The flag of

El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by ...

features a horizontal triband of cobalt blue-white- cobalt blue, with

the coat of arms ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speak ...

centered and entirely contained within the central white stripe. This design of a triband of blue-white-blue is commonly used among Central American countries. Along with the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

and

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

, it is one of only four national flags which has a depiction of its flag within the flag itself. El Salvador's flag is one of few that currently use the color purple, and all colors due to the rainbow in its Coat of Arms

Features

Gold Foil Metallic Texture Free Creative Commons (6962328289)

The colors signify: * * *The flag has the words (REPÚBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMÉRICA CENTRAL) in a bold and Heavy, Sans Serif Boris Black Bloxx typeface, in a golden amber color *The national motto (DIOS UNIÓN LIBERTAD) in

Trajan Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presid ...

bold Roman square capitals. The letter are colored amber gold on the civil flag, and black in the coat of arms *The date (15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821) in Trajan bold Roman square capitals The blue hue is a vivid, lustrous and luscious rich solid cobalt blue. In the center of and occupying the entire width of the white stripe is the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in it ...

with its top touching the upper blue strip and its base touching the lower blue stripe. The coat of arms contains the in bold golden amber words "REPÚBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMÉRICA CENTRAL" ( en, Republic of El Salvador in Central America). There are two variant flags, one without the coat of arms, and the other with the words "DIOS UNIÓN LIBERTAD" ( en, God, Union, Liberty) in bold golden amber in place of the coat of arms. All three contain the same cobalt blue and white stripes, occasionally with a gold Fringe (trim). The main flag has an aspect ratio of 189:335 while the variants are both 3:5.*Art.7. "" (The greater flag is 3m 35cm long and 1m 89cm wide and includes the entire national coat of arms) *Art.9. "" (The flag for use at public buildings is 1m long by 60cm wide (..) The central stripe shall bear the inscription 'Dios Union Libertad') *Art.11. "" (The flag for use at parades will be 1.45m long by 90cm wide (..) The white stripe of the flag for parades shall bear in golden letters the inscription 'Dios Union Libertad')
Ley de Símbolos Patrios
From 1865 to 1912, a different flag was in use, with a field of alternating cobalt blue and white stripes and a red

canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ent ...

containing stars. The designs of both sides of the flag are different; at the reverse side, it shows the then national coat of arms at the position of stars at obverse. The stars symbolized the provinces of the Republic; once a new province was created, one star was add to the obverse of the flag. This "Star-Striped" banner was considered to be inspired by the

flag of the United States The national flag of the United States of America, often referred to as the ''American flag'' or the ''U.S. flag'', consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the ca ...

. The blue stripes symbolize the ocean and sky. The white means Peace. Blue is an important color in Salvadoran culture and identity. It started with Native American cultures of Mesoamerica in El Salvador, that produced (añil)

indigo Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', ...

plant which they used extracts to produce blue dyes. When the Europeans invaded and colonized the area, they saw the wealth of indigo and turned El Salvador to one of the world's foremost providers of indigo dye in its time. Many other countries in Central America use blue and white colors as a Pan-Central American symbol. Synonymous to the country's wealth, the colonizers referred to the dye as "the blue gold", that dominated El Salvador's economy until it was completely replaced by coffee cultivation. Today El Salvador remains as one of the few countries in the world that still cultivates indigo to produce blue dyes. Over time El Salvador's flag has had several different shades of blue, from the lightest to darkest, including Royal blue,

Sapphire Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide () with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sap ...

, Klein Blue and

Indigo Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', ...

. The present current modern flag displays a cobalt blue color. File:Presidente Bukele.jpg, President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele wearing the presidential sash with the national flag standing behind File:Salcoatitán, El Salvador - panoramio (9).jpg, The five rowed volcanos in the coat of arms were inspired by the

Cordillera de Apaneca Cordillera de Apaneca is a volcanic mountain range in western El Salvador. It consists mainly of volcanoes. Ilamatepec volcano, one of the most active in the region, is a part of this range. The volcanoes in the range Santa Ana Volcano, Izalco ...

volcanic range when El Salvador's Sonsonate City was the second capital of the Federal Republic of Central America in 1834.] File:Primer escudo de El Salvador.jpg, The first coat of arms which declared the country's citizens as Salvadorans

Departments

File:Bandera del Departamento de Ahuachapán.PNG, Ahuachapán Department, Ahuachapán File:Flag of the Cabañas Department.svg, Cabañas File:Flag of Chalatenango.svg, Chalatenango File:Bandera del Departamento de Cuscatlán.PNG, Cuscatlán File:Flag of La Libertad Department (El Salvador).svg, La Libertad File:Bandera del Departamento de La Paz ES.jpg, La Paz File:Departamento de La Unión.svg, La Unión File:Flag of Morazán Department.svg, Morazán File:Flag of San Miguel Department.png, San Miguel File:Bandera de San Salvador (2021).svg, San Salvador File:Flag of San Vicente Department.svg, San Vicente File:Bandera de Santa Ana, El Salvador.svg, Santa Ana File:Bandera de sonsonate.png, Sonsonate File:Flag of Usulatán Department.svg, Usulután

