ORGANISATION

Caribbean Community: Flag, History and Membership

The flag of the Caribbean Community connects sky, sea and sun with two interlocking letters. It stands for a cooperation that extends beyond islands: Belize, Guyana and Suriname are also among them. The total of 15 full members also include Montserrat, a British overseas territory. This peculiarity explains why a mere list of independent states falls short.

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Caribbean Community Flag: Meaning, History and Members · supplied learning collection

Key facts and distinctions

Article focus: International organisation
Membership record: 1 November 2026
Linked country entries: 14
List definition: Country subset of the supplied member record
Short name: CARICOM
Founding Treaty: Chaguaramas, July 4, 1973
Entry into force: 1 August 1973
Full members: 15, including Montserrat
Independent full members: 14 States
Flag design approved: July 1983
First hoisting: Nassau, July 1984
Central sign: Two interlocking C

Sky, Sea and Broken Chain Link

The upper light blue area represents the sky, the lower dark blue the Caribbean Sea. In the middle is a yellow sun, surrounded by a narrow green ring for the vegetation of the region. The black of the sign stands out clearly from this luminous disc.

The emblem consists of two interlocking C. At the same time, the organization describes them as interrupted chain links: they connect the idea of common unity with the break with the colonial past. Anyone who recognizes only two initials thus overlooks an essential part of the explicitly explained symbolism of this flag.

From treaty to common identity

The Treaty of Chaguaramas was signed on 4 July 1973 by Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. It entered into force on 1 August of the same year. CARICOM followed on from previous attempts at regional cooperation, including the Caribbean Free Trade Association CARIFTA and the short-lived West Indies Federation.

The common standard followed later. The heads of government approved their draft in July 1983 in Port of Spain. It was designed by WINART Studies from Georgetown in Guyana. It first blew at the next summit in July 1984 in Nassau in the Bahamas. Founding and flag premiere are therefore different dates.

Full membership and graduated cooperation

The Community combines economic integration with common foreign policy and practical cooperation. The revised Treaty provided the framework for the further development of a common market and a common economy. A common symbol does not mean either a Caribbean unitary state or that each member is involved in every step of integration in an identical way.

The circle of full members includes 14 independent countries and Montserrat. In addition, there are associated memberships with other rights. The official presentation expressly distinguishes between participation and voting rights of full members as well as the special opportunities for participation of associates. For the member quiz, the respective category is therefore crucial, not only the geographical proximity to the Caribbean.

Details Worth Remembering

A Community with mainland countries

The name Caribbean Community is easy to think exclusively of island states. However, Belize in Central America and Guyana and Suriname on the South American coast show that regional affiliation also comes from history, economic connections and political cooperation. The sea color on the flag describes a common space, not a restriction on islands.

Order Montserrat correctly

Montserrat counts as a full member, although it is not an independent state. When comparing with a world map of sovereign countries, therefore, a difference appears to arise. The organization counts members while a country quiz may use another population. Both numbers must be read with their respective definitions.

A flag with two time levels

The flag is at the same time a reminder of historical liberation and future cooperation. The broken chain links refer to colonial ties, their connection to voluntary unity. This makes the emblem more than a letter mark and provides a clear explanation for why symbols of an organization can combine several statements.

The illustrated signs and variants

**Caribbean Community**Flag illustration retained from the supplied source record.

Countries in the supplied learning record

These links cover countries represented in this site’s country database. Any territories, regional governments, observer categories or participation qualifications are discussed above. Counts are not interchangeable.