Flag of Costa Rica
Costa Rica's flag has five horizontal stripes: blue, white, a wide red stripe in the middle, white and blue. The red stripe is twice as wide as each of the others.
At a glance
- Adopted
- September 29, 1848the stripe pattern dates from 1848; the coat of arms on the government version was changed several times, most recently in 1998
- Shape (height : width)
- 3:5
- Capital
- San José
- Continent
- North America
- Colours
- blue
- white
- red
What it means
- Blue: the sky, opportunity, perseverance and spiritual ideals
- White: clear thinking, wisdom and peace
- Red: the warmth and generosity of the people and the blood shed for freedom
- Seven stars (on the coat of arms): the seven provinces of Costa Rica
Where it came from
The design was suggested in 1848 by Pacifica Fernandez Oreamuno, the wife of President Jose Maria Castro Madriz. She admired France and its revolution of 1848, and she proposed adding a red stripe to the old blue and white flag.
The colours are said to share the ideals of that French revolution: freedom, equality and brotherhood.
History
Until 1821 the land was part of the Spanish Empire. From 1823 Costa Rica belonged to the United Provinces of Central America, which used a blue-white-blue striped flag. After the federation broke up around 1841, Costa Rica kept using blue and white stripes for a few years.
In 1848 the red centre stripe was added, and the stripe pattern has stayed the same ever since. The government version carries the national coat of arms on a white oval near the flagpole side; that coat of arms was updated in 1906, 1964 and 1998. The coat of arms now shows seven stars, one for each province. Ordinary people use the plain striped flag.
Fun facts
- The flag was designed by a first lady, not by a committee or a soldier.
- The middle red stripe is exactly twice as tall as each of the other four stripes.
- There are two versions: the plain one for everyone and one with the coat of arms that only the government may fly.
- Thailand's flag uses the same stripe layout, but with the colours swapped.
Easy to mix up with
Thailand: Thailand has the same five stripes with a wide middle one, but its middle stripe is blue and the outer stripes are red
North Korea: North Korea also has blue, white and red stripes, but its wide red band carries a white disc with a red star
Questions
What does the flag of Costa Rica look like?
Costa Rica's flag has five horizontal stripes: blue, white, a wide red stripe in the middle, white and blue. The red stripe is twice as wide as each of the others.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Costa Rica mean?
Blue: the sky, opportunity, perseverance and spiritual ideals; White: clear thinking, wisdom and peace; Red: the warmth and generosity of the people and the blood shed for freedom; Seven stars (on the coat of arms): the seven provinces of Costa Rica.
When was the flag of Costa Rica adopted?
The current flag of Costa Rica was adopted on September 29, 1848. (the stripe pattern dates from 1848; the coat of arms on the government version was changed several times, most recently in 1998)
What colours are on the flag of Costa Rica?
The flag of Costa Rica uses blue, white and red.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Costa Rica?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Thailand. Thailand has the same five stripes with a wide middle one, but its middle stripe is blue and the outer stripes are red
Famous landmarks in Costa Rica
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)