The national symbols of Saint Lucia are the symbols that this Caribbean nation identifies with. The most recognizable national symbols of Saint Lucia are the flag and the coat of arms.
The national flag of Saint Lucia was adopted on March 1, 1967, upon achieving self-government. The flag was designed by Dunstan St. Omer. The government of St. Lucia gives the following description of the flag: [1]
On a plain blue field, a device consisting of a white and black triangular shape, at the base of which a golden triangle occupies a central position. The triangles are superimposed on one another the black on the white, and the gold on the black. The black ends as a three-pointed star in the centre of the flag. The width of the white part of the triangle is one-and-a-half inches on both sides of the black. The distance between the peaks of the black and white triangles is four inches. The triangles share a common base the length of which is one-third of the full length of the flag.
The blue colour represent fidelity. It reflects the tropical sky and also the emerald surrounding waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The gold represents the prevailing sunshine in the Caribbean and prosperity. The triangles represent the mountains in St. Lucia. The Triangle, the shape of which is the partition isosceles triangle, is reminiscent of the island’s famous twin Pitons at Soufriere, rising sheer out of the sea, towards the sky -themselves, a symbol of the hope and aspirations of the people. [1]
The coat of arms of Saint Lucia was designed by Sydney Bagshaw in 1967. The coat of arms is made of a blue shield with a stool, two roses and two fleur de lis. The shield is supported by two Saint Lucian parrots. Beneath the shield is the national motto, where as above the shield there is al torch and on ornament. The symbolism of the elements are: [2]
The national anthem of Saint Lucia is Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia. The anthem was first adopted in 1967 upon achieving self-government, and confirmed as the official anthem upon independence in 1979. The lyrics were written by Rev.Charles Jesse, and the music by Mr.Leton Thomas
The Saint Lucia amazon (also known as the Saint Lucia parrot) (Amazona versicolor) is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is endemic to Saint Lucia and is the country's national bird.
It was first described by Miller in 1776, this beautiful parrot is, and always has been found only in Saint Lucia. It is predominantly green in colour, and a typical specimen has a cobalt blue forehead merging through turquoise to green on the cheeks and a scarlet breast. [3]
There are no visible differences between the two sexes. Mating for life and maturing after five years, these long-lived birds are cavity nesters, laying two to three white eggs in the hollow of a large tree during the onset of the dry season between February and April. Incubation commences on the appearance of the second egg and lasts 27 days. The young fledge leave the nest 67 days after hatching. [3]
Today the parrot, and most other forms of wildlife are absolutely protected in the country, because Saint Lucia’s national bird remains an endangered species. [3]
According to the government of Saint Lucia the national dress are the Wob Dwiyet and the Madras. [4]
The Wob Dwiyrt consists of the following: [5]
In addition, wearers of the Wob Dwiyet adorn themselves with a substantial amount of jewellery including long necklaces and large earrings. The Wob Dwiyet is a style of ladies' dress which began appearing in the French West Indies towards the end of the 18th century. Its design is believed to have originated from Southern France, where women at the time wore a similar outfit. [5]
The rose and the marguerite are the symbols of the two flower societies of Saint Lucia. They emerged as winners of the National Flower Competition in September 1985. [6]
The national tree of Saint Lucia is calabash, where as the national plant is bamboo.
The flag of Newfoundland and Labrador was introduced in 1980 and was designed by Newfoundland artist Christopher Pratt. The flag design was approved by the House of Assembly of the province of Newfoundland, Canada, on May 28, 1980. It was flown for the first time on Discovery Day, June 24, 1980. The name of the province was changed to Newfoundland and Labrador by an amendment to the constitution of Canada in December 2001 at the request of the provincial legislature.
The flag of Saint Lucia consists of a cerulean blue field charged with a golden triangle in front of a white-edged black isosceles triangle. Adopted in 1967 to replace the British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of the colony, it has been the flag of Saint Lucia since the country became an associated state of the United Kingdom that year. Although the overall design of the flag has remained unchanged, specific aspects of it have been altered over the years.
The first coat of arms of Montreal was designed by Jacques Viger, the first mayor of Montreal, and adopted in 1833 by the city councillors. Modifications were made some one hundred five years later and adopted on 21 March 1938, and again on 13 September 2017, resulting in the version currently in use. The coat of arms was the only city emblem representing Montreal until 1981, when a stylized logo was developed for common daily use, reserving the coat of arms for ceremonial occasions.
The coat of arms of Saint Lucia was adopted on 8 January 1979 by a royal warrant of Queen Elizabeth II. Following her death in September 2022, it was still used by her son who become King Charles III, when it was titled following his coronation in 2023 as the King of Saint Lucia. The national motto is found at the bottom.
