The Coat of Arms of Belise was adopted upon independence, and is only slightly different from the coat of arms used when Belise was a British colony. The circular border of the coat is formed by twenty five leaves. Within this circle is a mahogany tree, in front of which is a shield. Within the shield are the tools of a woodcutter in the upper quadrants, and a ship in the lower one. These are symbolic of the importance of mahogany and its usage in the construction of boats. The shield is supported by two wood-cutters of different races. The one on the left is holding an axe, while the one on the right is holding an oar. Again the importance of the mahogany and its importance to boat building are represented. At the bottom is the national motto on a scroll. The coat of arms features in the centre of the national flag.