Flag of Martinique

What the flag looks like

Two equal horizontal bands of green over black, with a red triangle at the hoist reaching to the center of the flag. It is the flag of the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique; the French tricolor remains the official national flag.

What it means

Known as the rouge-vert-noir, it uses pan-African colors chosen by Martinican nationalists in the 1960s to honor the island's African heritage and the struggle for liberation.

How to remember it

Martinique is the Palestinian flag with the white stripe taken out: a red triangle pushing into just two bands, green over black.

Fun facts

• The design was created by Martinican nationalists in 1968 and adopted by the Assembly of Martinique on 2 February 2023, after the hummingbird design that had won the public vote was withdrawn over plagiarism claims.
• Before 2023 the flag most often shown for Martinique was the colonial "snake flag": a white cross on blue with a white snake in each quarter.

Martinique at a glance

Status

Overseas department and region of France

Sovereign state

France

Capital

Fort-de-France

Region

French overseas region

Population

349,925

Area

1,128 km²

Languages

French, Antillean Creole

Currency

Euro (€)

Flag adopted

2023

Flags often confused with Martinique

• Palestine: Martinique and Palestine both have a red triangle at the hoist with black and green bands. Palestine has three stripes, black, white and green; Martinique has only two, green on top and black below, with no white.
• Jordan: Jordan and Martinique both have a red triangle at the hoist with black and green bands. Jordan has three stripes, black, white and green, and a white star in the triangle; Martinique has just two bands, green over black, and its triangle reaches to the center.