The flag of Trinidad and Tobago was adopted upon independence from the United Kingdom on 31 August 1962. Designed by Carlisle Chang (1921–2001), the flag of Trinidad and Tobago was chosen by the independence committee of 1962. Red, black and white symbolise fire (the sun, representing courage), earth (representing dedication) and water (representing purity and equality).
It is one of the few national flags incorporating a diagonal line (heraldic bend), with other examples including the DR Congo, Tanzania, Namibia, and Brunei.
Design
thumb|Trinidadian flags flying at the [[University of the West Indies in Saint Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago]]
The flag of Trinidad and Tobago is a red field with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly-side. In blazon, Gules, a bend Sable fimbriated Argent. It was designed by Carlisle Chang.
Colours
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Scheme
! scope="col" style="background:#DA1A35; color:white;" | Red
! scope="col" style="background:white; color:black;" | White
! scope="col" style="background:#000000; color:white;" | Black
|-
! scope="row" | HEX
| #DA1A35
| #FFFFFF
| #000000
|-
! scope="row" | HSV
| 352–88–85
| 0–0–100
| 0–0–0
|-
! scope="row" | RGB
|218-26-53
|255, 255, 255
|0-0-0
|}
Construction
thumb|upright|The flag of Trinidad and Tobago flying at the [[San Fernando Hill, San Fernando in July 2009.]]
The width of the white stripes is of the flag length and the width of the black stripe is . The total width of the three stripes together is, therefore, of the length.
Other flags
The civil ensign is the national flag in a 1:2 ratio. The naval ensign (used by Coast Guard vessels) is a British white ensign with the national flag in the canton.
<gallery>
Image:Flag of the President of Trinidad and Tobago.svg|Presidential Standard
Image:Flag of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.svg|Prime Ministerial Standard
Image:Royal Standard of Trinidad and Tobago (1962–1976).svg|
</gallery>
British colonial flag
Prior to independence from the United Kingdom in August 1962, Trinidad and Tobago used a British blue ensign defaced with a badge depicting a ship arriving in front of a mountain.
<gallery>
File:Flag of Trinidad and Tobago (1889–1958).svg|
File:Ensign of Trinidad and Tobago 1889-1958.svg|
File:Flag of Trinidad and Tobago (1958–1962).svg|
File:Civil Ensign of Trinidad and Tobago (1958–1962).svg|
</gallery>
See also
- Flag of the West Indies Federation (January 1958 – May 1962)
- Coat of arms of Trinidad and Tobago