Two human figures appear on Belize’s national flag.
They stand inside the large white disk that contains Belize’s coat of arms: one is a mestizo man and the other is a man of African descent. Together with the tools, mahogany tree, and shield, they reference the logging industry that shaped the country’s early economy and colonial history.
Belize adopted the flag on September 21, 1981, the day it became independent. The blue field and central coat of arms were based on an unofficial flag used from 1950 onward. Red stripes were added at the top and bottom to make the design more politically inclusive, representing the opposition party as well as the governing party’s blue.
The figures are easy to miss because they are small within the detailed emblem. Belize’s flag is often described as the only national flag with humans as a major design element, though other flags and territories contain human figures or body parts in badges and symbols.