Flag of Guyana

Guyana

Name	The Golden Arrowhead
Use	National flag
Proportion	3:5
Adopted	26 May 1966
Design	A green field with the black-edged red isosceles triangle based on the hoist-side superimposed on the larger white-edged golden triangle, also based on the hoist-side, pointed toward the fly-side.
Designed by	Whitney Smith
Variant flag of Guyana
Use	National ensign
Proportion	1:2
Design	An elongated version of the above.
Variant flag of Guyana
Proportion	7:11
Design	British Civil Air Ensign combined with national flag of Guyana. May be flown at airports and from landed aircraft.

The flag of Guyana, known as The Golden Arrow, has been the national flag of Guyana since May 1966 when the country became independent from the United Kingdom. It was designed by Whitney Smith, an American vexillologist (though originally without the black and white fimbriations, which were later additions suggested by the College of Arms in the United Kingdom). The proportions of the national flag are 3:5. The colours are symbolic, with green for agriculture and forests, white for rivers and water, gold for mineral wealth, black for endurance, and red for zeal and dynamism.

The civil air ensign is a copy of the British Civil Air Ensign, with the Guyanese flag in the canton. The naval ensign of Guyana is a version of the national flag, with proportions of 1:2.

As part of the British Empire, Guyana's flag was a British Blue Ensign with the colonial badge in the fly. An unofficial red version was used at sea. The first flag was introduced in 1875 and was changed slightly in 1906 and 1955. Like all British Ensigns, the colonial flags of Guyana were all ratio 1:2.