Flag of Honduras

Flag of Honduras

The flag of Honduras, created in 1866, consists of three horizontal stripes: two outer turquoise blue stripes (representing the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, as well as the sky) and a central white stripe (symbolizing peace and purity). In the center are five turquoise blue stars, representing the former nations of the Central American Federation.

The flag of Honduras was created on February 16, 1866, during the presidency of José María Medina. It is based on the flag of the former United Provinces of Central America, which in turn was based on the flag of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, the first Argentine nation-state. According to its founding decree, the flag consists of three horizontal stripes of equal size: turquoise blue on the outside and white in the center. Five turquoise stars are located in the center of the white stripe.

The stars symbolize the five countries that formed the former Central American Federation—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua—and the ideal of Central American unity. The national flag is described in the chorus of the Honduran National Anthem.

In practice, the flag has traditionally been made in different shades of blue, especially darker shades. In 2020, the National Autonomous University of Honduras established an internal color to represent the flag, defining it as its web color.

The phrase "five pale blue stars" belongs to the chorus of the National Anthem of Honduras, created by Augusto C. Coello (lyrics) and Carlos Hartling (music). This line describes the five stars located on the central white stripe of the national flag, traditionally associated with a light blue or sky blue hue, despite historical variations in the official shade.

History

United Provinces of Central America

The origins of the Honduran flag date back to United Provinces of Central America, which Honduras was part of. It was the first country in Central America to use a blue-white-blue triband, which in turn was based on the flag of Argentina.

First flag

Flag used since independence, and finally abolished in 1949. The flag has been defined as flag of the UPOCA without emblem.

Second flags

On 16 February 1866, President José María Medina modified the coat of arms and flag, adding 5 stars representing the 5 original united provinces. The most popular arrangement of blue stars was similar to the arrangement of the dots on a die, but there were also alternative arrangements. Versions other than the current one disappeared by the 1930s.

Although there wasn't any mention regarding the exact shade of blue to be used, by the early 20th century, the most common version (including the one used by military forces) used navy blue.

Greater Republic of Central America

Between 1896 and 1898 Honduras was part of a union known as Greater Republic of Central America, while retaining its own flag, though some flagmakers began to render the five stars as gold, the same as the GRCA flag. This design was never declared official.

In 2020, the National Autonomous University of Honduras published its guidelines regarding the shades of blue used on the flag, due to the "absence" of an official position about the topic. Following the intention of the 1949 decree, the guidelines established a lighter shade of blue for the Honduran flag "until its colors are defined and regulated by legislative decree".

On 4 January 2022, the Honduran Armed Forces announced a change from this month on their monograms, uniforms and logo to represent the national flag in turquoise. The announcement came shortly after President Xiomara Castro also announced the use of the flag in that shade of blue.

Flags of subdivisions

Departments

• Colón • Comayagua • Copán • Francisco Morazán • Ocotepeque • Olancho • Santa Bárbara

Ethnic group flags

Flag of Honduras

Flag	Use
	Flag of the Garifuna
	Flag of the Lenca people