Flag of Dominica

The national flag of Dominica was adopted on 3 November 1978, and it has been changed just a little bit in the years since then. It was created by a playwright named Alwin Bully when the country was getting ready to become independent.

One special thing about the flag of Dominica is that it is one of the few flags in the world that has the color purple on it. This makes it very unique among the flags of all countries. The flag’s design tells the story of Dominica’s natural beauty and rich culture.

History and design

The flag of Dominica was adopted in 1978. It shows the national bird, the sisserou parrot, which is special to the island. The green background stands for the island's lush plants. The cross and its colors represent important ideas like the Trinity, Christianity, the people, the soil, and the water. The ten stars stand for the ten parishes of Dominica, and the red circle symbolizes justice.

The flag includes the color purple, making it one of the few flags in the world to use this color. In 2016, the government held a special week called "Emblems Week" to help everyone understand and appreciate the country’s symbols, especially in schools.

Historical designs

Flag	Use	Description
	Flag used 1493–1500	Flag of Castile and León
	Flag used 1500–16
	Flag used 1516–1627	Flag of Spain
	Flag used 1627–35	Flag of England
	Flag used 1635–60	Flag of France
	Flag used 1715–63 and 1778–84
	Flag used 1763–78 and 1784–1801	The Union Jack
	Flag used 1801–75
	Flag used 1875–1940	Flag of the British Leeward Islands
	Flag used 1875–1940	Flag of the governor of Leeward Islands
	Flag used 1940–53	Flag of the British Windward Islands
	Flag used 1940–53	Flag of the governor-in-chief of the British Windward Islands
	Flag used 1953–58	Flag of the British Windward Islands
	Flag used 1953–58	Flag of the governor-in-chief of the British Windward Islands
	Flag used 1955–65
	Flag used 1958–62	Flag of the West Indies Federation
	Flag used 1965–78
	Flag used 1965–78	Flag of the governor of Dominica
	Flag used 1978–81
	Flag used 1981–88
	Flag used 1988–90
	Flag used 1990–present	A green field with the centred cross of three bands: the vertical part is: yellow, black and white and the horizontal part is: yellow, black and white and the red disk superimposed at the centre of the cross bearing a purple Sisserou Parrot facing the hoist-side encircled by ten green five-pointed stars.