View source for Flag of Colombia

{{short description|none}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name        = Republic of Colombia
| Image       = Flag of Colombia.svg
| Nickname    = {{lang|es|El Tricolor Nacional}}<ref name="Tricolor"/><br />{{smaller|('The National Tricolor')}}
| Use         = 111111
| Symbol      = {{FIAV|111111}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Equal}}
| Proportion  = 2:3
| Adoption    = {{start date and age|1861|11|26|df=y}}
| Design      = A horizontal [[Triband (flag)|tricolour]] in a 2:1:1 proportion, where the upper yellow band is twice the size of the others; it is followed by blue and red.

| Image2      = Civil Ensign of Colombia.svg
| Proportion2 = 2:3
| Use2        = 000100
| Symbol2     = {{FIAV|000100}} {{FIAV|Equal}}
| Design2     = An Colombian tricolour [[Defacement (flag)|defaced]] with a blue ellipse outlined in red at its center, containing a white eight-pointed star.

| Image3      = New-Flag-of-the-President-of-Colombia.svg
| Proportion3 = 2:3
| Use3        = 010010
| Symbol3     = {{FIAV|010010}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Design3     = An Colombian tricolour defaced with the [[coat of arms of Colombia]].

| Image4      = Naval Ensign of Colombia.svg
| Proportion4 = 2:3
| Use4        = 000001
| Symbol4     = {{FIAV|000001}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Design4     = An Colombian tricolour defaced with a white circle outlined in red at its center, enclosing the [[coat of arms of Colombia]].

| Image5      = Military flag of Colombia.svg
| Proportion5 = 4:5
| Use5        = 001000
| Symbol5     = {{FIAV|001000}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Design5     = An Colombian tricolour defaced of reduced proportions, with a white circle outlined in red at its center, enclosing the coat of arms of Colombia.

| Image6      = Naval jack of Colombia.svg
| Use6        = [[Jack (flag)|Naval jack]]
| Proportion6 = 2:3
| Design6     = A sky blue field with a white circle outlined in red at its center, enclosing the coat of arms of Colombia.
}}
{{Culture of Colombia}}

The '''flag of the [[Republic of Colombia]]''', also known as '''''El Tricolor Nacional'''''<ref name="Tricolor">{{cite web|url=https://archivobogota.secretariageneral.gov.co/noticias/tricolor-nacional|title=El Tricolor Nacional|publisher=Archivo de Bogotá|website=archivobogota.secretariageneral.gov.co|date=2019-07-20|language=es}}</ref> (The National Tricolor), is the [[national flag]] representing the country and, alongside the [[Coat of arms of Colombia|coat of arms]] and the [[National Anthem of Colombia|national anthem]], constitutes one of its official national symbols. The flag consists of a rectangle divided into three horizontal bands featuring the primary colors of the [[RYB color model]]. The upper band occupies half of the total height, following a proportional ratio of 2:1:1.

Its design is inspired by the [[Flag of Venezuela#19th-century changes|flag created in 1801]] by Venezuelan patriots [[Francisco de Miranda]] and [[Lino de Clemente]] for the [[First Republic of Venezuela]], which was later approved by the Constituent Congress of that country in 1811.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.presidencia.gov.co/prensa_new/historia/bandera1.htm|title=La Bandera Colombiana|date=2006-08-18|website=presidencia.gov.co|publisher=[[Government of Colombia]]|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060818181841/https://www.presidencia.gov.co/prensa_new/historia/bandera1.htm|archive-date=2006-08-18|access-date=2025-07-24|language=es}}</ref>

These colors were successively adopted by the Congresses of [[Gran Colombia]] on December 17, 1819, and the [[Republic of New Granada]] on May 9, 1834. The current arrangement of the colors was officially adopted on November 26, 1861, and subsequently regulated by Decrees No. 861 of May 17, 1924, and No. 62 of January 11, 1934.<ref name="Decreto">{{cite web|url=http://historico.presidencia.gov.co/asiescolombia/bandera2.htm|title=Decreto 861 de 1924 y decreto 62 de 1934|publisher=Presidencia de la República de Colombia|website=historico.presidencia.gov.co|date=2008-05-29|language=es}}</ref>

