Flag of Puerto Rico
North America
Quick Facts
- Capital
- San Juan
- Flag adopted
- 1952
- Population
- 3,203,295
- Area
- 8,870 km²
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Currency
- United States dollar ($) — USD
- Demonym
- Puerto Rican
- Government
- unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government
- Subregion
- Caribbean
- Driving side
- Right
- Timezones
- UTC-04:00
Religions
- Roman Catholic 56%
- Protestant 33%
- None 7%
- Other 2%
- Atheist 1%
Puerto Rico is a dependent territory of United States.
About This Flag
The flag of Puerto Rico consists of five equal horizontal stripes alternating red and white, with a blue equilateral triangle on the hoist side bearing a single white five-pointed star. The design mirrors the flag of Cuba with the colors of the triangle and stripes reversed, reflecting the shared 19th-century independence movement that linked the two Caribbean islands.
Originally designed in 1895 by members of the Puerto Rican Revolutionary Committee in New York, it was flown by separatist forces during the 1898 Intentona de Yauco uprising against Spanish rule. The flag was officially adopted by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico on July 25, 1952 — the same day the Commonwealth constitution took effect.
What the colors & design mean
The three red stripes represent the blood that nourishes the three branches of government. The two white stripes symbolize individual liberty and the rights that keep the government in balance. The blue triangle stands for the three branches of government themselves, and the single white star represents the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Pattern: Horizontal Stripes, Canton Design
Fun Facts
- From 1948 to 1957 it was illegal under Puerto Rican Law 53 (the gag law) to own or display the Puerto Rican flag — the law was aimed at suppressing the independence movement and was repealed in 1957.
- The design was modeled on the Cuban flag because Puerto Rican and Cuban revolutionaries shared the same anti-Spanish coalition in the 1890s.
- The original 1895 flag used a sky-blue triangle; the darker navy blue now in common use was not officially standardized until 1995 by Governor Pedro Rosselló.
- Before the 1952 adoption, displaying the flag was treated as a declaration of sedition — it only became legal on the same day the Commonwealth was established.
Similar looking flags
These flags share similar colors and patterns:
Other United States Territories
More North America Flags
🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda · 🇧🇸 Bahamas · 🇧🇧 Barbados · 🇧🇿 Belize · 🇨🇦 Canada · 🇨🇷 Costa Rica · 🇨🇺 Cuba · 🇩🇲 Dominica
Test Your Knowledge!
Identify country flags in our quiz.
Play Flag Quiz