Flag of Colombia
The flag of Colombia has three horizontal stripes: a wide yellow stripe on top that fills half the flag, then blue and red stripes below.
At a glance
- Adopted
- November 26, 1861the yellow, blue and red colours were used from 1819 in Gran Colombia; the current layout was adopted in 1861
- Shape (height : width)
- 2:3
- Capital
- Bogotá
- Continent
- South America
- Colours
- yellow
- blue
- red
What it means
- Yellow: the wealth and gold of the land, and also sovereignty and justice
- Blue: the sky and the two seas, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, that touch Colombia
- Red: the blood shed for independence
- Note: these are the explanations the government gives; other explanations, like liberty, equality and fraternity, also exist
Where it came from
The yellow, blue and red colours were created by Francisco de Miranda, a Venezuelan leader who fought for Latin American independence from Spain. He first raised his flag in 1806.
Miranda is said to have chosen the colours after a talk with the German writer Goethe about primary colours. Another possible inspiration was the flag of a citizens' guard in Hamburg.
History
In 1819 the colours were adopted by Gran Colombia, a large republic that included today's Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama. When it broke apart, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador all kept these colours.
Colombia's present layout, with the double-width yellow stripe, was adopted on 26 November 1861. Later decrees in the 1900s set the details and colours.
Fun facts
- The yellow stripe is as tall as the blue and red stripes put together.
- A Colombian flag travelled to the Moon on the Apollo 17 mission.
- Miranda's tricolour was first raised in the Caribbean in 1806, years before Colombia was independent.
- The exact shades of the colours have never been fixed by law.
Easy to mix up with
Ecuador
VenezuelaQuestions
What does the flag of Colombia look like?
The flag of Colombia has three horizontal stripes: a wide yellow stripe on top that fills half the flag, then blue and red stripes below.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Colombia mean?
Yellow: the wealth and gold of the land, and also sovereignty and justice; Blue: the sky and the two seas, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, that touch Colombia; Red: the blood shed for independence; Note: these are the explanations the government gives; other explanations, like liberty, equality and fraternity, also exist.
When was the flag of Colombia adopted?
The current flag of Colombia was adopted on November 26, 1861. (the yellow, blue and red colours were used from 1819 in Gran Colombia; the current layout was adopted in 1861)
What colours are on the flag of Colombia?
The flag of Colombia uses yellow, blue and red.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Colombia?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Ecuador. Ecuador has the same stripes and sizes, but its national flag has a coat of arms with a condor in the middle
Famous landmarks in Colombia
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)