.
Etiquette
Standard etiquette applies in Jamaica to use of the national flag, primarily ensuring it is always the primary flag flown and is in good condition.
Jamaica's naval jack is a
White EnsignThe White Ensign or St George's Ensign is an ensign flown on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the upper canton....
with a Saint George's Cross and the national flag in the canton, although due to the island's lack of any sizable permament navy, it is normally only used by the coastguard. It mimics the naval jacks of many other Commonwealth countries.
External links
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