Coat of arms of Belize
| Coat of arms of Belize | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Armiger | Elizabeth II in Right of Belize |
| Adopted | 1981 |
| Crest | A mahogany tree proper |
| Escutcheon | Party per pall inverted, 1st Argent a paddle and a squaring axe proper in saltire 2nd Or a saw and beating axe proper in saltire 3rd per fess bleu celeste and barry wavy or vert azure above the last a sailing ship proper |
| Supporters | Dexter a Mestizo woodsman proper garbed in trousers argent bearing in the dexter hand a beating axe, sinister an African woodsman proper garbed in trousers argent bearing in the sinister hand a paddle proper |
| Compartment | A grassy field |
| Motto |
SUB UMBRA FLOREO "Under the shade I flourish" |
| Other elements | The whole surrounded by a wreath of 50 leaves because it shows two leaves on each side. |
The coat of arms of Belize was adopted upon independence, and the current coat of arms is only slightly different from that used when Belize was a British colony.[1]
The circular border of the coat is formed by fifty leaves. Within the circle is a mahogany tree, in front of which is a shield tierced per pall inverted. Within the shield are the tools of a woodcutter in the upper sections and a ship in the lower one. These are symbolic of the importance of mahogany in the 18th- and 19th-century Belizean economy.[2]
The shield is supported by two men of different shades of brown. The one on the left is holding an axe, while the one on the right is holding an oar. Again the importance of the mahogany and its importance to boat building are represented. At the bottom is the national motto: SUB UMBRA FLOREO ("Under the shade I flourish").
The flag of Belize features the coat of arms in its center.
References
- ↑ Arms of BELIZE - Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ↑ "The National Symbols". Government of Belize. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
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