Ecuador Flag

Flag of Ecuador Description

Bearing close resemblance to the flags of Colombia and Venezuela, the flag of Ecuador is a horizontal tricolor in yellow, blue, and red from top to bottom. The yellow band of the flag is double the width of the other bands, and stands for the bright sunshine and the fertility of the land.

The yellow also denotes the gold ore found aplenty in Ecuador. Blue represents the clear blue skies over Ecuador, and its vast coastal regions. The red symbolizes the patriotic spirit of the countrymen and the blood shed in Ecuador’s long struggle for freedom.

The coat of arms of Ecuador is centered on the flag, depicting a shield on which a condor, the national bird of Ecuador, is perched. The shield bears the image of the snow-capped peak of Mount Chimborazo and a steamboat on a river. Mount Chimborazo in the Andes range is the highest peak of Ecuador. The steamboat depicts the first ever steamboat in Latin America that sailed on the Guayas River.

The condor is a symbol of shelter and protection; it stands as a symbol of defense against foreign attack. The coat of arms as a whole symbolizes the dignity and pride of the Republic of Ecuador.

Flag of Ecuador History

The design of the Ecuadorian flag was first proposed by Francisco de Miranda, a general in the revolutionary military of the Spanish American colonies. The idea for using primary colors on the national flag was given to Miranda by Goethe, who encouraged Miranda to shape the nation to become a “place where primary colors are not distorted.”

The current flag of Ecuador was adopted on September 26, 1860. The coat of arms was added to the flag in 1900.

Earlier versions of an Ecuadorian flag used white and blue stripes and stars that represented the provinces of the country.