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- Antigua and Barbuda
- parlamentaric monarchy with the British monarch as Head of State
- own name: State of Antigua and Barbuda
• Flags
• Historical Flags
• Meaning/Origin of the Flag
• Coat of Arms
• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms
• Map
• Numbers and Facts
• History
• Origin of the Country's Name
National, merchant and state flag,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Corel Draw 4
Flag of the Coast Guard,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World
since 2023,
Flag of the Governor General,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
since 2018,
Flag of the Barbuda Council,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
1671–1801,
Flag of United Kingdom (to 1707 of England),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: World Statesmen
1801–1967,
Union Flag → quasi national flag,
Flag of United Kingdom,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
1864–1981,
Merchant flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of all Nations
1957–1967,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
1956–1967,
Flag of the Administrator,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
1967–1981,
National and state flag,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Corel Draw 4
1967–1981,
Flag of the Governor,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
1981–2023,
Flag of the Governor General,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
Leeward Islands:
1871–1958,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
1874–1959,
Flag of the Governor,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
Federation of the West Indies (1958–1962):
Flag of the Federation of the West Indies,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
Flag of the Governor General,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by:
Flags of the World
The current flag of Antigua was introduced on 27th of February in 1967. It won an idea competition and was designed by Reginald Samuel. The flag shows a red base with an isosceles triangle standing on its apex. Above the white apex of the triangle is a blue bar, above which is a golden rising sun on a black background. The triangle symbolises the V-sign of Victory, and the rising sun the beginning of a new era. Red symbolises the dynamism of the population, blue stands for hope and the sea, black for the earth and the African heritage of the people, white for the sand. The colour triad of yellow, blue and white is also intended to promote tourism: sun-sea-sand. The colours of the flag are probably not defined by law. They seem to have been defined in practice, following the colour specifications of the British Admiralty, today interpreted as: Azure blue = Pantone 549 C, Deep yellow = Pantone 116 C, Red = Pantone 186 C. Antigua uses until today the British Ensign system. This points to the links with United Kingdom, as the flag of the coastguard is a white ensign, a white flag with a continuous red St George's cross and with the national flag in the top corner.
From the time the territory became a British possession, individuals, citizens and also the authorities represented their status as citizens or organs of the British nation, embodied in the United Kingdom, through the use of the Union Jack, then called the "Union Flag". At sea, the British merchant flag, the Red Ensign, was intended for British citizens from 1864. In a few cases, the citizens of a colony were authorised by the Admiralty to use their own Red Ensign with the colony's badge at sea. The Union Jack in the top corner of these flags signalled the connection to United Kingdom.
Antigua originally belonged to the Colony of the British Leeward Islands, later to the Federation of the West Indies and became an dissociated own colony in 1962.
United Kingdom introduced a flag system in 1864 in which:
• war ships fly the "White Ensign" (naval flag), a white flag often with an uninterrupted red St. George's-Cross and with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag,
• merchant ships fly a "Red Ensign" (also named "Civil Ensign" → civil flag, the real merchant flag), a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag, and
• governmental ships fly the "Blue Ensign" (flag for the use by the gouvernment → the actual state flag), a blue flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag.
From 1865, the ships of the colonial governments were allowed to use a Blue Ensign with a badge at the flying end. The respective governments were to provide appropriate badges. Merchant ships and seafaring privateers from colonies were only allowed to use a Red Ensign with a badge if the British Admiralty had issued a corresponding licence for that colony.
Such a badge was often a regional landscape depiction on a disc, often showed ships, historical events or could simply be a kind of logo. Very often a badge also contained the name of the country or a motto. However, some possessions had a coat of arms from the beginning or were given their own coat of arms over the years and the badge was abolished. To ensure a largely uniform appearance in the flying end of the flags, coats of arms and other symbols were displayed on a white disc in the size of the former badges.
However, there were also exceptions, as some colonies dispensed with this white disc and placed their coat of arms or even just the shield – sometimes enlarged – directly on the bunting. As early as the 1940s, the white disc was removed and the coat of arms was applied directly or enlarged.
This conversion process took place gradually, nowhere simultaneously and completely. In some British possessions flags with the white disc are still in use today, in others no longer and in some areas both variants exist side by side.
Antigua was given its own badge in 1957. It showed a coastal landscape with a brown palm tree in the foreground and a building on a hill in the background. At the same time, its own "Blue Ensign" was introduced as the state flag at sea, a dark blue bunting with a flag depiction – the British Union Jack – in the upper corner, which showed the badge in the flying end of the flag.
