Name Tricolore Adopted 15 February 1794 Adopted 4 August 1766 | Proportion 2:3 Use Unofficial | |
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Use National flag, civil and state ensign | ||
The official flag of Martinique is the national flag of France which is a tricolour flag featuring three vertical bands coloured blue (hoist side), white, and red.
The snake flag of Martinique (French: Drapeau aux serpents) has no official status on the island. It is a historical flag dating from an edict issued 4 August 1766, specifying that vessels of the French Colony of Martinique and Saint Lucia should fly a version of the French ensign, which at the time was a white cross on a blue field, with L-shaped (for Lucia) snakes in each quarter of the cross. The same design is used for the lesser coat of arms.
The snakes are fer-de-lance vipers (Bothrops lanceolatus, French trigonocéphale) native to Martinique.
References
Flag of Martinique Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA