View source for Flag of Trinidad and Tobago

{{short description|none}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name        = Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
| Image       = Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg
| Nickname    = {{nowrap|Flag of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago}}<br/>{{nowrap|The Sun-Sea-Sand Banner}}
| Use         = 111000
| Symbol      = {{FIAV|111000}} {{FIAV|normal}}
| Proportion  = 3:5
| Adoption    = {{start date and age|1962|8|31|df=yes}} 
| Design      = A red field with a white-fimbriated black diagonal band from the upper hoist-side to the lower fly-side.
| Designer    = [[Carlisle Chang]]
| Image2      = Civil Ensign of Trinidad and Tobago.svg
| Nickname2   = {{nowrap|Civil ensign of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago}}
| Use2        = 000110
| Symbol2     = {{FIAV|000110}} {{FIAV|normal}}
| Proportion2 = 1:2
| Design2     = A red field with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist-side to the lower fly-side.
| Image3      = Naval Ensign of Trinidad and Tobago.svg
| Nickname3   = {{nowrap|Naval ensign of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago}}
| Use3        = 000001
| Symbol3     = {{FIAV|000001}} {{FIAV|normal}}
| Proportion3 = 1:2
| Design3     = A [[White Ensign]] with the National Flag in the canton
}}

The '''flag of [[Trinidad and Tobago]]''' was adopted upon independence from the [[United Kingdom]] on 31 August 1962. Designed by [[Carlisle Chang]] (1921–2001),<ref>[http://artsandculture.gov.tt/index.php/cultural/140-carlisle-chang "Carlisle Chang"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911193629/http://artsandculture.gov.tt/index.php/cultural/140-carlisle-chang |date=2016-09-11 }}, Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3lnnKzq5eg "National flag of Trinidad and Tobago - Carlisle Chang"], YouTube.</ref><ref>[http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Research/SubjectGuide/Biographies/BiographiesAC/tabid/100/Default.aspx?PageContentID=1093 Carlisle Chang biography] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711123918/http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Research/SubjectGuide/Biographies/BiographiesAC/tabid/100/Default.aspx?PageContentID=1093 |date=2015-07-11 }}, NALIS.</ref> 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).<ref>[http://www.ttconnect.gov.tt/gortt/portal/ttconnect/!ut/p/a1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfGjzOK9A40MTD0tjQ38Aw0sDYyCPA1dDUy9jd2DDIEKIlEUBLm7ARW4mhp6eIcZGxgYEKffAAdwJKg_ODVPP1w_Cq8yLwMMBZjOBCvA446C3NCICs9MRwCWELx4/dl5/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/gortt/wcm/connect/GorTT+Web+Content/TTConnect/Home/About+T+and+T/National+Emblems/National+Flag National Flag] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022011805/http://www.ttconnect.gov.tt/gortt/portal/ttconnect/!ut/p/a1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfGjzOK9A40MTD0tjQ38Aw0sDYyCPA1dDUy9jd2DDIEKIlEUBLm7ARW4mhp6eIcZGxgYEKffAAdwJKg_ODVPP1w_Cq8yLwMMBZjOBCvA446C3NCICs9MRwCWELx4/dl5/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=%2Fgortt%2Fwcm%2Fconnect%2FGorTT+Web+Content%2FTTConnect%2FHome%2FAbout+T+and+T%2FNational+Emblems%2FNational+Flag |date=2021-10-22 }}". ''Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago''. Retrieved May 12, 2017.</ref>

It is one of the few national flags incorporating a diagonal line (''heraldic [[Bend (heraldry)|bend]]''), with other examples including the [[Flag_of_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo|DR Congo]], [[Flag_of_Tanzania|Tanzania]], [[Flag_of_Namibia|Namibia]], and [[Flag_of_Brunei|Brunei]].

==Design==
[[File:Trinidadandtobagoflags uwi.JPG|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.<ref name="Chang">{{cite journal|last=Chang|first=Carlisle|year=1998|title=Chinese in Trinidad Carnival|journal=The Drama Review|volume=43|issue=3|pages=213–19|doi=10.1162/105420498760308571|jstor=1146692|s2cid=57571669}}</ref>

===Colours===
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2025}}
{| 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" | [[Web colors|HEX]]
| #DA1A35
| #FFFFFF
| #000000
|-
! scope="row" | [[HSL and HSV|HSV]]
| 352-88-85
| 0-0-100
| 0-0-0
|-
! scope="row" | [[RGB color model|RGB]]
|218-26-53
|255, 255, 255
|0-0-0
|}

===Construction===
[[File:Trinidadflag.jpg|thumb|upright|The flag of Trinidad and Tobago flying at the [[San Fernando Hill]], [[San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago|San Fernando]] in July 2009.]]
The width of the white stripes is {{frac|30}} of the flag length and the width of the black stripe is {{frac|2|15}}. The total width of the three stripes together is, therefore, {{frac|5}} of the length.<ref>[http://flagspot.net/flags/tt.html Flagspot]</ref>
{{gallery
|width=500
|height=300
|File:Flag of Trinidad and Tobago (construction sheet).svg|Flag construction sheet
}}

==Other flags==
The [[civil ensign]] is the national flag in a 1:2 ratio.  The [[naval ensign]] (used by Coast Guard vessels) is a [[White Ensign|British white ensign]] with the national flag in the [[Flag terminology|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|{{center|{{FIAV|historical}}[[Queen's Personal Trinidadian Flag|Queen Elizabeth II's personal flag for Trinidad and Tobago]] (1966–1976)}}
</gallery>

===British colonial flag===
Prior to independence from the [[United Kingdom]] in August 1962, Trinidad and Tobago used a [[Blue Ensign|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|{{center|{{FIAV|historical}}Colonial flag of Trinidad and Tobago (1889–1958)}}
File:Ensign of Trinidad and Tobago 1889-1958.svg|{{center|{{FIAV|historical}}Red ensign of Trinidad and Tobago (1889–1958)}}
File:Flag of Trinidad and Tobago (1958–1962).svg|{{center|{{FIAV|historical}}Colonial flag of Trinidad and Tobago (1958–1962)}}
File:Civil Ensign of Trinidad and Tobago (1958–1962).svg|{{center|{{FIAV|historical}}Red ensign of Trinidad and Tobago (1958–1962)}}
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Flag of the West Indies Federation]] (January 1958 – May 1962)
*[[Coat of arms of Trinidad and Tobago]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{commons category}}
{{Flags of North America}}

{{Trinidad and Tobago topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trinidad And Tobago, Flag of}}
[[Category:National symbols of Trinidad and Tobago|Flag]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1962]]
[[Category:National flags]]
[[Category:Tricolor flags]]
[[Category:Flags with black, red and white]]
[[Category:Rotationally symmetrical flags]]