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Flag of Guatemala

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Republic of Guatemala
UseState and war flag, state and naval ensign Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion5:8
Adopted17 August 1871; 153 years ago (1871-08-17)
DesignA vertical triband of Maya blue (hoist-side and fly-side) and white with the National Emblem centered on the white band.
Civil ensign
UseCivil flag and ensign Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion5:8
Adopted17 August 1871
DesignA vertical triband of Maya blue (hoist-side and fly-side) and white.
Flag of Guatemala flying on an outdoor flagpole

The flag of Guatemala, often referred to as the National Pavilion (Pabellón nacional) or the Blue-and-White (Azul y Blanco), features two colors: sky blue and white. According to decree, the two sky blue stripes represents strength, justice, truth and loyalty. The white color signifies purity, integrity, firmness and light.[1] The blue and white colors, like those of several other countries in the region, are based on the flag of the former Federal Republic of Central America.

In the center of the flag is the Guatemalan coat of arms. It includes the resplendent quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala that symbolizes liberty; a parchment scroll bearing the date of Central America's independence from Spain, 15 September 1821; crossed Remington Rolling Block[2] rifles, indicating Guatemala's willingness to defend itself by force if need be; a bay laurel crown, the symbol for victory; and crossed swords, representing honor. It is one of four national flags among UN member states that features a firearm, along with those of Mozambique, Haiti, and Bolivia.

It is one of five national flags that use the ratio 5:8, with the others being Argentina, Palau, Poland, and Sweden.

History

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The Federal Republic of Central America flag was used in Guatemala until 1851, when a pro-Spanish faction took over and added the Spanish colors of red and yellow to the flag. The original colors were restored on 17 August 1871, but as vertical (rather than horizontal) stripes in order to distinguish it from other flags and with a new coat of arms.[citation needed]

The resplendent quetzal previously appeared in the 1830s in the flag of Los Altos, the sixth state in the Federal Republic.[citation needed]

In 2008 a flag called the Bandera de Los Pueblos (Flag of indigenous peoples) was adopted by law and is shown together with the national flag of Guatemala in all events featuring the President of Guatemala since then. The flag is divided in four parts, red, yellow, white and black, each colour representing Xinca people, Garifuna people, Maya people, and Ladino people, respectively.[3]

These colours are also part of the Qʼanil, a Maya symbol in which each color represents a point of the compass, an element of nature and a part of the human being. Qʼanil means "seed" in Mayan languages,[which?] and is also one of the 20 days of the Maya calendar.[which?] Aimed at promoting "interculturality"[citation needed] in Guatemala, the Bandera de los Pueblos was received with disinterest by the leaders of the peoples, who do not seem to have been consulted.[4]

Promoting the flag

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Since 1961, 17 August has been commemorated as Flag Day.[5]

Colors

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Color scheme Maya blue White
Pantone[4] 297 Safe
RGB 73-151-208 255-255-255
CMYK 64.9-27.4-0-18.4 0-0-0-0-0
Web colors 4997D0 FFFFFF

Ethnic group flags

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Flag Use
Bandera de los Pueblos, flag attributed to indigenous peoples.
Flag of Garifuna

Government flags

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Military flags

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Flag Use
Flag of the Minister of Defence
Flag of the Chief of the General Staff

Political flags

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Flag Use
Flag of the National Liberation Movement
Flag of the Guatemalan Party of Labour
Flag of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity

Department flags

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Flag Department
Alta Verapaz
Baja Verapaz
Chimaltenango
Chiquimula
El Progresso
Escuintla
Guatemala
Huehuetenango
Izabal
Jalapa
Jutiapa
Petén
Quetzaltenango
Quiché
Retalhuleu
Sacatepéquez
San Marcos
Santa Rosa
Sololá
Suchitepéquez
Totonicapán
Zacapa

Historical flags

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The Guatemalan flag has changed throughout history, arriving to its current design in 1871.

Flag Date Use
1524–1821 Flag of the Kingdom of Guatemala
1821–1823 Flag of the First Mexican Empire
1823–1824 Flag of the United Provinces of Central America
1824–1838 Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America
1825–1838 Flag of Guatemala within Central America
1838–1843 Flag of Guatemala
1838–1840
1848–1849
Flag of the State of Los Altos
1843–1851 Flag of Guatemala
1851–1858 Flag of Guatemala
1851–1858 State Flag of Guatemala
1858–1871 Flag of Guatemala
1858–1871 State Flag of Guatemala
1871–1968 State flag used until 1968, similar to modern flag but with minor differences and additions of blue and white ribbons; some variants contained red ribbons or multiple[6][7]
1871–1968 State Flag of Guatemala (variant, used before c. 1920s)

References

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  1. ^ www.congreso.gob.gt https://www.congreso.gob.gt/noticias_congreso/6921/2021/4#gsc.tab=0. Retrieved 3 June 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ "Guatemala". Flagspot.net. Archived from the original on 13 June 2006. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  3. ^ Flags of the World page "Guatemala" ,Archived 17 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b Flags of the World page "Guatemala" Archived 17 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ AGN (17 August 2023). "Guatemala conmemora el Día de la Bandera - Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias" (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  6. ^ nicka21045 (12 April 2013), Guatemala, retrieved 10 June 2024{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ nicka21045 (19 November 2013), Guatemala, retrieved 10 June 2024{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)