How To
How To
Time needed: 1 minute
How to copy and paste the Flag of Barbados Emoji to any device.
- Copy the Barbadian Flag Emoji
Go to flagemoji.com and press the copy button (above). This works on any device.
- Paste the Emoji
Go to your email/iMessage/SMS texting service/document and paste the emoji.
For mobile devices
— double-tap or tap-hold, then paste should appear. Tap it.
For desktop and laptops on Apple devices
— command-P / ⌘-P
For desktop and laptops on Windows devices
— control-p
Codes
Emoji Codes
Flag emojis are unicode symbols, like any other letter or number on your keyboard. This means you can copy and paste the emoji itself into your code, whatever the language (click the button above).
They actually count as two characters: the two-letter country code (the ISO international standard). The unicode and shortcode both represent country data which devices can interpret and display the emoji.
| Country Code | Unicode | Shortcode |
| BB | U+1F1E7 U+1F1E7 | :flag_BB: :BB: |
Emoji shortcodes are used on some platforms as a way for users to type in emojis from the keyboard. If you type the emoji shortcode on Github or Slack, the emoji will appear.
*The official name of the emoji is only the country name, not ‘Barbados Flag’, for example.
Description
Description
The Barbados flag comprises of three equal vertical bands of ultramarine blue (hoist side), gold, and ultramarine blue. The head of a black trident is centered on the gold band. The colors represent the blue of the sea and sky and the gold of the beaches. The trident head represents independence and a break with the past – the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident.
Map
Map
Check out the map of Nepal!
Weather
Anthem
National Anthem
| Title | The National Anthem of Barbados |
| Composer | Irving Burgie / C. Van Roland Edwards |
FAQ
FAQs
Barbados gined independence on 30 November 1966.
The two blue bands are said to stand for the sea and sky, while the gold represents the sand on the island.
The national flag of Barbados was officially adopted on November 30, 1966.
The government type of Barbados is Parliamentary Democracy.
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Printable
Printable Barbadian Flag
Print another really cool flag. Why not the flag of Seychelles?

3D Glossy Render — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados as a photorealistic 3D render. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag fabric hangs or drapes naturally but preserves exact proportions, colors, and all symbols perfectly — completely faithful to the real Barbados flag. Dramatic studio lighting, glossy silk material, soft shadows, subsurface scattering, perfect specular highlights. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Chalk on Blackboard — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados drawn in chalk on a real blackboard. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Authentic blackboard — dark slate green surface with chalk dust and smudge marks. Soft, dusty white and colored chalk lines, imperfect edges, hand-drawn quality. Chalk dust particles visible in the air. The flag is immediately recognizable. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Embroidered Textile — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados as intricate embroidery on linen fabric. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Dense satin stitches, French knots, chain stitch detail. The flag design is completely faithful — exact colors, geometry, and all symbols faithfully stitched, immediately recognizable as the Barbados flag. Visible thread texture, dimensional quality, warm handcrafted feel. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Flagpole in Capital — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Photorealistic photograph of the Barbados flag flying on a tall flagpole in front of an iconic government building in the capital city. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag ripples naturally in the wind, colors vivid and exact. Documentary photography style, sharp and realistic. Grand architecture in the background. Blue sky, dramatic clouds. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Golden Hour Reflection — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Photorealistic photograph of the Barbados flag reflected in still water at golden hour. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag flies on a pole at the water’s edge, its reflection shimmering on the surface below. Warm amber and orange sunset light. The flag colors and design are faithful and vivid. Serene, cinematic landscape photography. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Street Art / Graffiti — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados as vibrant street art spray-painted on a brick wall. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Bold spray paint, dripping edges, stencil layers, overspray halos. The flag design is faithful and immediately recognizable — exact colors and symbols, just rendered in spray paint on urban concrete. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind. No tags, no graffiti lettering.

