FLAG OF EL SALVADOR: HISTORY AND MEANING - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The flag of El Salvador is the most important national symbol by which this Central American country is identified. It is composed of three horizontal stripes of equal size. Those at the ends are blue, while the central one is white. In the middle of this strip is the country's coat of arms, which is circular in shape.

This flag shares colors with a large part of the Central American flags, such as those of Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and to a lesser extent, Costa Rica and Panama. This is due to the presence of the blue color and the composition in horizontal stripes.

Flag of the savior. (By user: Nightstallion, from Wikimedia Commons).

The origin of the flag is located in the pavilion of the United Provinces of Central America, which united the different current Central American countries in the 19th century.

The meaning of the flag colors is consistent with that of neighboring countries. Although El Salvador only has a coastline in the Pacific Ocean, both blue stripes represent the two oceans that bathe Central America.

The central white stripe is the symbol that represents peace in the country. The current design of the flag has been in force since May 27, 1912.

History of the flag

The history of the flags of El Salvador shares a common root with many of its neighboring countries. In the first place, El Salvador belonged to the Captaincy General of Guatemala, which was a Spanish colony.

This was the same fate for much of America. Later, their flags were those of the independent Central American federation.

Now with El Salvador independent and converted into a sovereign state, the development of its flag was changing. In the first place, a flag inspired by that of the United States became recurrent. It was not until the 20th century when the design of the current Salvadoran flag emerged.

Spanish colonization

The history of El Salvador was linked, since colonial times, with the other peoples and nations of Central America. The territories of the current Republic of El Salvador belonged to the Captaincy General of Guatemala, which was established in 1542. Part of the Salvadoran territory was constituted in the Mayor's Office of Sonsonate.

In this Spanish colony the flag of the Cross of Burgundy was used, as in the entire American continent. This flag simply consisted of such a cross on a white background.

Flag of the Cross of Burgundy (used in El Salvador between 1542-1785). (ByNingyou., From Wikimedia Commons).

The Bourbon reforms brought different modifications to the political status of the American colonies. In 1785 the Intendencia de San Salvador was created, which occupied most of the current territory of El Salvador.

These reforms also had consequences in symbols. The flag of Spain became red and yellow. The division was through three horizontal stripes.

Those at the ends were red and each occupied 25% of the flag. The center strip was yellow, filled the space of half a flag and had to its left a simplified version of the coat of arms of Spain.

Flag of the Kingdom of Spain, used in the Captaincy General of Guatemala (1785-1821). (By previous version User: Ignaciogavira; current version HansenBCN, designs from SanchoPanzaXXI, via Wikimedia Commons).

This flag remained in force until the end of the dominion of the Spanish Crown over the territory. The event occurred with the creation of the Mexican Empire, in 1821.

Mexican empire

Like all the former colonies belonging to the Captaincy General of Guatemala, the current territory of El Salvador belonged to the Mexican Empire.

After the French invasion of Spain, in Latin America independence movements began to take shape in different regions. In Mexico, after years of different fighting factions, the Mexican Empire was established in 1821, after the signing of the Treaties of Córdoba.

The territory of this empire covered all of Central America, except for the Colombian Panama, during its brief existence. The regime, led by Emperor Agustín I, was dissolved with the Casa Mata Plan in 1823. From then on, all the territories of Central America were grouped into a federation.

The flag used by the Mexican Empire had three vertical stripes of equal size. Their colors were green, white, and red. In the central part of the white strip the coat of arms was located, with the traditional Mexican eagle and the imperial symbols.

Flag of the Mexican Empire (1821-1823). (ByAldoEZ, fromWikimediaCommons).

United Provinces of Central America

After the separation of the Mexican Empire, the different territories of Central America were grouped into the United Provinces of Central America. This country established its symbols in a decree promulgated after its Constituent Assembly.

The flag, inspired by that of Argentina, was made up of three horizontal white stripes of equal size. Sky blue occupied the extreme stripes, while white remained in the central part. The country's coat of arms was located in the central part of the flag.

Flag of the United Provinces of Central America (1823-1824). (By Huhsunqu, via Wikimedia Commons).

Federal Republic of Central America

The federalization of the Central American provinces was consolidated in 1824. The Constituent Assembly approved the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Central America, which gave birth to the new name of the country. Now the provinces were autonomous and that led to separatist anxieties over time.

The political power of the Federal Republic of Central America was concentrated in Guatemala, where its capital was established between 1824 and 1834. However, El Salvador also played a very important role, since in 1834 the capital was moved to Sonsonate. That same year, the capital moved to San Salvador, where it remained until 1840, with the dissolution of the federation.

The flag of this country practically kept the design of the previous one. The light blue and white stripes remained unchanged, but the shield changed. The shape became oval and its colors became more yellow.

Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America (1824-1839). (By Huhsunqu, via Wikimedia Commons).

Independent El Salvador

El Salvador, like all the other Central American countries, separated from the Federal Republic of Central America in 1841. The government of President Francisco Morazán made the situation of the federation untenable, which ended up dismembering.

Since then, the country has adopted an independent flag, differentiated from the other new neighboring sovereign states.

The country quickly entered a dynamic of internal conflict. The liberal and conservative factions clashed for the next several decades. In 1941 a new flag was adopted, in blue, white and blue. This insignia had no shield and in comparison, the blue was darker.

