The state flag of the Plurinational State of Bolivia was approved as the country's official symbol in 1851.
Description and proportions of the flag of Bolivia
The national flag of Bolivia has a regular rectangular shape. The length of the flag refers to its width in the ratio 22:15. The flag of Bolivia is a classic tricolor, the panel of which is divided horizontally into three equal fields. The upper stripe of the flag is bright red, the middle one is yellow, and the lower margin is dark green. In the center of the yellow stripe, at an equal distance from the edges of the flag, the image of the coat of arms of Bolivia is applied.
The central motif of the coat of arms on the Bolivian flag is an oval enclosed in a bright blue frame. In the center of the oval is depicted Mount Potosi - the famous peak of Bolivia, below it - an alpaca, which is the main symbol of the country's fauna. The sheaf of wheat and breadfruit on the coat of arms represent agriculture. In the background, on the coat of arms of Bolivia, there are six flags, two crossed cannons, one of which bears a Phrygian cap, muskets and an ax. The composition is crowned by the condor - the main bird of the Andes mountain system.
The red field of the Bolivian flag symbolizes the blood shed by patriots in the struggle for the independence and sovereignty of the state. The yellow stripe is a reminder of the inexhaustible natural resources of the Bolivian subsoil. Yellow is also the color of the Incas, tribes that inhabited Central and South America in ancient times. The green part of the flag means hope for a better future, the desire of the people of Bolivia for progress and development.
History of the flag of Bolivia
Former flags of Bolivia have always been executed in red-green-yellow colors. The flag that existed in the years 1825-1826 had a central horizontal stripe in red, on which was a gold five-pointed star in a wreath of crossed branches. Above and below the red field was bordered by narrow dark green stripes.
In 1826, the country adopted a flag on which three horizontal stripes of equal width were arranged in the following order: yellow - at the top, red - in the center and green - at the bottom of the panel. In this form, the flag existed until the fall of 1851.
The final form of the Bolivian flag received on October 31, 1851. The civil flag of the country coincides with the state one, except that the coat of arms is not depicted on it. On the military flag of Bolivia, the country's coat of arms is enclosed in an additional green wreath of crossed branches.
