Flag of Bahamas

The Bahamas is based on the British Ensign system. This indicates the connections to Great Britain. This had introduced in 1864 a flag system in which warships a so-called "White Ensign" (naval flag), a white flag often with continuous red St. George's Cross and with the Union Jack in the upper corner, merchant ships a "Red Ensign" (also called "Civil Ensign" => Bürgerflagge, the actual flag), a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper corner, and service ships a "Blue Ensign" (also called "Blue Ensign"). Commercial flag), a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper corner, and service ships carried a "Blue Ensign" (government flag => the actual state flag), a blue flag with the Union Jack in the upper corner. Since 1865 ships of colonial governments were allowed to fly a Blue Ensign with a badge in the flying end. The respective governments were to provide appropriate bagdes. Merchant vessels and seafaring privateers from colonies may only carry a Red Ensign with badge if permission has been granted by the British Admiralty for the colony to do so. Until independence, the Bahamas used the blue British service flag (Blue Ensign) with the emblem (Badge) introduced in 1869. This badge gave rise to the coat of arms of the Bahamas, introduced in 1959: On the shield, a ship with a British flag at the stern, chasing two pirate ships. The red head of the shield bore a crown. Below the shield was a golden writing band with the following inscription in Latin: "When the pirates had been driven out, the trade reached again its bloom".The today's flag of the Bahamas was hoisted officially on 10.07.1973. It was the winner of a design competition. The black triangle on the mast symbolizes the unity of the Bahamian people. The yellow (gold) central stripe represents the sandy beaches of the islands, and the aquamarine stripes represent the waters in which the Bahamas lie. In a somewhat prosaic phrase, the flag can also be interpreted as follows: "The black symbolizes the strength and power of the united people, the wedge the determination of the people of The Bahamas to utilize the rich resources of the earth (yellow) and the sea (blue)." The Bahamas today uses a Red Ensign with a solid white cross as its merchant flag, and a White Ensign with a solid red cross as its naval flag. Allegedly, there is also a Blue Ensign as the state flag. On 07.12.1971 the present coat of arms was granted by Queen Elizabeth II. It was designed by Hervis Bain and Harold A. Munnings, and shows on a silver background the ship of Columbus, the "Santa Maria", in the middle of blue and silver waves. The blue shield head shows a rising golden sun. The shield bears a royal helmet with blue and gold covers, on a golden-blue bead. Behind it a bunch of palm leaves. Shield holders are a swordfish and a flamingo. On the pedestal, which consists of sea waves and grassy areas (wet gall), on a banner the motto: "Forward, upward, onward together" => "Forward, upward, downward together". This slogan, created by two eleven-year-old students, was the winner of a competition.

Three equal horizontal stripes (aqua, gold, aqua) with a black equilateral triangle pointing away from the flagpole.

Hymn