Flag of the savior. (1841-1865). (By No machine-readable author provided. Quistnix assumed (based on copyright claims)., Via Wikimedia Commons).

Between 1951 and 1953, several Central American countries were associated through the National Representation of Central America.

This was a supranational body that would mainly handle the international relations of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras. To represent El Salvador at the international and national level, the flag of the Federal Republic of Central America was re-adopted.

Flag of 1865

In 1965, El Salvador experienced one of its first transcendent flag changes. Conservative President Francisco Dueñas decreed a profound change in the national flag, which became inspired by the American flag.

In the canton a red square with nine white stars was located, representing each province of the country. The rest of the flag was made up of five horizontal stripes of blue and four of white, interspersed with each other.

Flag of the Republic of El Salvador. (1865). (By No machine-readable author provided. Fornax assumed (based on copyright claims)., Via Wikimedia Commons).

New stars

The stars of the flag were progressively increasing, depending on the increase of departments in the country. In June of that same year, the nine-star flag became eleven, after the creation of the departments of Usulután and San Miguel.

Flag of the Republic of El Salvador. (1865-1869). (By No machine-readable author provided. Fornax assumed (based on copyright claims)., Via Wikimedia Commons).

In February 1869 the department of Ahuachapán was created, which led to the addition of a twelfth star on the flag. From that moment, the flag had three lines of four stars each.

Flag of the Republic of El Salvador. (1869-1873). (By No machine-readable author provided. Fornax assumed (based on copyright claims)., Via Wikimedia Commons).

The department of Cabañas was the new political entity that was created in 1873. On this occasion, the thirteenth star was added to the flag, on the center line.

Flag of the Republic of El Salvador. (1873-1875). (By No machine-readable author provided. Fornax assumed (based on copyright claims)., Via Wikimedia Commons).

There was only one more new star that joined the national pavilion. It was the one that represented the department of Morazán, founded in 1875. The configuration of the stars became in lines of five, four and five stars.

Flag of the Republic of El Salvador. (1875-1898) (1899-1912). (By No machine-readable author provided. Fornax assumed (based on copyright claims)., Via Wikimedia Commons).

Greater Republic of Central America

The Central American reintegration movement lived, at the end of the 19th century, the realization of a dream. This was the creation of the Greater Republic of Central America, which was promoted by Nicaraguan President José Santos Zelaya López.

Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador were united in a new country called the Greater Republic of Central America. This took shape after the signing of the Pact of Amapala in 1895.

Guatemala and Costa Rica decided not to be part of the new country. Zelaya's objective was that, after the incorporation of the two remaining countries, the name would change to the Republic of Central America. However, the experiment failed after a coup in 1898, which caused a new territorial disintegration.

The flag was made up of three horizontal stripes. Those at the ends were dark blue, while the central one was white. The triangular shaped shield was surrounded by the inscription REPÚBLICA MAYOR DE CENTRO AMÉRICA. At the bottom, five yellow stars were positioned, representing each country.

Flag of the Greater Republic of Central America. (1895-1898). (By No machine-readable author provided. Fornax assumed (based on copyright claims)., Via Wikimedia Commons).

New symbols

After the return to independence in 1898, El Salvador re-adopted its previous flag, with the stars and stripes. This design was maintained until 1912, when the use of the current national flag was approved. The approval was made by President Manuel Antonio Araujo, on May 17.

Together with the flag, the parameters of the national coat of arms were established. This symbol was located in the central part of the flag, which was inspired both by the flag of the old Central American federation and the recently ephemeral Greater Republic.

The new symbol was hoisted by President Araujo on the Campo de Marte on September 15, 1912. Since then it has been in force and there have been no changes.

Meaning of the flag

The colors of the Salvadoran flag are shared by its Central American neighbors. The reason for this is in their common origin, and therefore this carries over into meaning.

The blue stripes have a direct relationship with the sea. In the Central American context, the stripes represent the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, which are both coasts of the subcontinent.

Although El Salvador only has a coastline on the Pacific, the meaning has endured over time. It is common to find interpretations that relate the blue color of the stripes to the sky of the country.

The color white, as is extremely common in national flags and symbols in general, represents peace. It can also be identified with the harmony among the Salvadoran people.

Other flags

El Salvador has three official flags. The flag commonly hoisted and the one used by the country in official national and international institutions is also known as the Magna Flag.

The other official flag of the country is known as the National Flag. This is a tricolor of the same colors as the flag, but the inscription GOD UNIÓN LIBERTAD in gold is located along the white strip.

National Flag of El Salvador. (By own work (http://www.worldstatesmen.org/El_Salvador.html), via Wikimedia Commons).

The third official flag is that of a civil nature. In this version, only the stripes with their colors are included without any additional symbols.

Civil flag of El Salvador. (By own work (http://www.worldstatesmen.org/El_Salvador.html), via Wikimedia Commons).

References

1. Beezley, W. (2011). Mexico in World History. United States of America, University Press. Recovered from books.google.co.ve.
2. Government of El Salvador. (sf). Patriotic symbols. Government of El Salvador. Recovered from presidencia.gov.sv.
3. Cute. H. (September 12, 2016). The hidden history of the Salvadoran flag. The lighthouse. Recovered from elfaro.net.
4. Smith, W. (2013). Flag of El Salvador. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Recovered from britannica.com.
5. Vítolo, A. (February 16, 2015). The Central American flags. The nation. Recovered from lanacion.com.ar.