Due to their shared historical origin, the Colombian flag bears resemblance to the national flags of [[Flag of Ecuador|Ecuador]] and [[Flag of Venezuela|Venezuela]], which were once part of the former state of Gran Colombia. Among these, the Ecuadorian flag is the most similar, with its legislation recognizing two official versions that closely mirror the proportions and layout of Colombia's flag, differing only in the specific shades used.{{refn|group=n|The civil ensign of Ecuador may cause confusion with the flag of Colombia due to their marked similarity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cehist.mil.ec/index.php/simbolos-patrios|title=Simbolos Patrios|publisher=Centro de Estudios Históricos del Ejército Ecuatoriano|website=cehist.mil.ec|access-date=2025-07-24|language=es}}</ref> In contrast, the state flag of Ecuador incorporates the [[Coat of arms of Ecuador|national coat of arms]] at its center, thereby distinguishing it more clearly. In both cases, the shades of the colors used in these Ecuadorian flags differ from those employed in the Colombian flag.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flagcolorcodes.com/ecuador|title=Ecuador Flag Color Codes|access-date=2025-07-24|publisher=Flag Color Codes}}</ref>}} In the case of Colombia, the use of the national coat of arms on the flag is mandatory exclusively in official institutional contexts.

As a national symbol, the flag is employed by the [[Government of Colombia|Government]] and state institutions, with specific variations in its design depending on its intended use by diplomatic, civil, or military bodies.

==Design==
[[File:Castillo San Felipe de Barajas 01.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Flag of Colombia atop [[Castillo San Felipe de Barajas]] in [[Cartagena, Colombia]].]]
[[File:Flag of Colombia (construction sheet).svg|thumb|250px|right|Construction sheet of Colombia national flag.]]

The horizontal stripes (from top to bottom) of yellow, blue and red tricolor have a ratio of 2:1:1. The Colombian flag, the [[flag of Ecuador]], and the [[flag of Venezuela]] are all derived from the [[flag of Gran Colombia]]. The stripes of the Colombian and [[Ecuador]]ian flags are different from most other tricolor flags because the three stripes are not equal sizes. In contrast, the flag of [[Venezuela]] is a more conventional tricolor due to its evenly sized stripes.

The exact colors of the flag have not yet been officially established by law. However, the following colors, approved by the [[International Federation of Vexillological Associations|FIAV]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flagcolorcodes.com/colombia|title=Colombia Flag Color Codes|access-date=2025-07-24|publisher=Flag Color Codes}}</ref> are recommended. These colors, for instance, were used in the "Flags and Anthems Manual" for the [[2012 Summer Olympics]]:<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Flags and anthems manual London 2012 : SPP final version |date=2012 |url=https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/34593/flags-and-anthems-manual-london-2012-spp-final-version-london-organising-committee-of-the-olympic-ga?_lg=en-GB |access-date=2025-05-21 |publisher=London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games |language=English}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable width=60% style="text-align:center;"
|-
![[File:Flag of Colombia.svg|30px]]<br>Color scheme
!style="background:#FFCD00"| Yellow
!style="background:#003087; color:#FFFFFF"| <span style="color:white;">Blue</span>

!style="background:#C8102E; color:#FFFFFF"| <span style="color:white;">Red</span>
|-
| [[Pantone]] || 116 || 287 || 186
|-
| [[RGB]] ([[Hex triplet|hex]]) || 255-205-0 (#FFCD00) || 0-48-135 (#003087) || 200-16-46 (#C8102E)
|-
| [[CMYK]] || 0-20-100-0 || 100-64-0-47 || 0-92-77-22
|}

=== Symbolism ===
According to the government of Colombia, the colors of the flag represent:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-04-27 |title=.:: Presidencia de la República de Colombia ::. |url=http://www.presidencia.gov.co/prensa_new/historia/bandera1.htm |access-date=2022-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427183809/http://www.presidencia.gov.co/prensa_new/historia/bandera1.htm |archive-date=2012-04-27 }}</ref>

* {{legend|#FFCD00|'''[[Yellow (color)|Yellow]]''': the riches of the country, the wealth of the Colombian soil, the [[gold]], [[sovereignty]], [[harmony]], [[justice]] and [[agriculture]], as well as the [[Sun]], the source of light.}}
* {{legend|#003087|'''[[Blue (color)|Blue]]''': the sky above, the seas on Colombia's shores, and the rivers that run through.}}
* {{legend|#C8102E|'''[[Red (color)|Red]]''': the blood spilled for [[Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada|Colombia's independence]] and also the effort of Colombian people, their [[determination]] and [[Perseverance (virtue)|perseverance]]. Although Colombia's people once struggled, they have since thrived.}}

The flag's colors have other representations, such as blue for loyalty and vigilance, red for the victory of battles for Colombian independence, and yellow for sovereignty and justice.<ref>{{Citation |title=Culture Box: Colombia |pages=3 |url=https://as.vanderbilt.edu/clas/wp-content/uploads/sites/99/2016/07/Colombia-Culture-Box.pdf |publisher=Center for Latin American Studies, [[Vanderbilt University]]}}</ref>

