Flag of Peru
Peru's flag has three upright stripes: red, white and red.
At a glance
- Adopted
- March 31, 1950the red-white-red flag dates from 25 February 1825; in 1950 the coat of arms was taken off the civil flag, which is the plain version shown here
- Shape (height : width)
- 2:3
- Capital
- Lima
- Continent
- South America
- Colours
- red
- white
What it means
- Red: commonly said to be the blood of those who fought for independence
- White: commonly said to be peace and purity
- Note: the law gives no official meaning; the flamingo story is a popular legend
Where it came from
The first Peruvian flag was created in 1820 by Jose de San Martin, who led the fight for independence from Spain. Its colours are linked in a popular story to red-and-white flamingos that San Martin is said to have seen. Wikipedia also credits Jose Bernardo de Tagle and Simon Bolivar with later versions.
History
San Martin's 1820 flag was split diagonally and had a coat of arms, which made it hard to make. In 1822 Torre Tagle switched to horizontal stripes, but they looked too much like Spain's flag, so the stripes were turned upright. The red-white-red flag with the coat of arms was set by law on 25 February 1825.
In 1950 President Manuel Odria removed the coat of arms from the flag that ordinary people fly. Today the plain flag is the civil flag, and the version with the coat of arms is used by the state and the armed forces.
Fun facts
- Legend says San Martin chose the colours after seeing red-and-white flamingos.
- Peru's Flag Day is 7 June, the anniversary of the Battle of Arica.
- Peru has four official versions of its flag for different uses.
- The law does not set an exact shade of red.
Easy to mix up with
Canada
AustriaQuestions
What does the flag of Peru look like?
Peru's flag has three upright stripes: red, white and red.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Peru mean?
Red: commonly said to be the blood of those who fought for independence; White: commonly said to be peace and purity; Note: the law gives no official meaning; the flamingo story is a popular legend.
When was the flag of Peru adopted?
The current flag of Peru was adopted on March 31, 1950. (the red-white-red flag dates from 25 February 1825; in 1950 the coat of arms was taken off the civil flag, which is the plain version shown here)
What colours are on the flag of Peru?
The flag of Peru uses red and white.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Peru?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Canada. Canada is also red-white-red, but its middle stripe is wider and has a red maple leaf
Famous landmarks in Peru
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)