Barbados Flag: Meaning, Broken Trident, History, Ratio & Facts
Explore why Barbados uses a broken trident, what the ultramarine and gold colors mean, who designed the flag, and how the official 3:2 design is constructed.
What does the Barbados flag look like?
The national flag has three equal vertical panels: ultramarine, gold and ultramarine. A black broken trident head is centered on the gold panel.
How can you identify the Barbados flag?
Look for three vertical panels: ultramarine blue, gold and ultramarine blue, with a black broken trident centered on the gold panel. The missing lower shaft is the quickest identifying detail because it deliberately distinguishes the national symbol from a complete trident. The combination of blue–gold–blue bands and the central black emblem makes the Barbados flag easy to separate from ordinary vertical tricolors.
Why is the Barbados trident broken?
The black trident comes from the colonial-era symbol of Neptune, but its shaft is deliberately broken to represent Barbados’s break with its former colonial constitutional ties. For the history and symbolism, see why the Barbados trident is broken.
What do the Barbados flag colors mean?
Ultramarine represents the sea and sky, gold represents the island’s sand, and black is used for the broken trident symbol. For official color references and reproduction guidance, see the Barbados flag colors guide.
Who designed the Barbados flag?
Grantley Prescod created the winning design in the national flag competition. The flag was first raised on November 30, 1966, at independence, and remained the national flag when Barbados became a republic in 2021. Read the full Barbados flag history.
Barbados flag ratio and official color references
The flag uses a 3:2 ratio and three equal vertical panels. For exact panel construction, see how to draw the Barbados flag; for color standards, use the Barbados flag colors guide.
Barbados flag etiquette and use
Official guidance covers precedence, respectful display and protection of national emblems from defacement. For the complete rules, see the Barbados flag etiquette guide.
Barbados flag FAQ
What does the broken trident mean?
It represents Barbados’s break with its former colonial constitutional ties.
Who designed the Barbados flag?
Grantley Prescod.
When was the flag first raised?
November 30, 1966, at independence.
What is the Barbados flag ratio?
3:2.
What do the colors mean?
Ultramarine represents the sea and sky, while gold represents the beaches.
