Mexico or officially the United Mexican States – a state located in North America, the territory of which is 1 million 972, 6 thousand km2, and a population of more than 133 million people.
This is what the modern flag of Mexico looks like:
History of the flag
The active development of the territory of Mexico began with the arrival of Europeans there. The first among them were the Spaniards (early 16th century). In 1535 the territory became part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. At the same time the flag of the kingdom was used as the flag. It included several other states of the region (Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Cuba, etc.).
In 1785, the symbolism was replaced by another form, which was to emphasize the colony’s belonging to Spain, as during these years the rivalry between the major powers for the conquest of the new colonies increased.
Spain recognized the independence of Mexico in 1821 and in the same year a new symbolism was designed.
A little later it changed and became the embodiment of the Mexican Empire.
Two years later the empire fell and Mexico was proclaimed a republic. In accordance with this, the symbol of the state was also changed.
From 1823 to the 1960s, there were permanent wars in Mexico, which resulted in the secession and independence of various parts of the Mexican territories. These included, for example, the Republic of Texas, California, and others.
In 1864 the country was proclaimed an empire with the support of France, but remained in this capacity only three years. For a short time a different symbolism was adopted.
Then it was replaced by a version of the flag abolished in 1864.
The symbolism of this species was official until 1893, when the image of the eagle in the central part of the flag was slightly changed.
Between 1916 and the adoption of the modern version, there were two other types of the official symbol of Mexico.
- The First – (1916-1934)
- The second is (1934-1968).
The current form of the state symbol of the United Mexican States has been in effect since September 1968.
Description
The national flag of Mexico is a rectangular cloth with the proportions of the sides 4 to 7. It is divided into three evenly spaced vertical stripes: a dark green stripe on the left (from the staff), a white stripe in the center, and a red stripe on the right.
In the center of the white stripe is the national emblem, in which a bird of prey holds a rattlesnake in its beak. Both of these representatives of wildlife live in the deserts of Mexico, as if to explain their presence on the coat of arms (flag). The plant on which the eagle is perched belongs to the cactus family, which grows throughout Mexico.
Flag colors
The Mexican flag uses three primary colors: green, white, and red. In addition to these, shades of several other colors are used to represent the coat of arms: brownish, blue-blue, yellow, and others.
Meaning of colors and flag symbol
The Mexican national symbol and its colors have their own designation. Specifically,
- The green stripe represents the hope and abundance of Mexico’s natural wealth and the role of agriculture in its economy.
- The white stripe symbolizes purity and freedom.
- The red represents the blood spilled for the country’s independence.
The image of an eagle (golden eagle) sitting on a cactus, with a snake in its beak is interpreted differently. For example, for Europeans it means the triumph of good over evil, while for the Aztecs the images have a deep religious meaning.
The meaning of the colors of the flag is also deciphered in another way:
- Green – independence from Spain;
- White – commitment to Catholicism;
- Red – alliance between Europeans and Americans.
Other Flags
Mexico uses two versions of the flag for state and federal authorities. In particular, for the president and secretaries of federal agencies, the variant used is the one with the coat of arms painted in gold and inscribed “United Mexican States”.
The second is for state governments.
The national flag can also be decorated with a special knot in the form of a tie.
Most states in Mexico do not have their own symbols. But there are states that do use their own flag. These include:
- Durango;
- Jalisco;
- Queretaro;
- Quintana;
- Tlaxcala.
Interesting facts about the flag
The Mexican flag has many interesting features of its application, use or salute. For example, the flag salute is military (saluting) and civilian, in which the right arm bent at the elbow is placed horizontally at chest level. The palm of the hand should almost touch the rib cage.
For the past twenty years, giant flags have been erected all over the country. The largest flag is erected in the city of Piedras with a weight of 420 kg and a mast height of 120 meters.
The flag of Mexico bears a resemblance to that of Italy. The difference is the proportions. The Italian symbol is 2 to 3 and has no coat of arms in the central part.
General information about Mexico
Official language | Spanish (de facto),
68 indigenous languages of Mexico (de jure) |
Capital | Mexico |
Territory | 1 972 550 km² |
Population | 133 140 936 people |
Currency | Mexican peso (MXN, code 484) |
Phone Code | +52 |