State Flag of the Republic of Colombia (1861)

Formerly called New Granada by Spanish colonisers, Colombia was colonised and ruled by Spain from the 16th century until early in the 19th century.

On the 26th of November 1861, the current national flag was adopted; the country didn't change its name to the Republic of Colombia until a new constitution was proclaimed in 1886.

For a brief time after independence from Spain the former Spanish colonies of Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela formed a federation of states called Greater Colombia.

The federation adopted a horizontal striped tricolour flag (yellow, blue and red) based on a design created and first flown at the turn of the 19th century by Central American independence fighters. 

The current flags of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela are all based on this flag.

Colombia also has a civil ensign and diplomatic service flag, which features a national emblem placed in the centre of the flag. 

The current civil ensign and diplomatic service flag was adopted on the 8th of May 1890.

The Symbolic Meaning

Historically the Colombian flag is based on a flag created and flown by independence fighters fighting against Spanish colonial rule. 

At that time yellow symbolised the gold of the New World of the Americas, blue the Atlantic Ocean, which separated the New World from the bloody Old World of Spain, signified by red.

A more modern interpretation has yellow signifying sovereignty and liberty, blue representing equality and loyalty and red, honour and fraternity.