Historical flags of El Salvador

Historic Salvadoran flag displays

File:El salvador 1861.jpg, President Gerardo Barrios, El Salvador 1861, with an earlier version that inspired the modern flag File:Secretary Pompeo Participates in Signing Ceremony for the CSL Lease Extension - 48342132177.jpg, U.S and El Salvador flags stand behind Mike Pompeo and Nayib Bukele, in San Salvador, El Salvador, July 21, 2019. File:Barack and Michelle Obama greet children during the arrival ceremony at Comalapa International Airport in San Salvador, 2011.jpg, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet children waving U.S and El Salvador flags during the arrival ceremony at Comalapa International Airport in San Salvador, El Salvador File:President Francisco Flores El Salvador1.jpg, Flag of El Salvador displayed alongside former Salvadoran president Francisco Flores Pérez, 2001 File:REUNIÓN_REGIONAL_CENTROAMERICANA_DE_LA_CELAC_(16959877748).jpg, Flag of El Salvador (center) displayed at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States File:Hospital El Salvador 2020.jpg, Salvadoran flag stand in front of

Hospital El Salvador The Hospital El Salvador is a major hospital in San Salvador San Salvador (; ) is the capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its eponymous department. It is the country's political, cultural, educational and financial center. The ...

File:Palacio Nacional (S.S. El salvador.).JPG, El Salvador flag on top of the National Palace in San Salvador File:Salon Azul.jpg, Flag of El Salvador displayed on the legislative Palace Salon Azul, San Salvador File:Sitio desde el cual, en la mañana del 5 de noviembre de 1811, lanzo el primer grito de independencia de centro america14 de diciembre de 1947..jpg, The Coat of arms of El Salvador displayed at the site from which, on the morning of November 5, 1811, the first cry for the independence of Central America was launched File:Consolat de El Salvador a Barcelona - 006.jpg, The Coat of Arms of El Salvador displayed in the Barcelona consulate File:Miami, The Torch of Friendship (13) El Salvador.jpg, The Coat of arms of El Salvador displayed in The Torch of Friendship monument in Downtown Miami, Florida File:Comando de apoyo de transmisiones, SV.JPG, Coat of arms of El Salvador displayed on the El Zapote Military Museum, San Salvador File:V República de El Salvador, Nazaret, Israel, 2017.jpg, The coat of arms of El Salvador displayed on Virgin Our Lady of Peace in Nazaret, Israel File:Escudosalvadoreñovirgendelapaz.png, The Coat of Arms of El Salvador displayed on Virgin Our Lady of Peace in the

Cathedral Basilica of Queen of Peace, San Miguel The Cathedral Basilica of Queen of Peace ( es, Catedral-Basílica Reina de la Paz), also called San Miguel Cathedral, is a Catholic church located in the city of San Miguel, El Salvador. In 1740 the mayor of San Salvador San Salvador (; ...

File:Original United Nations.jpg, Flag of El Salvador displayed in the First UN poster, August 1942, Wartime poster for the

Allies of World War II The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during the Second World War (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers, led by Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and Fascist I ...

, created in 1942 by the US Office of War Information, showing the 26 members of the alliance,

Declaration by United Nations The Declaration by United Nations was the main treaty that formalized the Allies of World War II and was signed by 47 national governments between 1942 and 1945. On 1 January 1942, during the Arcadia Conference, the Allied " Big Four"—the Unite ...

File:United Nations Fight for Freedom poster.jpg, Flag of El Salvador displayed in Wartime poster for the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...

, created in 1941 by the US Office of War Information. The United Nations fight for freedom. Poster depicts an etching of the Statue of Liberty on a black background on the left side of the poster. On the right there are pictures of flags of 30 countries. Poster has black background with white text at the top of the page and a white border all around. File:Naciones Unidas 3.jpg, Flag of El Salvador displayed in Wartime poster for the

, created in 1943 by the US Office of War Information. Poster created during the Second World War (1943), according to the Declaration of the United Nations of 1942. The Poster, created by United States Office of War Information and made by United States Government Printing Office. The poster features the flags of those countries or governments-in-exile that pledged to support the Allied effort the on-going war machine that the United Nations represented. File:"Flags of Maritime Nations" - NARA - 514266.jpg, Flag of El Salvador displayed in "Flags of Maritime Nations" between 1941 and 1945 File:UNITED NATIONS - FLAGS - NARA - 515899.jpg, Flag of El Salvador displayed in "UNITED NATIONS FLAGS" between 1941 and 1945 File:Flags of the United Nations - NARA - 5729947.jpg, Flag of El Salvador displayed in (Flags of the United Nations), 7 May 1953

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:El Salvador, Flag of

National symbols of El Salvador