El Salvador

Last modified: 1997-09-03 by filip van laenen
Keywords: el salvador | america |
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Zeljko Heimer, 1996-FEB-29

• Description of the flags and their use
• Old flag of El Salvador

See also:

• Governmental flag of El Salvador
• Military flag of El Salvador
• Flag of 1865/1912

Similar to other Central American countries El Salvador have blue-white-blue flag remembering the Central American federation from the middle of 19th century. And similar to others they use diferent variants of flags for civil, govermental and military purposes. But here it is not so simple. There are at least three versions used:

Civil flag

pure blue over white over blue flag, ratio 3:5

Governmental flag

civil flag with yellow text DIOS UNION LIBERTAD (God, Union, Liberty), ratio 3:5

Military flag

civil flag with the state's coat of arms, ratio 189:335 (sic!)

For the simplification purposes I call the first flag civil, second goverment, and third military flag. But their uses are interwoven. According to W.Smith [smi75a], the civil flag is used for civil and govermantal purposes on land, the govermental flag is used by the goverment on land and sea, by civilians on sea and by the army on land. The military flag is used by the goverment on land and the military forces on land and sea.

The blue-white-blue flag was for the last time confirmed on 27th of September, 1972.

Zeljko Heimer, 1996-FEB-29

I read that El Salvador used a stars and stripes flag before 1912. What was this flag actually like?

Zeljko Heimer, 1996-FEB-29