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.
