The sovereign state of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, known simply as Saint Vincent, is located in the Caribbean Sea. The country comprises of the Saint Vincent Island and the northern part of the Grenadines island chain, including seven inhabited islands. They form part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.
Brief History of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Island Caribs ruled over the islands in the country prior to the settlement of the Europeans. The population of the islands also consisted of former African slaves who had escaped from nearby islands or had been shipwrecked and sought refuge in Saint Vincent or the islands in the Grenadines. The Caribs fiercely fought the Europeans to prevent their entry on the islands. They managed to keep the foreigners at bay until 1719.
The French were the first to occupy St. Vincent. Later, the British took control over the island in 1763. Again, the French rule was restored in 1779 followed by the British regaining power in 1783. During the colonial period, plantations of tobacco, indigo, sugar, corn, etc., thrived on the island. African slaves were used for doing most of the work on these plantations. After slavery was abolished in 1834, indentured laborers from Asia were brought to the islands for working on the plantations.
In 1969, St. Vincent was granted the status of associate statehood by Britain. A decade later, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines finally emerged as an independent nation.
History of the Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
At the time of independence, St. Vincent and the Grenadines had a new flag representing the nation. The design of this flag was quite different from the flag used today. The tricolor bands were the same in the previous flag. However, the diamonds in the flag were absent. Instead, the yellow band had a realistic breadfruit leaf emblazoned with the country’s coat of arms.
Design of the Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
The flag of the country is a tricolor. It has three vertical bands of the three colors - blue, gold, and green from the hoist-end to the fly end. The width of the gold band of the flag is twice the size of the green and the blue bands. The center of the gold band features three diamonds arranged in a V-shape. The diamonds are green in color.
Meaning of the Colors and Symbols of the Flag
Each of the colors and symbols of the national flag of the nation has its own meaning. The blue color symbolizes the waters and tropical sky of the island nation. Green represents the lush green vegetation covering large parts of the island. The yellow color symbolizes the sandy beaches of the island. The diamonds represent the Grenadine Islands and also recall Saint Vincent as the "gems of the Antilles”. The low set diamonds reminds us of the position of the country in the Antilles.
About the Author
Oishimaya is an Indian native, currently residing in Kolkata. She has earned her Ph.D. degree and is presently engaged in full-time freelance writing and editing. She is an avid reader and travel enthusiast and is sensitively aware of her surroundings, both locally and globally. She loves mingling with people of eclectic cultures and also participates in activities concerning wildlife conservation.
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