Jamaica Flag Meaning and History

Jamaican Flag Description:
The flag of Jamaica has two diagonal yellow lines forming a cross on the flag, which section it off in four parts. The top and bottom sections are equal-sized green triangles, and the left and right sections are equal-sized black triangles.

Jamaican Flag Meaning:
The Jamaican flag is symbolized by the motto: 'Hardships there are but the land is green and the sun shineth'. The black triangles represent the adversity Jamaica has overcome and for hardships it may have in the future. The green triangles represent hope and agriculture and the golden saltire (diagonal cross) stands for the mineral wealth of Jamaica and sunlight.

Jamaican Flag History:
The Jamaican flag was adopted on August 6, 1962 after gaining independence from the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica had previously gained independence from Britain and joined the Federation in 1958.

Interesting Jamaican Flag Facts:
The original design for the Jamaican flag was a horizontal striped pattern with the same colors as the current flag, but it was rejected because of its similarity to the then flag of Tanganyika which is now part of Tanzania.

The original design for the Jamaican flag was a horizontal striped pattern with the same colors as the current flag, but it was rejected because of its similarity to the then flag of Tanganyika which is now part of Tanzania.