Flag of Costa Rica

Meaning and history of the flag of Costa Rica

Costa Rica's flag was adopted on September 29, 1848, and consists of five horizontal stripes: blue, white, red, white, and blue, with the central red stripe twice as wide as the others. In the state's official version, the red stripe bears the national coat of arms toward the hoist side, though the civil flag omits it. The design was conceived by Pacífica Fernández Oreamuno, wife of President José María Castro Madriz.

Blue represents the sky, opportunity, and perseverance. White symbolizes peace, wisdom, and happiness. Red evokes the blood shed for liberty as well as the warmth and generosity of the Costa Rican people. Fernández drew inspiration from the flag of revolutionary France when she chose the blue, white, and red palette. Costa Rica's flag bears some resemblance to Thailand's, which also uses horizontal red, white, and blue stripes, though in a different arrangement and proportions. It stands out among Central American flags for breaking away from the blue-and-white federalist design shared by its neighbors.

You can view the flag of Costa Rica in high resolution above and download it in several sizes for personal, educational or reference use. To explore more, visit the full Costa Rica profile, its map, or the current local time in San Jose.