Flag of El Salvador

Last updated
Republic of El Salvador
Flag of El Salvador.svg
Bandera Magna (Magna flag) (in Spanish)
Use State and war flag, naval ensign FIAV 011001.svg FIAV normal.svg
Proportion189:335, [1] approximately 9:16
Adopted27 May 1912;112 years ago (1912-05-27)
DesignA horizontal triband of cobalt blue (top and bottom) and white with the National Coat of Arms in the center and occupying the entire height of the white stripe with its top touching the upper blue strip and its base touching the lower blue stripe.
Civil Flag of El Salvador.svg
Use Civil flag and ensign FIAV 100100.svg FIAV normal.svg
DesignA horizontal triband of white within cobalt blue
Civil Ensign of El Salvador.svg
Use State and war flag, civil and state ensign FIAV 011110.svg FIAV normal.svg
DesignA horizontal triband of white within cobalt blue, the words "DIOS UNION LIBERTAD" in bolden golden amber centered and occupying almost the entire length of the white stripe

The flag of El Salvador features a horizontal triband of cobalt blue-white-cobalt blue, with the coat of arms centered and entirely contained within the central white stripe. This design of a triband of blue-white-blue is commonly used among Central American countries. The country's flag is one of the few that currently use the color purple, due to the rainbow in its coat of arms. [2]

Contents

Features

El Salvador's cobalt blue color scheme hue falls between Hex 024BFB and Hex 0F45D2
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Hex 024BFB
Hex 0F45D2 Coat of arms of El Salvador.svg
El Salvador's cobalt blue color scheme hue falls between Hex 024BFB and Hex 0F45D2
  Hex 024BFB
  Hex 0F45D2
Any additional appendages on the flag are in golden Amber (color) Gold Foil Metallic Texture Free Creative Commons (6962328289).jpg
Any additional appendages on the flag are in golden Amber (color)
" The Maya People ".jpg
MayanCalendar.png
Mesoamerican civilizations in El Salvador cultivated "añil"(Indigo), and used its blue dye extracts for many purposes.

The colors signify:

The blue hue is a vivid, lustrous and luscious rich solid cobalt blue. In the center of and occupying the entire width of the white stripe is the coat of arms with its top touching the upper blue strip and its base touching the lower blue stripe. The coat of arms contains the in bold golden amber words "REPÚBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMÉRICA CENTRAL" (English: Republic of El Salvador in Central America). There are two variant flags, one without the coat of arms, and the other with the words "DIOS UNIÓN LIBERTAD" (English: God, Union, Liberty) in bold golden amber in place of the coat of arms. All three contain the same cobalt blue and white stripes, occasionally with a gold Fringe (trim). The main flag has an aspect ratio of 189:335 while the variants are both 3:5. [3]

From 1865 to 1912, a different flag was in use, with a field of alternating cobalt blue and white stripes and a red canton containing stars. The designs of both sides of the flag are different; at the reverse side, it shows the then national coat of arms at the position of stars at obverse. The stars symbolized the provinces of the Republic; once a new province was created, one star was add to the obverse of the flag. This "Star-Striped" banner was considered to be inspired by the flag of the United States.

The blue stripes symbolize the ocean and sky. The white means Peace. Blue is an important color in Salvadoran culture and identity. It started with Native American cultures of Mesoamerica in El Salvador, that produced (añil) indigo plant which they used extracts to produce blue dyes. When the Europeans invaded and colonized the area, they saw the wealth of indigo and turned El Salvador to one of the world's foremost providers of indigo dye in its time.

Many other countries in Central America use blue and white colors as a Pan-Central American symbol.

Synonymous to the country's wealth, the colonizers referred to the dye as "the blue gold", that dominated El Salvador's economy until it was completely replaced by coffee cultivation. Today El Salvador remains as one of the few countries in the world that still cultivates indigo to produce blue dyes. Over time El Salvador's flag has had several different shades of blue, from the lightest to darkest, including Royal blue, Sapphire, Klein Blue and Indigo. The present current modern flag displays a cobalt blue color.

Departments

Historical flags of El Salvador

FlagAdoptedRelinquished
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg 15251701
Flag of Spain (1701-1760).svg 17011760
Flag of Spain (1760-1785).svg 17601785
Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg 178515 September 1821
 ???15 September 182120 February 1822
Civil Flag of El Salvador.svg 20 February 18229 February 1823
Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg 9 February 18231 July 1823
Flag of the United Provinces of Central America.svg 1 July 182322 November 1824
Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg 22 November 1824February 1841
Civil Flag of El Salvador.svg February 18411842
Flag of the United Provinces of Central America.svg 18421844
Civil Flag of El Salvador.svg 18449 May 1865
Flag of El Salvador (April 1865).svg 9 May 1865June 1865
Flag of El Salvador (June 1865).svg June 18651869
Flag of El Salvador (1869).svg 18691873
Flag of El Salvador (1873-1875).svg 18731877
Flag of El Salvador (1875-1877).svg 18772 November 1898
Flag of El Salvador (1877-1912) reverse.svg 1877 (reverse)2 November 1898 (reverse)
Zentralamerikanische Grossrepublik 1898.svg 2 November 189830 November 1898
Flag of El Salvador (1875-1877).svg 30 November 189817 May 1912
Flag of El Salvador (1877-1912) reverse.svg 30 November 1898 (reverse)17 May 1912 (reverse)
Flag of El Salvador.svg 17 May 19121921
Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg 19211922
Flag of El Salvador.svg 1922present

See also

References

  1. "Flag of El Salvador". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
  2. "sv-flag". World Atlas. Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024. Note: Expanded flag clearly shows purple in rainbow.
    • Art.7. "La bandera magna será de tres metros treinta y cinco centímetros de largo por un metro ochenta y nueve centímetros de ancho, en la cual irá dibujado el Escudo de Armas con todos sus blasones." (The greater flag is 3m 35cm long and 1m 89cm wide and includes the entire national coat of arms)
    • Art.9. "La bandera de uso en edificios y oficinas públicos, será de un metro de largo por sesenta centímetros de ancho (..) En la franja del centro llevará la leyenda: DIOS UNION LIBERTAD" (The flag for use at public buildings is 1m long by 60cm wide (..) The central stripe shall bear the inscription 'Dios Union Libertad')
    • Art.11. "La bandera de desfiles deberá medir un metro cuarenta y cinco centímetros de largo por noventa centímetros de ancho (..) La franja blanca de la bandera para desfiles, llevará en letras doradas la inscripción: DIOS UNION LIBERTAD" (The flag for use at parades will be 1.45m long by 90cm wide (..) The white stripe of the flag for parades shall bear in golden letters the inscription 'Dios Union Libertad')
    Ley de Símbolos Patrios Archived 2016-03-13 at the Wayback Machine