Coat of arms of Dominica


The coat of arms of Dominica was adopted on July 21, 1961. It consists of a shield with two guardian sisserou parrots bracing the shield atop of which is a raging lion. The quadrants of the shield depict a canoe, a banana tree, a palm and a frog of the native species known as the mountain chicken. Below the shield is the national motto: Apres Bondie C'est La Ter.

Official description

The government of Dominica gives two official descriptions of the coat of arms:

Heraldic description ([blazon])

Quarterly Or and Azure a cross fillet counterchanged in the first quarter on a Rocky Mount Sable a Coconut Tree fructed proper in the second a Dominica Crapaud also proper in the third on Water Barry wavy in base a Carib canoe with sail set all likewise proper in the fourth quarter on a Rocky Mount also sable a Banana Tree fructed also proper and for the crest. On a Wreath Argent and Azure a Rocky Mount Sable thereon a Lion Passant guardant Or and for the Supporters. On either side of Sisserou Parrot proper beaked and membered or together with this motto APRES BONDIE C’EST LA TER.

Non-heraldic description

The Coat of Arms of Dominica bears the inscription ‘ Apres Bondie C’est La Ter’,, which emphasizes the importance of the soil in the island with its economy based on agriculture.
The design depicts a shield divided into four quarters of a cross, referring to the Island’s name, because of its discovery on a Sunday. In first quarter on the top left, you see the black volcanic soil of Dominica supporting a coconut tree, and in the fourth quarter on bottom right a fully developed banana stem bearing a mature bunch of fruits is shown. Our Crapaud, the second quarter, while in the third quarter, a canoe under sail glides on the Caribbean Sea. A wreath of silver and blue bears the crest, a golden lion standing upon a black rocky mount with the Sisserou parrot as supporters.