Coat of arms of Belize

The coat of arms of Belize was adopted upon independence in 1981. It differs only slightly different from the arms used when Belize was a British colony.
The wreath around the arms is formed of 50 leaves, symbolising the year 1950, "when Belizeans began the struggle for independence". Within the wreath is a mahogany tree, in front of which is a shield split per chevron and per pale. The upper sections of the shield show the tools of a woodcutter, while the lower section shows a ship under sail. These are symbolic of the importance of mahogany in the 18th- and 19th-century Belizean economy. The motto is Sub umbra floreo, a reference to the country's forests and to its establishment as a colony under British protection.
The flag of Belize features the coat of arms in its centre.