Bolivia's Coat Of Arms: History And Meaning Explained

The Bolivian coat of arms is a central part of the country's national flag and is symbolic of the country's people and their history. The coat of arms features a circle with Mount Potosi and an alpaca standing next to a tree and wheat, representing the country's natural resources and abundance. The current flag of Bolivia was officially adopted on 31 October 1851 and has three equal horizontal bands of red, yellow and green, with the coat of arms featured on the yellow band in the centre.

The coat of arms' central image

The coat of arms of Bolivia is elliptical in shape. The central image features a landscape with the Cerro Rico of Potosí and the Cerro Menor, with the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the upper part of the smaller hill. In the foreground of this landscape, there is a llama, a sheaf of wheat, and a palm tree. This central image is symbolic of the natural resources of Bolivia.

The central image is surrounded by a blue oval with a golden inner edge. The inscription "BOLIVIA" in golden capital letters is placed in the upper half of the oval, while the lower half features ten golden, five-pointed stars. The oval is flanked on both sides by three national flags, a cannon, two rifles, an axe on the right, and a liberty cap on the left.

Surmounting the central image is an Andean condor in a rising attitude, with two interlaced branches of laurel and olive behind it. The laurel branch is on the left, and the olive branch on the right, forming a wreath. The Andean condor symbolises the country's willingness to defend its liberty and sovereignty.

The laurel branches

The coat of arms of Bolivia was adopted in 2004 and is elliptical in shape. It features a central cartouche surrounded by Bolivian flags, cannons, and laurel branches, with an Andean condor perched on top. The Andean condor symbolises the country's willingness to defend its liberty and freedom. The laurel branches, along with the olive branches, symbolise peace in the midst of the country's struggle for independence, represented by the cannons and other weapons depicted on the coat of arms.

The inclusion of the laurel branches in Bolivia's coat of arms can be interpreted as a symbol of the country's pursuit of peace and victory in their struggle for independence and freedom. The laurel branches are intertwined with olive branches, which further emphasises the importance of peace and harmony in the country's national identity and values.

The Andean condor

The coat of arms of Bolivia was adopted in 2004 and is elliptical in shape. It features a central cartouche surrounded by Bolivian flags, cannons, laurel branches, and the Andean condor on top. The laurel branches are symbolic of peace.

The official description of the coat of arms, as per Bolivian law, is as follows:

> The coat of arms of the Republic of Bolivia is elliptical in shape. In the upper part is a rising sun appearing behind the Cerro Rico with skies at dawn. In the centre, the Cerro Rico of Potosí and the Cerro Menor. On the upper part of the smaller hill, the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the lower left part of the landscape formed by the hills, a llama. To its right a sheaf of wheat and a palm. Around the shield, a blue oval with a golden inner edge. In the upper half of the oval, the inscription BOLIVIA in golden capital letters. In the lower half of the oval, ten golden stars of five points. At each flank, three national flags, a cannon, two rifles, an axe to the right and a liberty cap to the left. Surmounting the shield, an Andean condor in rising attitude. Behind the condor, two interlaced branches of laurel and olive. The laurel to the left and the olive to the right form a wreath. When relevant, the field outside the shield shall be pearl blue.

The ten stars

The coat of arms features a central cartouche surrounded by Bolivian flags, cannons, and laurel branches, with an Andean condor perched on top. The cartouche contains a circle with Bolivia's Mount Potosi and an alpaca standing next to a tree and wheat. These symbols represent the country's wealth and abundance of natural resources. Mount Potosi was once the most successful mining operation in the world. Behind the circle, two crossed cannons and four muskets symbolise the country's fight for independence, while an axe and Phrygian cap represent liberty and freedom.

The colours of the flag

The colours of the Bolivian flag are red, yellow, and green. The flag is a horizontal tricolour with a width-to-length ratio of 2:3. The red, yellow, and green colours were widely used by the Aymara and Quechua peoples, who dominated the area before the Spanish conquest. The colours also have symbolic meanings. The red represents the valour of the army and the blood shed by those who fought for Bolivia's independence and sovereignty. The yellow represents the country's mineral resources and wealth. The green represents the fertility of the land and the richness of Bolivia's natural areas. It also symbolises hope, a foundational value of Bolivian society.

The Bolivian flag was first adopted in 1851, but the colours were arranged in a different order: yellow, red, and green. The current order of the stripes was established in 1851, possibly to make the flag more visible from a distance. The Bolivian flag has been redesigned several times. The first national flag was adopted on 17 August 1825, 11 days after Bolivia declared independence from Spain. This flag featured a single red stripe between two green stripes, with five laurels and five stars in the centre of the red band.

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