Coat of arms of Belize
Encyclopedia
The Coat of Arms of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...

was adopted upon independence, and is only slightly different from the coat of arms used when Belize was a British colony.

The circular border of the coat is formed by twenty-five leaves. Within the circle is a mahogany
Swietenia
Swietenia is a genus of trees in the chinaberry family, Meliaceae. It occurs natively in the Neotropics, from southern Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America south to Bolivia...

 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.

The shield is supported by two wood-cutters of different races. 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
Flag of Belize
The flag of Belize is a continued version of the earlier flag of British Honduras .British Honduras obtained a coat of arms on January 28, 1907, which formed the basis of the badge used on British ensigns. The coat of arms recalls the logging industry that first led to British settlement there...

features the coat of arms in its centre.

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