Flag of Guatemala
Guatemala's flag has three vertical stripes, sky blue, white and sky blue, with the national coat of arms, topped by a quetzal bird, in the middle.
At a glance
- Adopted
- August 17, 1871the blue-white-blue design and coat of arms were set by decrees in 1871; the colours and drawing were standardised in 1968 and confirmed by a decree of 1997
- Shape (height : width)
- 5:8
- Capital
- Guatemala City
- Continent
- North America
- Colours
- sky blue
- white
What it means
- Blue: justice and loyalty, and the sky above Guatemala
- White: purity and integrity
- Quetzal: liberty; it is the national bird, and people often say it cannot live in a cage
- Scroll: the words "Libertad 15 de Septiembre de 1821", the date of independence from Spain
- Crossed rifles and swords: readiness to defend the country, and honour
- Laurel wreath: victory
Where it came from
The blue and white come from the flag of the Federal Republic of Central America, which Guatemala belonged to after independence from Spain. The coat of arms was designed by the Swiss artist Jean-Baptiste Frener.
The current pattern of vertical stripes with the coat of arms was set in 1871. Flag Day is 17 August.
History
Under Spanish rule the Cross of Burgundy flew here. After independence in 1821 Guatemala used the flags of the Mexican Empire and then of the Central American federation.
In 1851 a pro-Spanish government added Spain's red and yellow to the flag. The original blue and white returned in 1871, now as vertical stripes. A 1968 regulation standardised the colours and drawing, and a 1997 decree confirmed them.
Fun facts
- It is one of only a few national flags with a gun on it.
- Its 5:8 shape is shared by only a handful of flags, including Poland's and Sweden's.
- A plain version without the coat of arms was used on merchant ships until 1997.
Easy to mix up with
El Salvador: El Salvador also has blue-white-blue, but in horizontal stripes
Argentina: Argentina has light blue and white horizontal stripes with a golden sun
Questions
What does the flag of Guatemala look like?
Guatemala's flag has three vertical stripes, sky blue, white and sky blue, with the national coat of arms, topped by a quetzal bird, in the middle.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Guatemala mean?
Blue: justice and loyalty, and the sky above Guatemala; White: purity and integrity; Quetzal: liberty; it is the national bird, and people often say it cannot live in a cage; Scroll: the words "Libertad 15 de Septiembre de 1821", the date of independence from Spain; Crossed rifles and swords: readiness to defend the country, and honour; Laurel wreath: victory.
When was the flag of Guatemala adopted?
The current flag of Guatemala was adopted on August 17, 1871. (the blue-white-blue design and coat of arms were set by decrees in 1871; the colours and drawing were standardised in 1968 and confirmed by a decree of 1997)
What colours are on the flag of Guatemala?
The flag of Guatemala uses sky blue and white.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Guatemala?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of El Salvador. El Salvador also has blue-white-blue, but in horizontal stripes
Famous landmarks in Guatemala
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)