View source for Flag of the Bahamas

{{Short description|National flag}}
{{See also|List of Bahamian flags}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name = Commonwealth of The Bahamas
| Image = Flag of The Bahamas.svg
| Use = 111000
| Symbol = {{FIAV|111000}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Proportion = 1:2
| Adoption = {{Start date |1973|07|10}} (standardised {{start date |2006|03|01|df=yes}})<ref>{{cite book |first1=Cheryl C. |last1=Strachan |title=Flying the Pride |date=9 September 2010 |publisher=Salem Publishing Solutions |isbn=978-1-6095-7223-5 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Flying_the_Pride/FBCwN6zfExwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=2006 |access-date=14 November 2025 |via=Google Books |pages=17-18, 24 |edition=2010}}</ref>
| Design = A horizontal triband of aquamarine (top and bottom) and gold with the black chevron aligned to the hoist-side.
| Designer = Hervis Bain<ref name=tribune>{{cite news |title=Dr Bain Joins The Fabulous Forty |url=http://www.tribune242.com/news/2013/jun/10/dr-bain-joins-the-fabulous-forty/ |newspaper=The Tribune |location=Nassau |date=13 June 2013 |access-date=14 November 2025 |archive-date=2019-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731003628/http://www.tribune242.com/news/2013/jun/10/dr-bain-joins-the-fabulous-forty/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=freeport>{{cite news |title=Our national flag, a mystery of true national pride |url=http://freeport.nassauguardian.net/Opinion/Columns/Our-National-Flag--a-symbol-of-true-National-Pride |newspaper=The Freeport News |access-date=2015-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402120454/http://freeport.nassauguardian.net/Opinion/Columns/Our-National-Flag--a-symbol-of-true-National-Pride |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=usurped}}</ref>
| Image2 = Civil Ensign of the Bahamas.svg
| Use2 = 000100
| Symbol2 = {{FIAV|000100}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Proportion2 = 1:2
| Design2 = A white cross on a red field, the national flag in the canton
| Image3 = Government Ensign of the Bahamas.svg
| Use3 = 000010
| Symbol3 = {{FIAV|000010}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Proportion3 = 1:2
| Design3 = A blue cross on a white field, the national flag in the canton
| Image4 = Naval Ensign of the Bahamas.svg
| Use4 = 000001
| Symbol4 = {{FIAV|000001}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Proportion4 = 1:2
| Design4 = A red cross on a white field, the national flag in the canton
}}
[[File:Bahamas flag.jpg|thumb|Highborne Cay; Bahamas flag in the foreground]]
The [[national flag|national]] '''flag of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas''' consists of a black triangle situated at the hoist with three horizontal bands: aquamarine, gold and aquamarine. Adopted in 1973 to replace the British [[Blue Ensign]] [[defacement (flag)|defaced]] with the emblem of the [[History of the Bahamas#Reclaiming Bahamas for the Crown|Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands]], it has been the flag of [[the Bahamas]] since the country gained independence that year. The design of the present flag incorporated the elements of various submissions made in a national contest for a new flag prior to independence.

==History==
The Bahamas became a [[crown colony]] of the [[United Kingdom]] within [[British Empire|its colonial empire]] in 1717.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news |title=Bahamas profile |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18723547 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=2 July 2014 |archive-date=28 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628080920/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18723547 |url-status=live}}</ref> Under colonial rule, the Bahama Islands used the British [[Blue Ensign]] and [[Defacement (flag)|defaced]] it with the emblem of the territory. This was inspired by the ousting of the pirates, and consisted of a scene depicting a British ship chasing two pirate ships out at the high seas encircled by the [[motto]] "''Expulsis piratis restituta commercia''" ("Pirates expelled, commerce restored").  The emblem was designed in around 1850, but did not receive official approval until 1964.<ref name=EB>{{cite encyclopedia |first=Whitney |last=Smith |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |title=Flag of the Bahamas |url=http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1355013/flag-of-the-Bahamas |date=6 October 2013 |access-date=2 July 2014 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

