US Virgin Islands Flag

Description

The US Virgin Islands flag is available from Flags Online in full-size and desk formats, printed on both sides and made to last outdoors.

About the US Virgin Islands Flag

The US Virgin Islands flag is one of the more distinctive territorial flags flown in the Caribbean, combining an American emblem with local initials. It shows a simplified version of the United States coat of arms, a yellow eagle set between the white letters V and I, standing for Virgin Islands. The flag was adopted in 1921, a few years after the islands passed from Danish to American control, and it remains the flag used across St Croix, St Thomas and St John today.

Colours and Symbolism

The eagle at the centre of the US Virgin Islands flag carries a sprig of laurel in one talon, a traditional mark of victory and peace, and three blue arrows in the other. The three arrows are usually read as representing the territory’s three main islands. The shield on the eagle’s breast is picked out in the same blue used on the American flag and seal, tying the design firmly to its parent nation. The white background and blue accents keep the flag visually close to federal symbolism while the V and I letters give it a local identity of its own.

History of the US Virgin Islands Flag

Before 1917 the islands were Danish territory, and the flag flown was a blue ensign with the Dannebrog, the Danish cross, in the canton. Transfer Day in March 1917 saw sovereignty pass to the United States, and for a few years the islands had no distinct flag of their own. That changed in 1921, when the current design was introduced. It was drawn by Percival Wilson Sparks, a cartoonist working on the islands, and the first version was hand-embroidered by his wife Grace and her sister. Unlike some territorial flags that have gone through repeated redesigns, the US Virgin Islands flag has stayed essentially unchanged since its introduction, making it one of the more stable pieces of Caribbean flag history.

Flying and Displaying the Flag

The US Virgin Islands flag is classified as both a civil and state flag, meaning it is flown by ordinary residents and government buildings alike, with no separate ensign required for official use. Its proportions run 2:3, the same ratio used by the US national flag, which makes the two easy to fly side by side on adjacent poles. Because the design references federal symbolism directly, it is often displayed alongside the Stars and Stripes at government offices, schools and public events across the territory. Collectors and residents who fly the flag privately generally follow the same care and respect shown to the national flag, given how closely the two are linked in design and meaning.

US Virgin Islands Flag Sizes and Pricing

• 180 x 120cm — R860
• 22 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R800
• 10 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R650
• 90 x 60cm — R400

Material and Construction

Made from 100% polyester bunting material and digitally printed on both sides. Hemmed all around with two rows of stitching and finished with a polyester webbing heading. Rope and toggle for hoisting included.

Supplied in packs of 10. Printed on both sides onto polyester and supplied with a black plastic stick and removable base — take the base off and it doubles as a hand waving flag.

Ordering and Delivery

Every US Virgin Islands flag is printed to order and dispatched from our Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Johannesburg branches, with courier delivery nationwide. Bulk and school orders are welcome — contact us for volume pricing on quantities of 10 or more.

Additional information