== History ==
[[Francisco de Miranda]] originally created the common yellow, blue, and red [[flag of Gran Colombia]] that Colombia, [[flag of Ecuador|Ecuador]] and [[flag of Venezuela|Venezuela]], with slight variations, share today. Miranda gave at least two sources of inspiration for his flag. In a letter written to the Russian count [[Semyon Vorontsov]] and the German philosopher [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]], Miranda described a late-night conversation he had had with Goethe at a party in Weimar during the winter of 1785. Fascinated by Miranda's account of his exploits in the [[American Revolutionary War|United States Revolutionary War]] and his travels throughout the Americas and Europe, Goethe told him, "Your destiny is to create in your land a place where primary colors are not distorted." He proceeded to clarify what he meant:

{{quote| ''First he explained to me the way the [[Iris (anatomy)|iris]] transforms light into the three primary colours […] then he proved to me why yellow is the most warm, noble and closest to [white] light; why blue is that mix of excitement and serenity, a distance that evokes shadows; and why red is the exaltation of yellow and blue, the synthesis, the vanishing of light into shadow''.}}

{{quote| ''It is not that the world is made of yellows, blues and reds; it is that in this manner, as if in an infinite combination of these three colours, we human beings see it. […] A country [Goethe concluded] starts out from a name and a flag, and it then becomes them, just as a man fulfils his destiny''.}}

After Miranda designed his flag based on this conversation, he recalled seeing a [[fresco]] by [[Lazzaro Tavarone]] in the Palazzo Belimbau in [[Genoa]] that depicted [[Christopher Columbus]] unfurling a similar-colored flag in [[Duchy of Veragua|Veragua]] during his [[Voyages of Christopher Columbus|fourth voyage]].<ref>Serpa Erazo, Jorge, [summary of Ricardo Silva Romero's] [http://www.armada.mil.co/?idcategoria=54629 "La Bandera del Mundo."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070812065646/http://www.armada.mil.co/?idcategoria=54629 |date=2007-08-12 }} ''Pañol de la Historia''. Part 1, Section 1 (July 30, 2004). ISSN 1900-3447. Retrieved on 2008-12-02</ref>

In his military diary, Miranda gave another possible source of inspiration: the yellow, blue and red [[Heraldic flag|standard]] of the Burger Guard (''Bürgerwache'') of [[Hamburg]], which he also saw during his travels in Germany.<ref>Dousdebés, Pedro Julio, "Las insignias de Colombia," ''Boletín de historia y antigüedades'', August 1937, 462, cited in Nelson González Ortega, "Formación de la iconografía nacional en Colombia: una lectura semiótico-social," ''Revista de Estudios Colombianos'', No. 16 (1996), 20.</ref><ref>{{Citation | last = Miranda | first = Francisco | author2 = Josefina Rodríguez de Alonso | author3 = José Luis Salcedo-Bastardo | title = Colombeia: Segunda sección: El viajero ilustrado, 1787-1788 | place = Caracas | publisher = Ediciones de la Presidencia de la República | year = 1983 | volume = 4 | page = 415 | isbn = 84-499-6610-8 | quote= April 19:[…] around 5:30 in the evening I had the pleasure of seeing the Burger Guard pass by with flag waving and drums beating, which it does every day at a similar time […] The [officers of the] infantry wore red with a yellow emblem, and the artillery blue with red emblem.}}</ref>

In the 1801 plan for an army to [[Spanish American wars of independence|liberate Spanish America]], which he submitted unsuccessfully to the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|British cabinet]], Miranda requested the materials for "ten flags, whose colors shall be red, yellow, and blue, in three zones."<ref>{{Citation | last = Miranda | first = Francisco | author2 = Josefina Rodríguez de Alonso | author3 = José Luis Salcedo-Bastardo | title = Colombeia: Primera parte: Miranda, súbdito español, 1750-1780 | place = Caracas | publisher = Ediciones de la Presidencia de la República | year = 1978 | volume = 1 | page = 80 | isbn = 978-84-499-5163-3}}</ref> However, the first flag was not raised until 12 March 1806, in [[Jacmel]], [[Haiti]], during his ill-fated expedition to Venezuela.

