Flag of Venezuela

Along with the anthem and the coat of arms, the national flag of Venezuela is one of the main symbols of freedom and sovereignty of the state. In order to be able to understand the significance of the flag of this country, it is necessary to refer to history. It is the events of the past years that had a direct influence on its appearance.

This is what the flag of Venezuela looks like:

History of the Venezuelan flag

The creation of the flag is closely related to the national liberation movement of the people, because the Bolivarian Republic had long been under the oppression of Spain.

More than three hundred years of colonial dependence led to the organization of a conspiracy of supporters of independence, led by José-Maria España and Manuel Gual, in 1797. It was then that the people united for the first time under an independent banner of four horizontal stripes of different colors: white, blue, red, and yellow. These colors represented whites, blacks, mulattoes, and Indians. Although the rebellion was crushed, the same colors were used in subsequent years in the flags of the liberation movement, but their meaning changed.

The flag in use today was first flown at Jacmel Bay on the island of Haiti aboard a ship called the Leander in 1806. The creator of the flag is considered to be Francisco Miranda, a famous leader of the liberation movement. He and a group of volunteers sailed from New York City to South America on this ship.

This flag was later used as a banner in the attempt to declare independence (1810), the Venezuelan republics were proclaimed (the first in 1811-1812 and the second in 1813-1814), and in 1816-1822 Simon Bolivar and his army freed the country from the Spanish, and it finally became fully independent. Now Flag Day is celebrated in Venezuela on August 3.

Description

Like the other Spanish colonies, which in the struggle for independence created a union of states called “Great Colombia” (in addition to Venezuela it included Ecuador, Panama and Colombia), the flag of Venezuela has stripes of yellow, blue and red colors. They are arranged horizontally and are of equal width, and the flag itself has the proportions 2:3. There are eight five-pointed stars placed in a semi-circle in the center.

There are two official versions of the flag: the civil one and the one for official use, presented in the international arena.

Colors of the Venezuelan flag

The modern flag has four colors: three horizontal stripes: yellow, blue and red, and white stars in the center of the blue stripe.

When the country’s flag appears at international events, the national emblem of the Free Republic is also present in the upper left corner of the flag.

Meaning of colors and flag symbol

The yellow stripe represents the wealth and prosperity of the entire nation, the sultry sun, state sovereignty, harmony and justice.

The blue stripe symbolizes the serene sky and the waters of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean that bathe the country, as well as the rivers and lakes within it.

The red stripe represents the blood poured out by the fighters for the liberation of their native country. In addition, this color is also interpreted as an expression of love, progress and strength.

The number of stars in the center of the flag is not accidental: they represent the eight provinces that formed the territory of Venezuela in 1811, becoming part of “Greater Colombia.” These provinces were:

• Barinos,
• Barcelona,
• Caracas,
• Cumana,
• Margarita,
• Merida,
• Trujillo,
• West Guyana.

Today, the country is no longer divided into seven provinces, but into 23 administrative states and one district, nevertheless, the flag has remained in the form in which the state gained its independence.

General information about Venezuela

Map of Venezuela