Sci-Fi Hologram — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados projected as a futuristic holographic display. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Translucent blue-white projection with scan lines, floating in dark space. Glitching edges, particle effects, data streams. The flag design is completely faithful and recognizable. Cyberpunk HUD elements framing the projection. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Hyperrealistic Wind — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Ultra-hyperrealistic photograph of the Barbados flag caught in a dramatic gust of wind. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Macro-level fabric detail — individual threads visible, fabric folds and tension lines crisp. Colors and design completely faithful to the real Barbados flag. High-speed shutter, razor-sharp focus, studio lighting. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Impressionist Oil — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados painted in French Impressionist oil on canvas. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Thick impasto brushstrokes, dappled light, vibrant broken color technique in the style of Monet. The flag is instantly recognizable — colors and design faithful to the real Barbados flag, interpreted with impressionist light and texture. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Lego Bricks — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados built from Lego bricks, photographed as a real physical construction. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Visible studs and brick seams, slight plastic sheen. Standard Lego colors approximate the flag’s palette. Built on a gray Lego baseplate. Dramatic angle showing the three-dimensional brick texture. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Low-Poly Geometric — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados constructed from low-polygon geometric triangles. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Aggressively faceted — each region broken into many visible triangular faces with subtle color variation across each polygon, creating real depth and dimensionality even in flat-color areas of the flag. Crystal-like, contemporary computational design. The flag is completely faithful and immediately recognizable. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Mosaic Tiles — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados assembled as a Roman-style mosaic. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag is completely faithful to the real Barbados flag — exact proportions, colors, and all symbols, rendered in thousands of small stone and glass tesserae. Visible grout lines, rich earthy tones mixed with brilliant glass, slight historical weathering. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Native Landscape — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Photorealistic photograph of the Barbados flag flying in an iconic natural landscape native to Barbados — the terrain, flora, and environment characteristic of that country. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag is prominent and its colors are faithful and vivid. Remote, uninhabited wilderness. National Geographic photography style. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Neon Sign — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados recreated as a real neon sign mounted on a dark wall. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Glowing glass neon tubes bent into the flag’s shapes — the colors of the flag rendered in actual neon light. Visible glass tube bends, metal mounting brackets on the wall. Warm neon glow and light bloom. Real neon, not digital. Photographed in a dark room. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Pencil Sketch — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados as a bold, confident pencil sketch. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Strong graphite lines on cream paper — not delicate but bold and decisive. Heavy pressure on key outlines, dramatic cross-hatching for deep shadows and shading. Immediately recognizable as the Barbados flag. Artist’s confident hand, not tentative. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Pixel Art — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados as detailed 16-bit pixel art. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Crisp pixel grid, limited palette with careful dithering, nostalgic retro game aesthetic. Clean grid-aligned design with subtle shading. Every element of the flag faithfully reproduced in pixels. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Stained Glass — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados rendered as an ornate stained glass window. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The design is completely faithful to the real Barbados flag — exact colors, geometry, and all symbols preserved. Brilliant jewel-toned glass pieces separated by dark lead came lines. Warm sunlight streaming through, casting colored light. Gothic cathedral craftsmanship. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Ukiyo-e Woodblock — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados as a traditional Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Bold outlines, flat areas of rich color, flowing organic forms. Wind and waves incorporated into the composition. Printed on washi paper with visible wood grain texture. The flag is the central focus and instantly recognizable. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.

Vintage Postage Stamp — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados as a vintage 1950s postage stamp. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag fills most of the stamp — it is the primary subject, faithfully rendered in fine engraved intaglio style. Perforated edges, aged paper with slight foxing. The stamp may show a denomination numeral only — absolutely no other text or country names.

Watercolor — Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. The flag of Barbados painted in loose, expressive watercolor. Three vertical stripes of ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue with a black trident head centered. Wet-on-wet technique with soft color bleeds, visible brushstrokes, natural paper texture. Delicate splashes and drips at the edges. Luminous, translucent layers of pigment. No text, no letters, no words, no writing of any kind.
The flag of Barbados stands as a powerful symbol of the island nation’s independence and cultural identity. Adopted on November 30, 1966, the day Barbados gained independence from British colonial rule, the national flag represents a momentous transition and embodies the democratic values and maritime heritage of the Caribbean nation.
Design Origins and the Prescod Design
The creation of Barbados’s flag was a momentous national endeavor. In 1966, the Barbadian government held a nationwide design competition, inviting citizens to create a flag that would represent their newly independent nation. The competition attracted over one thousand entries, reflecting the importance Barbadians placed on selecting a symbol worthy of their sovereignty. Among these submissions, the design created by Grantley W. Prescod, a talented art teacher from Barbados, stood out as the winning entry.
Prescod’s innovative design drew inspiration from Barbados’s colonial heritage while creating something distinctly new. He was particularly influenced by the colonial seal and coat of arms, elements that had represented the island during centuries of British rule. However, rather than simply replicating colonial symbolism, Prescod reimagined these elements to create a design that marked a clear break from the colonial past while honoring the nation’s maritime traditions and cultural identity.
