flag of Grenada

Proposals were made in the 1950s for a federation of all the British territories in the Caribbean Sea, but the larger ones (in particular Jamaica and Trinidad) wanted separate sovereignty. As an alternative to maintaining the colonial status that had existed for centuries, Britain offered “associated statehood” to the remaining smaller islands, including Grenada. Although without military forces and international relations of their own, those states accepting the offer became entirely self-governing internally. Grenada entered into the agreement in 1967. Some of the Caribbean states adopted flags that they continued to use after achieving complete independence, while Grenada and others had interim designs only. Grenada’s flag had horizontal stripes of blue-yellow-green with a central representation of a nutmeg, one of the island’s chief products.

The nutmeg symbol was retained when, in anticipation of independence, a new flag was developed. Officially hoisted at midnight, February 6/7, 1974, this unusual design has a diagonally divided background of green for vegetation and yellow for wisdom and the sun. Around the edge is a red border, symbolic of harmony and unity. The seven yellow stars stand for the original administrative subdivisions of Grenada. This design is typical of the striking new patterns that many Caribbean countries selected to avoid the more common vertical and horizontal tricolours.