Bolivia's Flag: A Symbol Of Independence And Pride

The flag of Bolivia is a horizontally striped red-yellow-green national flag that sometimes incorporates the national coat of arms. The flag was originally adopted in 1851, and the colours red, yellow and green have been associated with the valour of the army, the richness of mineral resources, and the fertility of the land, respectively.

Bolivia's flag colours and their meanings

Bolivia's flag is a horizontal tricolour of red, yellow, and green with the Bolivian coat of arms in the centre. The flag was originally adopted in 1851, and the colours red, yellow, and green have appeared in all versions of the flag since 1825. The red stands for the valour of Bolivia's brave soldiers, the green symbolises the fertility of the land, and the yellow represents the richness of the nation's mineral resources.

The first Bolivian flag was adopted on 17 August 1825, eleven days after the country gained independence from Spain. It consisted of red and green stripes with a yellow star on the red, surrounded by a green wreath. The three colours were widely used in the clothing of the Aymara and Quechua peoples, who dominated the area before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors.

The Bolivian flag adopted on 25 July 1826 had horizontal stripes of yellow, red, and green with a coat of arms in the centre. On 5 November 1851, the order of the stripes was changed to red, yellow, and green, perhaps to increase its distinctiveness when seen from a distance. The current flag law dates from 14 July 1888.

The history of Bolivia's flag

Bolivia has not one but two national flags. The first is a tricolour of red, yellow, and green with the country's coat of arms in the centre. The second is the Wiphala, a flag that represents the indigenous people of Bolivia.

The Tricolour

Bolivia's first national flag was adopted on 17 August 1825, just 11 days after the country declared independence from Spain. This flag was a tricolour of green stripes with a single red stripe in the middle. In the centre of the red band were five laurels and five stars.

On 25 July 1826, the country changed the flag colours to red, green, and yellow, but in a different order from the current flag. The yellow stripe was at the top, followed by red, and then green. This flag lasted for about three decades before being replaced with the current design.

The current flag was adopted on 31 October 1851. It kept the horizontal tricolour of red, yellow, and green but changed the order of the stripes to red, then yellow, and then green. The Bolivian coat of arms was also placed in the centre. The flag's new design may have been intended to make it more visible from a distance.

The Wiphala

The Wiphala is the older of the two flags, originating in the early days of the Inca Empire. It consists of seven colours arranged in a diagonal pattern. The flag represents the four regions of the Incan Empire and the natives of the Andes.

In 2009, the Wiphala was instated as Bolivia's alternative flag, giving it equal status with the tricolour. This decision was made by President Evo Morales, the nation's first indigenous leader. The Wiphala has since been included in the flag of the Bolivian Navy and is flown on governmental structures, including the parliament and the Palacio Quemado.

The Wiphala, a flag representing native Andean peoples

The Wiphala is a flag that represents some native Andean peoples of countries such as Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. It is a square emblem and has been used as a banner of the Qulla Suyu since 2009. The Wiphala is one of the flags of Bolivia, along with the state flag, which features horizontal stripes of red, yellow, and green, with the Bolivian coat of arms in the centre.

The Bolivian flag was originally adopted in 1851, and the state and war flag is a horizontal tricolour of red, yellow, and green with the Bolivian coat of arms in the centre. The red stands for the valour of Bolivia's soldiers, the green symbolises the fertility of the land, and the yellow represents the nation's mineral deposits.

Bolivia's first national flag was adopted on 17 August 1825, eleven days after the country gained independence from Spain. It consisted of red and green stripes with a yellow star on the red, surrounded by a green wreath. A competing flag design from 1825-26 also showed red, green, and yellow, but with five stars within wreaths instead of one. The three colours were widely used by the Aymara and Quechua peoples before the arrival of Spanish conquerors. They were also associated with valour (red), mineral resources (yellow), and fertility (green).

Over the years, the Bolivian flag has undergone several changes. On 25 July 1826, the flag had horizontal stripes of yellow, red, and green with a coat of arms in the centre. On 5 November 1851, the order of the stripes was changed to red, yellow, and green, to increase its distinctiveness when seen from a distance. The current flag law dates from 14 July 1888, and the coat of arms has been modified unofficially by the addition of a 10th star. The previous nine stars referred to the nine Bolivian departments, while the 10th star symbolises the valuable territory (and its outlet to the ocean) that was lost to Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-84).

The coat of arms

The Bolivian flag features a horizontally striped red-yellow-green tricolour that incorporates the national coat of arms when flown by the government. The Bolivian flag was originally adopted in 1851 and has a width-to-length ratio of 2 to 3.

Bolivia's flag ratio

Bolivia's flag has a width-to-length ratio of 2:3. This means that for every 2 units of width, the flag should be 3 units long. This ratio is used for the country's state flag and ensign, as well as its war flag.

The 2:3 ratio is not the only ratio associated with Bolivia's flag. According to one source, the flag also has an aspect ratio of 15:22. This is a slightly shorter ratio than 2:3 (which is the same as 15:22.5). Another source mentions a ratio of 7.5:11, which is described as "clumsy" for a flag with three equal-height stripes.

The Bolivian flag features three equal horizontal stripes of red, yellow, and green, with the national coat of arms in the centre. The flag was officially adopted on 31 October 1851, although the current flag law dates from 14 July 1888.

Frequently asked questions