Flag of Saint Barthélemy
Officially Territorial Collectivity of Saint Barthélemy
Locally Saint-Barthélemy
What the flag looks like
An unofficial local flag: a white field with the island's coat of arms, a shield of three gold fleurs-de-lis on blue, a white Maltese cross on red and three gold crowns on blue, topped by a mural crown, held by two pelicans above a scroll reading OUANALAO. The official flag is the French tricolor.
What it means
The fleurs-de-lis stand for France, the Maltese cross for the Knights Hospitaller who owned the island in the 17th century, and the three crowns for its century under Swedish rule.
How to remember it
Saint Barthélemy
is the white flag where two pelicans hold a shield with a Swedish souvenir: three gold crowns under a Maltese cross.
Fun facts
- Ouanalao, written on the scroll, is the island's old Amerindian name.
- Sweden ruled the island from 1784 to 1878, and its capital, Gustavia, is named after King Gustav III.
Saint Barthélemy at a glance
- Status
- Overseas collectivity of France
- Sovereign state
- France
- Capital
- Gustavia
- Region
- French overseas collectivity
- Population
- 10,660
- Area
- 25 km²
- Languages
- French
- Currency
- Euro (€)
Flags often confused with Saint Barthélemy
- Mayotte: Saint Barthélemy and Mayotte are both French islands flying a coat of arms on a white field. Mayotte has two seahorses and the word MAYOTTE in red; Saint Barthélemy has two pelicans, a mural crown and the word OUANALAO.