Lieutenant Hartley Dottin, in a ceremony that marked this historic transition, was chosen to raise the newly designed flag in the first official ceremony, cementing this moment in Barbadian history. The design itself was so well-regarded that it received approval from the College of Arms in London before its official adoption, ensuring that this new national symbol met the highest heraldic standards.
Symbolism: Colors and Elements
The flag of Barbados features a distinctive triband design consisting of three vertical stripes: ultramarine blue, gold, and ultramarine blue. Each element carries profound symbolic meaning that reflects the nation’s geography, aspirations, and values.
The two outer stripes of ultramarine blue represent the vast Atlantic Ocean that surrounds Barbados, as well as the sky that stretches above the island. These blue stripes serve as a reminder of the maritime environment that has shaped Barbadian culture, economy, and identity for centuries. The ocean represents the connection to trade, exploration, and the international community, while the sky symbolizes limitless possibilities and the freedom that comes with independence.
The central gold stripe, which visually separates and highlights the blue bands, represents the island’s pristine beaches and fine sand—one of Barbados’s most recognizable natural features and a crucial element of the nation’s tourism and cultural identity. This golden hue captures the warmth and natural beauty of the Caribbean island.
At the center of the gold band sits the most distinctive and symbolically rich element: a broken trident head rendered in black. This trident symbol was adapted from the Barbadian colonial coat of arms, where it appeared in the hands of Britannia alongside the trident of Poseidon, a classical symbol associated with the sea god from Greek mythology.
The trident carries multiple layers of significance. Most importantly, the trident head is deliberately depicted as broken—missing its staff. This stylistic choice is deeply intentional and symbolic: the broken trident represents a deliberate and symbolic break from Barbados’s status as a British colony. It is a visual declaration of independence and self-determination. The three remaining points of the trident represent the three fundamental principles of democracy: government of the people, government for the people, and government by the people. In this way, the flag communicates Barbados’s commitment to democratic governance and the sovereignty of its citizens.
Historical Evolution: From Colonial to Independent Flag
Before the adoption of the distinctive modern flag on November 30, 1966, Barbados used several different flags that reflected its changing political status. From 1833 to 1885, the Union Jack served as the primary flag, a reflection of Barbados as a direct British colony. The Union Jack was eventually replaced by a Blue Ensign featuring the colonial seal, which remained in use from 1885 until 1962. During the brief period from 1958 to 1962, when Barbados was part of the West Indies Federation—an attempt to unify several Caribbean colonies into a single political entity—the island used the federation’s flag. However, the federation ultimately proved unsuccessful and dissolved before Barbados achieved independence.
The adoption of Prescod’s design in 1966 marked the culmination of this historical progression. Unlike the flags that preceded it, which largely borrowed from British heraldic traditions, the 1966 flag was distinctly Barbadian, created by a Barbadian artist and designed specifically to represent the aspirations and values of an independent nation. This design has remained unchanged for nearly six decades, maintaining its position as the enduring symbol of Barbadian national identity.
Notable Facts and Design Excellence
One fascinating aspect of the flag’s creation is that Grantley Prescod personally constructed approximately seven prototype flags from materials purchased at department stores at the request of Prime Minister Errol Barrow. These handmade flags were used during initial discussions and planning for the independence celebration, making them significant artifacts of the flag’s creation story.
The flag of Barbados exemplifies the principles of effective vexillography—the art and science of flag design. It is simple and distinctive, making it easy to recognize and remember. The triband structure is clean and elegant, avoiding unnecessary complexity. The design is unique among national flags, with no other nation using an identical or strikingly similar design. The symbolism is meaningful and deeply connected to Barbadian identity and values. Finally, the design can be easily reproduced and recognized at any size, from small pins to large flags displayed at government buildings or international venues.
The color specifications for the flag follow British Standard codes, with the ultramarine meeting the British Standard color BCC 148 and the gold stripe conforming to BS O/002, ensuring consistency in how the flag is produced and displayed worldwide.
Conclusion
The flag of Barbados, adopted on November 30, 1966, represents far more than a simple national symbol. It embodies a nation’s transition from colonial dependence to independent self-determination. Through its thoughtful design elements—the blue representing the surrounding seas and sky, the gold symbolizing the island’s beaches, and the broken trident declaring both independence and democratic commitment—the flag tells the story of a Caribbean nation proud of its heritage while looking confidently toward its future. Grantley Prescod’s winning design has proven enduring, remaining virtually unchanged for nearly six decades as the unmistakable symbol of Barbadian identity.
Sources: Wikipedia – Flag of Barbados; Britannica – Flag of Barbados; SimCorner – Barbados Flag: Meaning, History & Cultural Significance
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