Martinique flag

Flag of france
Vexillological symbol :	?
Aspect ratio:	2: 3
Officially accepted:	First hoisted on May 20, 1794, last reintroduced on March 5, 1848

As the French overseas department , the official flag of Martinique is the flag of France .

The snake flag

The "snake flag" is the coat of arms banner of the coat of arms of Martinique . Originally it was the flag of the French colony Martinique and Saint Lucia , which is why the snakes in the four blue corners are shown in an L-shape. Until the British conquered Saint Lucia, Martinique was administered from there. The flag was introduced on August 4, 1766 as a variant of the French sea flag of the time (white cross on a blue background). This nautical flag is still the basis of the flag of Québec today . The snake is the native Martinique lance viper ( Bothrops lanceolatus ).

The flag is not undisputed. The independence party Mouvement des Démocrates et des Ecologistes pour une Martinique Indépendante (MODEMAS) criticizes that the flag was previously used on slave ships and is now only used by the population of European descent; the coat of arms on government buildings and on the uniforms of the gendarmerie. In connection with the flag, MODEMAS speaks of a symbol of “social apartheid” and “racism”.

• 

  ^? Flag of the colony of Martinique and Saint Lucia

• 

  Today's "snake flag"

More flags of Martinique

The General Council of the Overseas Department has its own flag. The Council's logo is displayed on the white flag. In addition to its status as an overseas department, Martinique is also a French region whose regional council has the right to adopt its own flag.

^? Front National de Liberation de la Martinique

The independence party MODEMAS uses a flag that is split like the flag of the Czech Republic . The triangle on the leech is red, the upper stripe green, the lower one black. The aspect ratio is 1: 2. A flag with the same appearance but an aspect ratio of 2: 3 was used by the Front National de Liberation de la Martinique in the 1960s / 70s.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Flags of the World - Martinique (France): Political Movements

Web links

Commons : Flags of Martinique  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Flags of the World - Martinique (Overseas Department and Region, France) (English)