Belize’s flag (21 September 1981) has a royal blue field with thin red stripes at top and bottom and a large white disc bearing the national arms—two woodcutters, a shield of tools and ship, mahogany tree, and the motto “Sub Umbra Floreo.” The red stripes were added for political balance at independence. Law regulates proportions, usage, and dignified retirement.
Adopted at independence on 21 September 1981, the flag of Belize synthesises colonial heraldry and post‑colonial compromise. A royal blue field—long associated with the leading independence movement—is bordered by narrow red stripes at the top and bottom, a conscious addition to reflect opposition voices and ensure the flag’s inclusivity at the founding moment. Centred is a white disc containing the national coat of arms: two woodcutters of different ancestry supporting a shield beneath a mahogany tree, with tools of the timber trade (paddle, squaring axe, saw) and a ship symbolising commerce. The motto “Sub Umbra Floreo” (“I flourish in the shade”) appears below.
The design replaced the British Blue Ensign defaced with the colonial badge. The 1981 settlement and the Flag and Coat of Arms (Protection) Act established the new banner’s legal protections, restricting reproduction to approved forms and requiring respect in manufacture and display. Protocol mandates that the flag not touch the ground, be raised and lowered ceremonially at public institutions, and be retired when worn.
Graphic details of the arms were clarified post‑independence to ensure uniform manufacture—leaf counts around the disc, line weights, and colour references—while the overall composition remained fixed. The red edging, initially controversial, has become a defining feature that distinguishes Belize’s flag from those of its regional neighbours.
On Independence Day and other national observances, the flag is prominent at the National Assembly, schools, and civic parades. Overseas, it identifies Belize at embassies, consulates, and international events. Through law and ceremony, the flag embodies a multi‑ethnic society’s history in forestry and maritime trade and its modern identity as a parliamentary democracy.