Flag of Ecuador: History, Meaning and Symbolism

The flag of Ecuador was officially adopted on September 26, 1860, and the coat of arms was added in 1900. Ecuador's flag has undergone several revisions over the years to get its current look. In today's article, we'll explore the history, meaning, and symbolism of the Ecuadorian flag!

Ecuador Flag History

1800-1822

After Sebastián de Benalcázar's conquest of Ecuador, the flag of the Spanish Empire flew over the fledgling city of Quito. The initial demand for secession from the Spanish throne was made on August 10, 1809, and the rebels flew a plain crimson banner. In November 1812, Spanish general Juan Sámano crushed the independence uprising.

A new flag was hoisted for the first time on October 9, 1820, blue and white with five alternately spaced horizontal stripes and three white stars in the centre. Later, the province of Guayas used this flag. Ecuador adopted Gran Colombia's new flag when it joined the country in 1822. It has three bands of yellow, light blue and red with a coat of arms in the middle.

1830-1900

Before adopting the yellow, blue and red tricolor, each province in Ecuador flew a white and blue flag with a star representing their respective country. To represent the number of provinces in Ecuador, the white star is in the center of the blue stripe. This flag has a maximum of seven stars before it is taken down.

In 1830, when Ecuador separated from Gran Colombia, the coat of arms changed. In 1835, a fifth flag was established, removing the coat of arms and changing the shade of blue. The pattern of light blue, blue and white, three vertical stripes, and three white stars in the middle of the light blue stripes, was brought back during the March Revolution in 1845. That's where the current Ecuadorian flag came from, and why it resembles the flags of Colombia and Venezuela so much. Later that same year, four more stars were added, and the blue hue became a little darker. This design was used until the new flag was adopted in 1900.

Gabriel Garcia Moreno took office two days after the Battle of Guayaquil in 1860, and the Yellow, Blue, and Red Tricolores were reinstated. September 26th is Da de la Bandera, also known in English as "Flag Day" in honor of the day it was restored. The current flag design was completed in 1900, when the coat of arms was officially placed at its centre. This version was flown by the government.

Meaning of the Flag of Ecuador

design

The national flag is 2.20 meters long and 1.47 meters wide, which is 2 to 3. The field is divided by three horizontal ribbons of red, blue and yellow, each of which is a quarter of the width of the national flag. The three bands of the flag run the full length of the flag. Ecuador's coat of arms is displayed in the center of the flag, shrunk to half its width. The actual coat of arms is a rectangle 12:10 inches long. A different form of ensign, without a coat of arms, flown by merchant marines.

color

The flag of Ecuador consists of red, blue and gold. Red and blue are arranged horizontally at the bottom of the flag, and gold covers the top half of the flag.

Flag of Ecuador symbolism

Each stripe represents something different: the yellow stripes represent Ecuador's fertile land and the gold that can be found there; the blue stripes for the country's coastal and marine resources; and the red stripes for those who gave their lives for Ecuador's independence. These three colors also represent close neighbors: Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. The flags of these three countries were inspired by Gran Colombia in both design and colour. In fact, General Francisco de Miranda of Venezuela provided the inspiration for all three flags. Later, Gran Colombia revised the concept and it was recognized by Venezuela in 1811.

Ecuador's national bird, the condor, is depicted on top of the shield in the country's coat of arms design. Due to its size and popularity in Latin American folklore, the vulture became a symbol of defense against foreign aggression. The shield features a picture of Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador's tallest mountain, with its snow-capped peaks in the centre. There is also a steamboat that represents the first steamboat to sail down the Guayas River in Ecuador. The version bearing the coat of arms is hung by the government and is a symbol of power and bravery.

Next:

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