The flag of Barbados features three vertical bands of ultramarine (outer) and gold (center), with a black trident head in the center. The trident symbolizes Neptune, the god of the sea, and represents Barbados' historical and economic ties to the ocean. The three points of the trident stand for the three principles of democracy: government of, for, and by the people. The ultramarine symbolizes the sea and sky of Barbados, and the gold represents the sand on the island's beaches.