The St. Vincent and the Grenadines flag was adopted on independence day in 1979. It has the coat of arms of the island placed on a stylized breadfruit leaf in the center. Its blue, yellow, and green stripes were derived from the common colors of the flags assigned to the Associated States by the College of Arms. The breadfruit recalled the British introduction of the breadfruit tree into the Caribbean from the South Seas.

"The Gems", as the green lozenges on the flag itself are commonly called, is an abbreviation of "the Gems of the Antilles", which is the islands' nickname. They also represent the nature of the country, with numerous islands and people. The blue symbolizes the sky and the sea, and the green represents the lush vegetation and the vitality of the people. The yellow stands for the golden sands, and the bright spirit of the people.