Uruguay

Trivia

The flag was designed by Joaquín Suárez, the first head of the state of Uruguay.

Technical Specifications

Adopted	11th July 1830
Proportion	2:3
Design	Nine alternating white and blue stripes with a white square and Sun of May top left.

Brief History

The Patria Vieja, also known as the flag of Artigas, was flown in the region between 1813 and 1815. It is a blue-white-blue horizontal triband with a red diagonal band from top left to bottom right. The Flag is still flown with the national flag.

Uruguay became a province of Brazil around 1821 and the flag flown was the flag of Cisplatine Province; a green-white-green horizontal triband with cross and gold / blue sphere in the centre.

The Flag of Patria Vieja (1813 – 1815)

The Flag of Cisplatine Province (1821 – 1828)

In 1828 a fully independent Uruguay adopted a new flag. It featured nine alternating white and sky blue stripes representing the departments of Uruguay and a white square with Sun of May on the top left representing Uruguay. The flag was altered in 1830 to feature nine stripes and 16 straight and wavy rays from the Sun of May.

The Flag of Uruguay (1828 – 1830)

The Flag of Uruguay (1830 to Present Day)

The Coat of Arms of Uruguay

The Coat of Arms of Uruguay was adopted in 1829. It features an oval split into quarters.

The Top left portion is a blue field with golden scales, the lower left portion features a black horse on a white background, the top right portion is a castle on a mountain and the sea, and the lower right portion is a golden bull on a blue field.

Above is the Sun of May and below is a blue ribbon connecting a laurel branch and an olive branch.

The Standard of the President of Uruguay at Sea

The Standard of the President of Uruguay at Sea is a plain white field with the coat of arms in the centre and a blue anchor at either corner of the standard.