The flag of Antigua and Barbuda is an isosceles triangle turned vertically downward on a red background. The triangle is composed of three horizontal stripes: black, blue and white in the appropriate order with a yellow rising sun on the black stripe.
Antigua and Barbuda consists of two islands in the Caribbean Sea, which were a British colony from 1632 to 1981. They are the sunniest of the Caribbean islands, with warm weather all year round. Due to very low rainfall, the country has only 3 streams and no rivers. The name Antigua was coined by Christopher Columbus in honor of the "Church of Santa Maria de la Antigua" in Spain.
The first inhabitants of the islands were aborigines called Arawaks, which means "stone people". These natives were known for their beautifully crafted tools made of stone and shells. Shortly before becoming a British colony, Antigua and Barbuda was occupied by West Indian tribes. When the islands came under British rule and more British and Africans arrived, the first sugar plantation was established in 1674 and slavery was introduced. Slavery was abolished more than a hundred years later, in 1834.
After the islands gained independence and self-government in association with the United Kingdom, a competition was held on February 27, 1967, to design a new national flag. The winner was Reginald Samuel, an Antiguan artist, sculptor, painter and teacher. Samuel's design pays tribute to the island's history and also reflects his vision of the country's future. On November 11, 1981, the two islands united and became independent.
