EL SALVADOR NATIONAL FLAG
The meaning of the El Salvador National Flag
El Salvador’s national flag was first introduced in 1912,
with minor changes made to the flag since, resulting in the flag of El Salvador
we know today. The national flag is composed of three horizontal stripes, with
the top and bottom bands light blue in colour, as well as a white stripe in the
middle. These bands originate from the flag of the United Provinces of Central
America, which split into five different countries in 1865, with El Salvador
being one of the five. Furthermore, the blue represents the sky and sea, while
the white is said to symbolise peace. In the centre of the flag is the national
coat of arms of El Salvador, which features a wide range of different
components. The text surrounding the rest of the emblem, “Republica De El
Salvador En La América Central”, translates to “Republic of El Salvador in
Central America”. The green laurel wreath stands for unity, with the 14
clusters of leaves representing the departments of the nation. Also, outside of
the central triangle are 5 flags supported by wooden war spears. The blue and
white flags are symbolic of the Federal Republic of Central America. Beneath
this is a scroll reading “Dios Union Libertad”, which translates to “God,
Union, Liberty” in English. The three sides of the triangle are said to be
representative of El Salvador’s three branches of government, inside the
triangle is a volcanic range rising above the Pacific Ocean, representing the
many volcanic ranges El Salvador is known for. Soaring above the volcanic range
is a Phrygian cap, which along with the rainbow symbolises peace. Surrounding
the Phrygian cap are the words “15 Septiembre De 1821”, stating the date El
Salvador gained its independence.
The nation of El Salvador is the smallest nation by land area
(21,000km2) in Central America, with its population of roughly 6.4
million, making it the most populated Central American country. Located to the
north is Honduras and to the west Guatemala, while the coastline is lined by
the Pacific Ocean. The capital city of El Salvador is San Salvador, and the
official language of El Salvador is Spanish. El Salvador is often referred to
as the ‘Land of Volcanoes’, referencing the number of volcanoes which have
terraformed El Salvador’s landscape. The turquoise-browed motmot, also known as
the torogoz is the national bird, symbolising the nation’s liberty, due to this
species inability to adapt to captivity. Furthermore, since 2001, the official
currency of El Salvador has been the American Dollar.