The flag was officially adopted by law on 26 November 1861.<ref name="Decreto"/>

==Official flags==
;National flag
<gallery>
File:Flag of Colombia.svg|{{FIAV|normal}} National flag and state ensign of Colombia
</gallery>
;Military and civil flags
<gallery>
File:Civil Ensign of Colombia.svg|Civil ensign of Colombia
File:Naval Ensign of Colombia.svg|Naval ensign of Colombia
File:Military flag of Colombia.svg|War flag of Colombia
File:New-Flag-of-the-President-of-Colombia.svg|Presidential flag of Colombia (similar to the [[flag of Ecuador]])
File:Flag of the President of Colombia.svg|Presidential flag of Colombia used before 1991
</gallery>
;Construction sheets
<gallery>
File:Flag of Colombia (construction sheet).svg|Construction sheet of the national flag
File:Civil flag of Colombia (construction sheet).svg|Construction sheet of the civil ensign
File:Naval flag of Colombia (construction sheet).png|Construction sheet of the naval ensign
File:Military flag of Colombia (construction sheet).png|Construction sheet of the war flag
File:New Presidential flag of Colombia (construction sheet).png|Construction sheet of the presidential flag
File:Presidential flag of Colombia (construction sheet).png|Construction sheet of the presidential flag of Colombia used before 1991
</gallery>

==Historical flags==
;Historical national flags
<gallery>
File:Flag of New Granada (1811-1814).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of United Provinces of New Granada (1811–1814), later adopted and used by [[Jean Lafitte]] from 1817 to 1821 at Galveston Island, Spanish Texas, New Spain
File:Flag of New Granada (1814-1816).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of United Provinces of New Granada (1814–1816)
File:Flag of the Gran Colombia (1819-1820).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} [[Flag of Gran Colombia]] (1819)
File:Flag of the Gran Colombia (1820-1821).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of Gran Colombia (1820)
File:Flag of the Gran Colombia.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of Gran Colombia (1821–1831)
File:Flag of New Granada (1830-1834).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of New Granada (1831–1834)
File:Flag of New Granada.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of [[Republic of New Granada]] (1834–1858) and [[Granadine Confederation]] (1858–1861)
File:Flag of United States of New Granada.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of [[United States of Colombia|United States of New Granada]] (1861)
File:Flag of Colombia.svg|{{FIAV|normal}} Flag of United States of Colombia (1861–1886) and Republic of Colombia (1886–present)
</gallery>
;Historical military and civil flags
<gallery>
File:Civil ensign of New Granada.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Civil ensign of [[Granadine Confederation]] (1858–1861)
File:Naval ensign of New Granada.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Military flag and naval ensign of [[Republic of New Granada]] (1834–1858) 
File:Civil ensign of United States of Colombia.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Civil ensign of [[United States of Colombia]] (1861–1886)
File:Naval ensign of United States of Colombia.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Military flag and [[naval ensign]] of [[United States of Colombia]] (1861–1886)
</gallery>

==Gallery of images==
<gallery>
File:Colombian flag on ARC Gloria.png|Colombian flag hoisted on the [[ARC Gloria]] barque, the official flagship of the [[Colombian Navy]].
File:Flags of Colombia in Cartagena.jpg|Colombian tricolor in a colonial building corridor in [[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena de Indias]].
Colombia Apollo 17 lunar sample display.jpg|Flag of Colombia which was carried to the surface of the [[Moon]] during the [[Apollo 17]] mission.
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Colombia|
}}
* [[List of Colombian flags]]
* [[Coat of arms of Colombia]]
* [[National Anthem of Colombia|¡Oh, Gloria inmarcesible!]], national anthem of Colombia
* [[Flag of Ecuador]] (similar design; with the [[Coat of arms of Ecuador|coat of arms]] in the center)
* [[Flag of Russia]] (similar design; white stripe instead of yellow, 1:1:1 ratio)
* [[Flag of Lithuania]] (similar design; green stripe instead of blue, 1:1:1 ratio)

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=n}}

==References==
{{Reflist|}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|National flag of Colombia}}
* {{FOTW|id=co|title=Colombia}}
* [http://www.presidencia.gov.co/historia/bandera1.htm Colombian flag history (Spanish)]
* [http://www.going2colombia.com/flag-of-colombia.html Colombian flag history (English)] 
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=Tq8LAAAAYAAJ Joaquín Piñeros Corpas, ''Historia de la bandera colombiana'' (1967) 183pp.]

{{Symbols of Colombia}}
{{South America topic|Flag of|title=[[Flags of South America]]}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Colombia}}
[[Category:Flags of Colombia| ]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1861|Colombia]]
[[Category:National flags|Colombia]]
[[Category:National symbols of Colombia|Flag]]
[[Category:Tricolor flags]]
[[Category:Flags with blue, red and yellow]]
[[Category:Horizontally symmetrical flags]]