About
El Salvador,[a] officially the Republic of El Salvador,[b] is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador’s capital and largest city is San Salvador. El Salvador’s population in 2024 was estimated to be 6 million.[5]
- Capital and largest city San Salvador
- Official languages Spanish
- Demonym Salvadoran
- Currency United States dollar
The national flag of El Salvador, officially named the Bandera Magna (Spanish for “Great Flag”), is a horizontal triband of blue-white-blue, with the national coat of arms centered and entirely contained within the central white stripe. The current flag was adopted by the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador on 24 March 1916, and its design is established by the Law of National Symbols approved in 1972. The flag is inspired by the flag of the Federal Republic of Central America, which itself was inspired by the flag of Argentina. From 1865 to 1912, the flag of El Salvador resembled that of the United States, consisting of a red canton, nine alternating blue and white stripes, and white stars in the canton equal to the number of departments.
The coat of arms of El Salvador, which has been in use since September 15, 1912, has medieval gothic influences, as well as geographical, biblical and indigenous symbolic representations. The center of the coat of arms consists of a triangle, in which five volcanoes rise out of the sea. They symbolize the five member states of the United Provinces of Central America. The Phrygian cap, a red hat, tops a staff, and represents liberty. Behind the cap is a golden sun with beaming rays, encircled by the date of Salvadoran independence (September 15, 1821). At the top of the triangle is a rainbow arch in an azure sky which biblically symbolizes peace. Surrounding the triangle are five flags representing the five nations of Central America. Below, there is a scroll which states the national motto of El Salvador: “Dios, Union, Libertad” which means God, Union, Liberty. Branches of laurel frame the triangle, representing victory. The branches are divided into fourteen sections, representing the fourteen departments of El Salvador. Encircling all of this is the full name of the nation, i.e. Repúblicade El Salvador en la Ameríca Central, which translates to Republic of El Salvador in Central America.