Ecuador's National Flag Day

Every September 26th Ecuador commemorates the National Flag Day.

Ecuador's flag design is one of the oldest in the world, having been in use since around 1860.

The bright yellow, red and blue bands and the coat of arms in the center are all symbolically significant.

However, no-one seems to agree exactly on the symbolism of the colors or there are various different explanation for the meaning of the colors.

Ecuador's national flag consists of a yellow top half and the bottom half split horizontally into bands of blue and then red at the bottom, with a coat of arms superimposed in the middle.

Common themes amongst the variety of opinions about the symbolism of the colors in the flag design include:

Yellow: variously said to symbolizes gold, abundant harvests and fertility.

Blue: the blue band on Ecuador's flag is sometimes said to represent the sky and the sea, which is fairly non-contentious.  That it also represents Ecuador's independence from the Spanish Conquistadores is a rather more vague explanation.

Red: the red band is claimed to represent the blood spilt in the fight for Ecuador's independence.  Other opinions have the red band on the Ecuador flag representing courage.

The coat of arms appears in the middle of Ecuador's flag, on top of the yellow and blue bands.

The national coat of arms features the condor (the national bird), Mount Chimborazo (Ecuador's highest peak) and South America's first steamboat chugging along the River Guayas.

Cities and provinces also have their own flags in Ecuador.

Quito's red and blue flag, often adorned with the words ¡Viva Quito! (Long live Quito!), is flown by households around the city at the time of the Fiestas de Quito.

Or Quito’s founding day festivities in English.

The Ecuador flag and coat of arms are very much a part of daily life in Ecuador and will be seen often in any visit to the country.

They are both a symbol of national pride.

In  Ecuador flags flap merrily from schools, office buildings and private homes on any given day.

If you're looking for Ecuador flags for sale, head for a sports stadium on the day of a soccer match, especially if Ecuador’s selection, the national soccer team is playing.

The supporters often drape themselves in the national or city flag when attending matches and the flags are sold outside of the stadiums.

Often few days before the match.

It's wise for visitors to be suitably respectful, or at least not disrespectful, to Ecuador's national flag.