The Bahama Islands were granted internal autonomy in 1964.<ref name=BBC/> After the 1972 elections, the territory started negotiations on independence.<ref name=BBC/><ref name=LP>{{cite web |title=History of The Bahamas |url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/the-bahamas/history |access-date=July 2, 2014 |website=[[Lonely Planet]] |archive-date=27 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527191335/http://www.lonelyplanet.com/the-bahamas/history |url-status=live}}</ref>  A search for a national flag began soon after, with a contest being held to determine the new design.  Instead of choosing a single winning design, it was decided that the new flag was to be an amalgamation of the elements from various submissions.<ref name=EB/>  It was first hoisted at midnight on 10 July 1973, the day the Bahamas became an independent country.<ref name=EB/><ref>{{cite news |title=Bahamas Ends British Rule, Raises New Flag |url=https://news.google.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-oklahoman-bahamas-ends-british/184988301/|date=10 July 1973 |access-date=14 November 2025 |page=4 |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=[[The Oklahoman|The Daily Oklahoman]]}}</ref>  The new country also changed its name from the Bahama Islands to the Bahamas upon independence.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |first=E. Paul |last=Albury |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=The Bahamas – Independence |url=http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/48951/The-Bahamas/54759/Independence |date=7 October 2013 |access-date=2 July 2014 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Design==
The colours of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The gold alludes the shining sun – as well as other key land-based natural resources<ref name=EB/> – while the aquamarine epitomises the water surrounding the country. The black symbolises the "strength",<ref name=EB/><ref name=complete>{{cite web |url=https://www.bahamas.gov.bs/flag-of-the-bahamas |title=Flag of The Bahamas |access-date=14 November 2025 |website=The Government of the Bahamas}}</ref> "vigour, and force" of the Bahamian people, while the directed triangle evokes their "enterprising and determined" nature to cultivate the abundant natural resources on the land and in the sea.<ref name=CIA>{{cite web |title=Bahamas, The |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/ |access-date=2 July 2014 |work=The World Factbook |publisher=CIA |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126031906/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahamas-the/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Colours===
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2024}}
{|class="wikitable"
!Colour
![[Pantone]]
![[RGB color model|RGB]]
!Hexadecimal
![[CMYK color model|CMYK]]
|-
|style="background:#00778b;color:#fff"|Aquamarine
|3145
|0, 169, 206<ref name="pantoneblue">{{cite web |title=PANTONE® 3145 C |url=https://www.pantone.com/color-finder/3145-C |access-date=2020-11-16 |archive-date=2021-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714183629/https://www.pantone.com/color-finder/3145-C |url-status=usurped}}</ref>
|#00778B<ref name="pantoneblue"/>
|30, 0, 24, 100<ref name="pantoneblue"/>
|-
|style="background:#ffc72c"|Yellow
|123
|255, 199, 44<ref name="pantoneyellow">{{cite web |title=PANTONE® 123 C |url=https://www.pantone.com/color-finder/123-C |access-date=2020-11-16 |archive-date=2016-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309064803/https://www.pantone.com/color-finder/123-C |url-status=usurped}}</ref>
|#FFC72C<ref name="pantoneyellow"/>
|0, 16, 89, 0<ref name="pantoneyellow"/>
|-
|style="background:#000;color:#fff"|Black
|''None''
|0, 0, 0
|#000000
|0, 0, 0, 100
|}

=== Construction sheet ===
{{gallery
|height=250
|width=475
|File:Flag of the Bahamas (construction sheet).svg
}}

==Legal issues==
[[File:Seabourn Pride Flag Pier 24 Tallinn 25 August 2013.JPG|thumb|Bahamian civil ensign on the ''[[Seabourn Pride]]'', 2013]]

The Bahamian flag is often used as a [[flag of convenience]] by foreign-owned [[merchant vessel]]s.  Under the Law on Merchant Shipping Act 1976 (amended in 1982), any domestic or foreign vessel – regardless of country of origin or place of registration – can be registered in the Bahamas "without difficulty".  Furthermore, the ship's crew is not restricted by nationality and "ordinary crew members" have "virtually no requirements for qualification".<ref name=Egiyan>{{cite journal |last=Egiyan |first=G.S. |title='Flag of convenience' or 'open registration' of ships |journal=[[Marine Policy]] |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=106–111 |doi=10.1016/0308-597x(90)90095-9 |date=March 1990 |bibcode=1990MarPo..14..106E |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0308597X90900959|url-access=subscription }}</ref>  This lack of regulation has led to ships flying flags of convenience – like the Bahamas' flag – having a reputation of possessing a "poor safety record".<ref>{{cite news |title=Bahamas becomes newest ship registration center |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/511963314 |date=11 May 1983|access-date=2 July 2014 |page=10 |first=Nicki |last=Kelly |newspaper=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |location=Boston |archive-date=22 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222051039/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/csmonitor_historic/doc/511963314.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar%2002,%201977&author=By%20Nicki%20Kelly%20Special%20to%20The%20Christian%20Science%20Monitor&pub=Christian%20Science%20Monitor&edition=&startpage=&desc=Bahamas%20becomes%20newest%20ship%20registration%20center |id={{ProQuest|511963314}} |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}</ref>  This came to light in November 2002, when the Greek oil tanker [[MV Prestige|MV ''Prestige'']] flying the flag of the Bahamas split into two and sank in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] off the north-western Spanish coast.  This produced an [[Oil spill|oil slick]] of 60,000 tons of petroleum.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ordás |first1=M. C. |last2=Albaigés |first2=J. |last3=Bayona |first3=J. M. |last4=Ordás |first4=A. |last5=Figueras |first5=A. |year=2007 |title=Assessment of In Vivo Effects of the Prestige Fuel Oil Spill on the Mediterranean Mussel Immune System |journal=Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology |volume=52 |issue=2 |pages=200–206 |doi=10.1007/s00244-006-0058-7 |pmid=17180482 |bibcode=2007ArECT..52..200O |s2cid=1108017 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17180482/}}</ref>