From 1833 to 1958, the territory was part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands, a federal colony consisting of individual sub-areas, sub-colonies or islands. These individual colonies had their own flags, also called "Blue Ensigns" with their own badge, for use by the governments of these colonies. The overarching political entity of the British Leeward Islands also had its own Blue Ensign with its own Leeward Islands badge. This badge was created in 1871 and showed a pineapple on a coastline with two ships. The governor also used it on his flag. He was represented locally, in the associated sub-territory, sub-colony or island, by an administrator. The federal colony ceased to exist when it was incorporated into the Federation of the West Indies, led by a Governor-General. Locally, in the associated sub-territory, sub-colony or island, the highest representative of the Crown retained his rank. He remained an administrator or even governor. The local flags (e.g. blue or red ensigns, i.e. separate state or merchant flags) have been retained.
From 1958 to 1962 the territory was also part of the British colony "Federation of the West Indies". This political project was an attempt to unify the administration and to create a state modelled on Canada, but also to counteract the independence efforts of the associated islands and colonies. However, jealousies arose between the large and small islands and even led to open dispute. The flag of the "Federation of the West Indies" was a light blue flag with four horizontal white wavy lines and a golden disc in the middle. It symbolized the sun over the Caribbean Sea. There is some doubt about the color of the blue; it is often assumed to be the usual British heraldry blue. However, a contemporary description calls it an "imperial blue" which would be light blue and many contemporary prints also show this light blue.
On 27th of February in 1967, internal self-government was granted by United Kingdom and Antigua became an autonomous state, associated with United Kingdom. In this context, the current flag was introduced, which ended the tradition of the "Blue Ensigns".
Source: Flags of the World,
Die Welt der Flaggen,
Flaggen Enzyklopädie,
World Statesmen
since 1967,
Coat of arms of Antigua,
Source:
LadyofHats, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons
1871–1958, Leeward Islands,
Badge,
Source, by: Flags of the World
1957–1967, Antigua & Barbuda,
Badge,
Source, by: Flags of the World
The coat of arms of the autonomous Antigua was created by Gordon Christopher and granted to the islands by Queen Elizabeth II. on 16th of February in 1967. The shield of the coat of arms is divided by silver and blue wavy lines, in front of which a stylised mill recalls the processing of sugar cane. The black head of the shield shows the golden rising sun. On the shield rests a helmet with a torse and mantling, above the torse a golden pineapple surrounded by four red marshmallow blossoms. The shield holders are two deers living on the island of Barbuda. They are standing on a green grassy compartment surrounded by blue and silver wavy stripes. The stag on the right bears the shaft of sugar cane, the one on the left that of Barbudan cotton. The motto on the silver band with red stitching reads: "Each endeavouring, all achieving".
Source:
Die Welt der Flaggen,
Flaggen Wappen Hymnen,
Wikipedia (EN),
Volker Preuß
Location:
Source: CIA World Factbook
Map of the country:
Source: CIA World Factbook
Interactive Map of the Leeward Islands:
Source: Map is Freeware, University of Texas Libraries, modyfied by: Volker Preuss
Area: 171 square miles, thereof Antigua 108 sq.mi., Barbuda 62 sq.mi., Redonda 1 sq.mi.
Inhabitants: 94.700 (2017), thereof 87.3% African descent, 4.7% mixed, 2.7% hispanic, 1.6% white, 2.7% other
Religions: 68.3% Protestant, 8.2% Roman Catholic, 5.9% none
Density of Population: 391 inh./sq.mi.
Capital: Saint John's, 22.000 inh. (2013)
official Language: English
Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (XCD, EC-$) = 100 Cents
Time Zone: GMT – 4 h
Source: Wikipedia (D),
CIA World Factbook
1493 · discovered by Columbus
1632 · start of the English colonization
1671–1960 · part of the British Colony of the Leeward Islands (except 1816–1833)
1958–1962 · part of the British Colony of the "Federation of the West Indies"
1967 · status of autonomy
1st of November 1981 · independence
Source: World Statesmen,
Wikipedia (D)
The name "Antigua" was given to the island in 1493 by Columbus. It means: "The Old". The name "Barbuda" was also given to the island in 1493 by Columbus. It means: "The Bearded".
Source:
Handbuch der geographischen Namen,
Wapedia (D)
