The flag of St Kitts and Nevis is one of the Caribbean’s most striking national symbols: a bold diagonal of black edged in gold, two white stars, and fields of green and red. Raised for the first time at the stroke of independence on 19 September 1983, it tells the story of the twin-island federation in five colours — the land, the people, the struggle and the hope. This guide explains what every element of the flag means, who designed it, and how it came to fly over a sovereign nation.
What the flag looks like
The flag is a rectangle in the proportions 2:3, divided diagonally by a black band edged in yellow running from the lower corner at the hoist (the side nearest the flagpole) to the upper corner at the fly. Above the band sits a green triangle; below it, a red triangle. Within the black band are two white five-pointed stars, tilted to follow the line of the band.
The meaning of the colours
- Green — the fertility of the land: the rainforest slopes, cane lands and gardens of two famously lush volcanic islands.
- Red — the struggle of the people, from slavery through colonialism to independence: the sacrifice of the generations who fought for freedom.
- Black — the African heritage of the people, the strength and endurance from which the nation springs.
- Yellow (gold) — the year-round sunshine that blesses the islands, and the promise of a bright future.
- White — in the two stars: hope and liberty, the ideals on which the federation was founded.
This official symbolism was set out by the flag’s designer herself, and it has been taught in the federation’s schools ever since.
The two stars
The stars are the flag’s most distinctive feature — and its most commonly misread one. Officially they stand for hope and liberty. They are also widely embraced as the two islands themselves, St Kitts and Nevis, standing side by side on the band that carries them upward. Both readings live happily together: two islands, one hope, one liberty.
The diagonal band
The rising diagonal is no accident. Where many flags divide horizontally or vertically, the band of St Kitts and Nevis climbs from the lower hoist to the upper fly — an upward line of progress and aspiration. The black band carried on gold honours the people themselves as the force lifting the nation, crowned by the stars of hope and liberty.
Who designed the flag?
The flag was designed by Edrice Lewis, a young Kittitian student whose entry won the national flag competition held ahead of independence. The competition drew 258 entries before closing in February 1983, and Lewis’s design was chosen for its bold simplicity and the clarity of its symbolism. Remarkably, she also wrote the official interpretation of the colours — so the meaning of the flag is the designer’s own, in her own words. (Older publications sometimes misspell her name as “Edris”; Edrice Lewis is the spelling in the national record.)
Before 1983: the flags the islands flew
For most of the colonial era, St Kitts and Nevis flew British ensigns — the Union Jack and the flags of the Leeward Islands colony and, briefly, the West Indies Federation (1958–1962). In 1967, when St Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla became an associated state with internal self-government, the islands raised their own flag for the first time: a vertical tricolour of green, yellow and blue bearing a palm tree. When Anguilla’s separation was confirmed and full independence approached, the federation sought a new flag for a new nation — the design that flies today.
Independence and identity
At the independence ceremony in Basseterre on 19 September 1983, the Union Jack was lowered and the new flag of St Kitts and Nevis was raised as “O Land of Beauty!” was performed for the first time as the anthem of a sovereign state. From that morning the flag has been the visual identity of the federation — unchanged in over four decades, a constant through every chapter of the nation’s story since. Read more about independence and how it is celebrated.
The flag today
The flag flies daily over government buildings and schools, leads the parades of Independence Day each September 19, travels with the federation’s athletes and cricketers, and hangs with pride in the homes of Kittitians and Nevisians across the diaspora — from London and Toronto to New York and beyond. For a small nation, the flag does big work: wherever it appears, it announces that St Kitts and Nevis is in the room.
Displaying the flag respectfully
- Orientation matters: the green triangle sits on top and the band rises away from the pole, from lower hoist to upper fly. Check the stars climb upward.
- Keep the flag clean and in good repair; retire faded or torn flags with dignity.
- Never let the flag touch the ground, and raise and lower it with care at ceremonies.
- When flown with other national flags, display it at equal height and equivalent size.
Related national symbols
The flag is one of a family of symbols adopted at independence. Explore the coat of arms, motto, national bird and national flower, the story of the national anthem, and the timeline of the history the flag represents.
Frequently asked questions
What do the two stars on the St Kitts and Nevis flag mean?
Officially, hope and liberty. They are also popularly understood to represent the two islands of the federation, St Kitts and Nevis.
Who designed the flag of St Kitts and Nevis?
Edrice Lewis, a Kittitian student, whose design won the 1983 national competition from 258 entries. She also authored the official meaning of the colours.
When was the flag adopted?
On 19 September 1983 — Independence Day, when St Kitts and Nevis became a sovereign nation. The design has never been changed.
What do the colours stand for?
Green for the fertile land, red for the struggle from slavery through colonialism to independence, black for African heritage, yellow for year-round sunshine, and white — in the stars — for hope and liberty.
What flag did St Kitts and Nevis use before independence?
From 1967 to 1983 the associated state of St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla flew a green, yellow and blue tricolour with a palm tree; before that, British colonial ensigns.
Bring the flag home
The national colours belong to everyone who loves these islands. Our own Classic Flag collection puts the flag on pieces made to be worn and used with pride — the Classic Flag tee in light colours, the dark-colour edition, a Classic Flag mug for the morning cup, and a gallery-quality flag poster for the wall. You’ll find these and more in the flag collection in the marketplace.