The flag of Grenada consists of two yellow triangles at the top and bottom and two green triangles at the hoist and fly. These are surrounded by a red border charged with six five-pointed yellow stars – three at the top centre and three at the bottom centre – along with an additional star on a red disc at the centre and a

nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...

at the hoist triangle. Adopted in 1974 to replace the temporary design used since the islands became an

Associated State An associated state is the minor partner in a formal, free relationship between a political territory (some dependent, most fully sovereign states) and a major party—usually a larger nation. The details of such free association are contain ...

of the United Kingdom, it has been the flag of Grenada since the country gained independence that year. The representation of a nutmeg is symbolic of the islands' primary export, and was the one feature from the previous flag that was preserved.

History

Sovereignty over Grenada changed hands between the French and the British throughout the 18th century. This continued until 1783, when the Peace of Paris saw

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

permanently relinquish the island to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. It eventually became a crown colony within the latter's colonial empire in 1877. The territory joined the

West Indies Federation The West Indies Federation, also known as the West Indies, the Federation of the West Indies or the West Indian Federation, was a short-lived political union that existed from 3 January 1958 to 31 May 1962. Various islands in the Caribbean that ...

in 1958 and was a member state until 1962. On 3 March 1967, five years after the federation was dissolved, Grenada became an

. This gave Grenada full control over domestic matters, while Britain retained responsibility for the territory's foreign affairs and

defence Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indus ...

. A new flag for the territory was adopted, though this was only intended to be a temporary design. It consisted of a horizontal

tricolour A tricolour () or tricolor () is a type of flag or banner design with a triband design which originated in the 16th century as a symbol of republicanism, liberty, or revolution. The flags of France, Italy, Romania, Mexico, and Ireland were ...

of blue, yellow, and green bands, charged with a

at the centre. Negotiations for independence commenced after the

Grenada United Labour Party The Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) is a political party in Grenada. History The party was founded by Eric Gairy in 1950. It contested the first elections held under universal suffrage in 1951, and won six of the eight seats. Nohlen, D (2005) ...

won the most seats in the election in August 1967, having campaigned in favour of sovereignty. A search for a national flag began soon after. The new design was created by Anthony C. George, a native Grenadian from

Soubise Soubise can refer to: * Soubise, a salpicon of cooked and pureed rice and onions; used primarily "au gratin". (steaks, tournedos) * Soubise sauce, based on Béchamel sauce, with the addition of a ''soubise'' of onion and rice purée * Soubise, Ch ...

in Saint Andrew Parish. It eschewed the commonly-used arrangement of a horizontal or vertical tricolour, while maintaining the nutmeg symbol from the previous flag. The new flag was hoisted at midnight on 7 February 1974, the day Grenada became an independent country, and was adopted by the government the same day.

Design

The colours and symbols of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The green epitomises the islands' vegetation and agriculture, while the yellow evokes the sun, as well as the warmth and wisdom of Grenadians. The red represents harmony, unity, courage, and vitality. The yellow stars on the red border symbolise the country's six administrative divisions, while the yellow star on the red disc at the centre signifies the capital, St. George's. The symbol of a

at the hoist alludes to one of the primary agricultural exports of the islands. The country is the second-largest producer of nutmeg in the world, trailing only

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

. Consequently, Grenada has acquired the nicknames of "Isle of Spice" and "Spice Island".

Variants

The

civil ensign A civil ensign is an ensign (maritime flag) used by civilian vessels to denote their nationality. It can be the same or different from the state ensign and the naval ensign (or war ensign). It is also known as the merchant ensign or merchant flag ...

(for merchant ships) is identical in design to the national flag, but has an aspect ratio of 1:2 (instead of 3:5). The

naval ensign A naval ensign is an ensign (maritime flag) used by naval ships of various countries to denote their nationality. It can be the same or different from a country's civil ensign or state ensign. It can also be known as a war ensign. A large ve ...

is based on the British

white ensign The White Ensign, at one time called the St George's Ensign due to the simultaneous existence of a cross-less version of the flag, is an ensign worn on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross ...

, a red cross on a white field, with the addition of the national flag in the canton.

Protocol

Advice regarding

flag etiquette A flag protocol defines the proper placement, handling, use, and disposal of flags. Some countries have added certain protocols into their legal system while others prefer to have "guidelines" without civil or criminal consequences attached. G ...

is listed on the official website of the government, as well as on the websites of the country's embassies. When displayed together with the flags of other sovereign nations, the foreign flag should not be flown on top of or to the right (i.e. observer's left) of the Grenadian flag. The only exception to this recommendation is at foreign

diplomatic mission A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually den ...

s on the island, which is also the only place where a foreign flag can be flown without the flag of Grenada accompanying it. When displayed together with domestic flags, the national flag ought to be situated at the centre and be the tallest one of the group. The Grenadian flag should not be smaller in size compared to other flags being flown adjacent to it. When carried in a procession, it should be located on the marching right (in a single file) or at the front of the centre (if there is more than one line). The guidelines also state that the flag is not to touch the ground, nor should it be dipped towards an individual or an object. It ought to be displayed either in or near every

polling place A polling place is where voters cast their ballots in elections. The phrase polling station is also used in American English and British English, although polling place is the building

when

elections in Grenada Grenada elects a legislature on the national level. The Parliament of Grenada has two chambers. The House of Representatives has 15 members, elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies. The Senate has 13 appointed members. Grenada ...

are held. The national flag should be flown by

merchant ship A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are ...

s that are registered in the country, but should not be placed on top of motor vehicles (other than by the

police force The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...

and during state events). It is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without prior approval from the government. When it becomes damaged and is no longer fit to be publicly displayed, it is permissible to dispose of the national flag via burning.

Historical flags

References

External links

A flag database featuring the Grenada flag
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grenada, Flag of Flag National flags Flags introduced in 1974