Flag of Dominica

The flag of Dominica was adopted on November 3, 1978 and consists of a yellow, black and white cross on a green background and a red disk with a parrot Sisseroux and ten stars in the center of the flag.

Meaning of the flag of Dominica

• The green color symbolizes the island's environmental commitment and its wealth of natural life;
• The cross symbolizes Christianity and the Trinity;
• Yellow represents the sun, which is important for agricultural development;
• The black color reflects the fertile soil that nourishes the island's flora and also recognizes the African ancestry of many of the island's inhabitants;
• The white color symbolizes the purity of Dominica's rivers and streams and demonstrates the resilience and spirit of the people;
• The red disk in the center of the flag represents social justice and reflects the desire for equality;
• The image of the Sisseray parrot reflects the island's rich heritage and support for environmental conservation, as the Sisseray parrot is an endangered species with a population of 250-300 individuals;
• 10 five-pointed stars represent the ten parishes of the country: St. Andrew, St. David, St. George, St. John, St. Joseph, St. Luke, St. Mark, St. Patrick, St. Paul and St. Peter.

Overall, the flag of the Dominican Republic symbolizes its environmental commitment, diversity, social justice, and cultural heritage.

Interesting fact about the flag of Dominica

Currently, there are more than 200 countries and, accordingly, the same number of flags. But have you ever noticed which colors are most commonly used and which are least commonly found on flags? The color purple is present on only two flags - the flag of Dominica and the flag of Nicaragua. On the flag of Dominica, purple is used to depict a parrot, and on the flag of Nicaragua, it is one of the colors of the rainbow, which is difficult to see even when the image is enlarged, but it is present there. Why is purple so rarely used?

Purple was an expensive and rare color due to the complex production process. The purple dye that gave this color was found in rare mollusks that were only found on the Livonian coast. These animals were rare, and the amount of dye produced was insignificant. That's why purple clothes were extremely expensive. For example, the Roman Emperor Aurelian forbade the use of purple pigment. Later, in 1856, the British chemist W.G. Perkin produced a synthetic purple color, which gradually became available and not too expensive. The scientist's family began to produce and sell this pigment, which brought them a significant profit. Over time, the purple color has ceased to be so rare and therefore expensive, so at the moment there are no restrictions on the use of this color.

History of the Dominica flag

The name Dominica comes from the Latin word for "Sunday". Christopher Columbus named it so because the Spaniards discovered the island on Sunday in 1493. In 1632, Dominica was claimed by the French, but it was not occupied until 1690. Dominica was the last colonized island in the Caribbean. In 1727, Dominica became a French colony.

In 1763, after a seven-year war in which France was defeated, the British managed to recapture the island, and in 1805 Dominica became a British colony. In 1958-1962, when the Caribbean islands fought for independence, Dominica briefly became a province of the West Indies Federation, but still remained a British colony until independence in 1978. The flag of Dominica in those days was the flag of the United Kingdom, i.e. the Union Jack, in the upper left corner on a blue background with the country's coat of arms. By the way, the current coat of arms of Dominica was adopted in 1961 and was depicted on the flag of Dominica from 1965 to 1978. The current flag was adopted in 1978 and has undergone several minor changes, the most recent of which occurred in 1990, resulting in a green field with a central cross of three stripes of yellow, black and white and a red disk in the center of the cross, with a purple Sisseroux parrot facing the hoist, surrounded by ten green five-pointed stars.