Flag of Colombia
South America
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Bogotá
- Flag adopted
- 1861
- Population
- 53,057,212
- Area
- 1,141,748 km²
- Languages
- Spanish
- Currency
- Colombian peso ($) — COP
- Demonym
- Colombian
- Government
- presidential republic
- Subregion
- South America
- Driving side
- Right
- Timezones
- UTC-05:00
- Independence
- 1810
Religions
- Roman Catholic 63.6%
- Protestant 17.2%
- None 14.2%
- Unspecified 1.8%
- Agnostic 1%
- Atheist 1%
- Jehovah's Witness 0.6%
- Other 0.3%
- Believer 0.2%
- Latter-day Saint 0.1%
About This Flag
The flag of Colombia consists of three horizontal bands — a wider yellow (gold) band on top taking up half the flag's height, with blue and red bands of equal size below. The yellow represents the gold and natural wealth of the Colombian land, as well as sovereignty, harmony, and justice.
The blue symbolizes the two oceans (Pacific and Atlantic/Caribbean) that border the country, as well as the sky and the rivers. The red stands for the blood shed by independence heroes and the determination and perseverance of the people.
The tricolor was originally designed by Francisco de Miranda, the Venezuelan revolutionary, and was adopted by Colombia as part of Gran Colombia. The current flag was established on November 26, 1861.
What the colors & design mean
Yellow represents the gold, wealth, and sovereignty of Colombia. Blue symbolizes the two oceans bordering the country and the Colombian sky. Red stands for the blood shed for independence and the courage of the people.
Pattern: Horizontal Stripes
Bordering countries (5)
Fun Facts
- Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela all use the same yellow-blue-red tricolor designed by Francisco de Miranda, reflecting their shared history as parts of Gran Colombia (1819-1831) — the main differences are proportions and coats of arms.
- Francisco de Miranda, who designed the tricolor, was a Venezuelan revolutionary who fought in three revolutions — the American, the French, and the South American — and his name appears on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
- Colombia is the only country in South America with coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
- Colombia is named after Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon in Spanish), though Columbus never actually set foot in the territory of modern-day Colombia.
Similar looking flags
These flags share similar colors and patterns:
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