JAMAICA - This Caribbean flag was hoisted for the first time in 1962 to mark Jamaica’s independence. Symbolically, Britain’s Union Jack was lowered simultaneously. Jamaica’s national flag is rectangular in shape with a gold diagonal cross to represent wealth and the natural beauty of sunlight. The top and bottom triangles are green to represent hope and the country’s fertile land, a tribute to the island’s name which means Land of Wood and Water in Arawakan. This language was spoken by the island’s now-extinct indigenous Taino people. The remaining two triangles are black to symbolize the resilience and creativity of the Jamaican people. Jamaica’s flag is the only national flag in the world without the traditional colors of red, white, and blue.