The coat of arms of the British Virgin Islands consists of a green escutcheon (shield) charged with a woman in a white dress and gold-coloured sandals, holding a lit golden oil lamp and surrounded by eleven other golden lamps. Adopted shortly after the islands became a Crown colony, it has been the coat of arms of the British Virgin Islands since 1960. The escutcheon dates from the early 19th century and is featured on the flag of the territory. The woman and the lamps represent Saint Ursula and her companions, the namesake of the islands.
The coat of arms of Montserrat consists of an escutcheon (shield) charged with a woman in a green dress holding a golden harp and a black cross. In use since at least 1909, it has been the official coat of arms of the Caribbean island of Montserrat since the island became a British Crown colony in 1962. The escutcheon is featured on the flag of the territory.
The island nation of Malta has a variety of national flags and symbols, some current and some no longer in use.
The flag of Martinique consists of a red triangle at the hoist, with two horizontal bands, the upper green and the lower black. It was adopted on 2 February 2023. The flag of France, its parent country, is also flown with official standing due to Martinique's status as a French overseas department/region. The assembly of Martinique flies a flag with the collectivity's logo on it to represent the government.
The national symbols of Lithuania are used in Lithuania and abroad to represent the country and its people, history, culture, and nature. These symbols are seen in official capacities, such as flags, coats of arms, postage stamps, and currency, and in URLs. They appear less formally as recurring themes in literature, art and folk art, heraldry, monuments, clothing, personal decoration, and as the names of parks, bridges, streets, and clubs. The less formal manifestations may be classified as national emblems.
National symbols of Nicaragua are the symbols that are used in Nicaragua and abroad to represent the country and its people.
The flag of Sint Maarten consists of a white triangle situated at the hoist charged with the constituent country's coat of arms, along with two horizontal bands of red and blue. Adopted in 1985 shortly after the territory was granted a coat of arms, it has been the flag of Sint Maarten since 13 June of that year. Since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010, it has been the sole flag used in the constituent country.
The coat of arms of Saint Kitts and Nevis was adopted in 1983 and possesses the motto "Country Above Self". The previous coat of arms, adopted in 1967 by the colony of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla, was nearly identical, except for coloration and the motto "Unity in Trinity".
The Saint Lucia amazon, also known as the St. Lucia amazon and St. Lucia parrot, is a Vulnerable species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is endemic to Saint Lucia in the Lesser Antilles and is the country's national bird.
The National symbols of Colombia are the symbols which represent the national identity of the Republic of Colombia as a sovereign state. The national symbols intend to represent the Colombian identity by creating visual, verbal cultural iconic representations of the national people, values, goals, and history.
Upon the independence of Belarus from the Soviet Union, the country resurrected national symbols that were used before the Soviet era. These included a flag of red and white stripes and a coat of arms consisting of a charging knight on horseback. These national symbols were replaced by Soviet-era symbols in a disputed 1995 vote. Those two symbols, along with the national anthem, are the constitutionally defined national symbols of Belarus.
The national symbols of Estonia are flags, coat of arms, icons or cultural expressions that are emblematic, representative or otherwise characteristic of Estonia or Estonian culture.
The coat of arms of Singapore is the heraldic symbol representing the sovereign island country and city-state of Singapore located in maritime Southeast Asia. It was adopted in 1959, the year Singapore attained self-governance from the British Empire, and remains in use after its independence in 1965. The committee that created it, headed by Toh Chin Chye, who was also responsible for the national flag and the national anthem of Singapore.
The coat of arms of the West Indies Federation was used between 1958 and 1962. The background of the shield bore four equally spaced narrow white stripes with ten orange-gold discs representing each island grouping, undulating horizontally across a blue field representing the Caribbean Sea and the sun shining upon the waves. These devices were based upon the flag originally designed by Edna Manley. A triangle is superimposed on the shield, and the shield is topped by a lion passant guardant. The scroll beneath proclaims To Dwell Together In Unity. The shield is supported on either side by the country's national bird, the pelican, with wings extended. Above this is a helmet topped with a flaming torch held by an upright arm. The torch signifies a beacon to light a path.
The Wob Dwiyet, also called the Wob or Gwan Wob, is the national dress of the countries of Dominica, Saint Lucia, and French West Indies. A traditional four-piece costume. The Wob Dwyiet, a grand robe worn by the earlier French settlers. The madras is the traditional pattern of the women and girls of Dominica and St. Lucia, and its name is derived from the madras cloth, a fabric used in the costume.
Since unification in 1910, South Africa has used a range of national symbols to identify the country: coats of arms, official seals, flags, national anthems, and floral, bird, animal, and other emblems.