Flag of Dominica

It is one of the few flags of sovereign states to contain purple.

History and design

The flag, adopted in 1978, features the national bird emblem, the sisserou parrot (Amazona imperialis), which also appears on the coat of arms of Dominica as two supporters in the achievement, granted on 21 July 1961. This parrot, endemic to Dominica, is an endangered species with a population of only 250–350 individuals.

The green field represents the lush vegetation of the island. The cross represents the Trinity and Christianity, with its three colours symbolising the natives, the fertile soil, and the pure water. The 10 green five-pointed stars stand for the country's 10 parishes: (St Andrew, St David, St George, St John, St Joseph, St Luke, St Mark, St Patrick, St Paul, and St Peter), while the red disc stands for justice.

The sisserou parrot is sometimes coloured either blue or purple (the parrot's actual colour). The use of purple makes the flag of Dominica one of the few flags of sovereign states to contain the colour.

The flag of Dominica, along with other national symbols, was the focus of a government-sponsored "Emblems Week" in 2016. An initiative of the independence committee, Emblems Week is aimed at reflecting on the meaning of the national emblems, and promoting their use among members of the general public and particularly among the country's schools.