==Historical flags==
{| class="wikitable"
! width="110"|Flag!!width="100"|Duration!!width="250"|Use!!width="250"|Description
|-
|[[File:Flag of the Bahamas (1869-1904).svg|border|100x100px]]
|1869–1904
|Flag of the Crown Colony of the [[History of the Bahamas#19th century|Bahama Islands]]
|A British [[Blue Ensign]] [[Defacement (flag)|defaced]] with the emblem of the crown colony. This consisted of a British ship chasing two pirate ships out at the high seas and the motto "''Expulsis piratis restituta commercia''" (Pirates expelled, commerce restored).
|-
|[[File:Civil Ensign of the Bahamas (1869–1904).svg|border|100x100px]]
|1869–1904
|Civil Ensign of the Crown Colony of the [[History of the Bahamas#19th century|Bahama Islands]]
|A British [[Red Ensign]] defaced with the emblem of the crown colony. This consisted of a British ship chasing two pirate ships out at the high seas and the motto "''Expulsis piratis restituta commercia''" (Pirates expelled, commerce restored).
|-
|[[File:Flag of the Bahamas (1904-1923).svg|border|100x100px]]
|1904–1923
|Flag of the Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands
|The crown on the crest was changed to a domed Tudor crown.
|-
|[[File:Civil Ensign of the Bahamas (1904–1923).svg|border|100x100px]]
|1904–1923
|Civil Ensign of the Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands
|The crown on the crest was changed to a domed Tudor crown.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Bahamas (1923-1953).svg|border|100px]] || 1923–1953 || Flag of the Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands || The crown on the crest was changed to a Tudor crown.
|-
| [[File:Civil Ensign of the Bahamas (1923–1953).svg|border|100px]] || 1923–1953 || Civil Ensign of the Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands || The crown on the crest was changed to a Tudor crown.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Bahamas (1953-1964).svg|border|100px]] || 1953–1964 || Flag of the Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands || A British Blue Ensign defaced with the emblem of the crown colony featuring a St Edward's crown for the [[Elizabeth II|new monarch]].
|-
| [[File:Civil Ensign of the Bahamas (1953–1964).svg|border|100px]] || 1953–1964 || Civil Ensign of the Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands || A British [[Red Ensign]] defaced with the emblem of the crown colony featuring a St Edward's crown for the new monarch.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Bahamas (1964–1973).svg|border|100px]] || 1964–1973 || Flag of the Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands || A British Blue Ensign defaced with the emblem of the crown colony featuring a St Edward's crown.
|-
| [[File:Civil Ensign of the Bahamas (1964–1973).svg|border|100px]] || 1964–1973 || Civil Ensign of the Crown Colony of the Bahama Islands || A British Red Ensign defaced with the emblem of the crown colony featuring a St Edward's crown.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Bahamas (1973–2006).svg|border|100px]] || 1973–2006 || Flag of the Bahamas || A horizontal triband of aquamarine (top and bottom) and gold with the black chevron aligned to the hoist-side. Despite being superseded by the standardised variant, it remains widely used to this day unofficially.
|}

==Maritime flags==
{{gallery items|width=180
|[[File:Civil Ensign of the Bahamas.svg|180x100px|border]]|[[File:FIAV 000100.svg|23px]] Civil ensign. Flag Ratio: 1:2
|[[File:Civil Jack of the Bahamas.svg|180x100px]]|Civil jack. Flag Ratio: 1:2
|[[File:Naval Ensign of the Bahamas.svg|180x100px|border]]|[[File:FIAV 000001.svg|23px]] Naval ensign. Flag Ratio: 1:2
|[[File:Government Ensign of the Bahamas.svg|180x100px|border]]|Flag of the Auxiliary Fleet of the Navy. Flag Ratio: 1:2
}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Flags of the Bahamas}}
* {{FOTW|id=bs|title=The Bahamas}}

{{Bahamas topics|state=uncollapsed}}
{{Flags of North America}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Bahamas, Flag of the}}
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1973]]
[[Category:National flags]]
[[Category:National symbols of the Bahamas|Flag]]
[[Category:Society of the Bahamas]]
[[Category:Tricolor flags]]
[[Category:Vertically symmetrical flags]]