# List of Costa Rican flags

This is a list of flags used in Costa Rica. For more information about the national flag, visit the article Flag of Costa Rica.

## National flags

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1998– | State flag and state ensign | The national flag with the national coat of arms inside a white circle in the red strip to the left. |
| | 1848– | National flag and civil ensign | Five strips blue, white, red, white and blue. The red central stripe with double width than other blue and white strips. |

## Provinces

| Administrative division | Description |
| Alajuela | White flag with the coat of arms of Alajuela Province in the center |
| Cartago | Two horizontal strips blue and red |
| Guanacaste | Three horizontal strips blue, white and green, with an inverted red triangle to the left |
| Heredia | Three vertical strips yellow, white and red, with the regional coat of arms in the central strip |
| Limón | Three horizontal strips green, blue and white |
| Puntarenas | Two triangles, red (upper left) and green (lower right), crossed by two diagonal joined strips white (lefter) and blue (righter). In the center, a ten-pointed golden star with the cypher "1848" in black characters. |
| San José | Blue flag with a five-pointed white star in the center, and bordered with red strips |

## Cantons

* Alvarado
* Desamparados
* Escazú
* Puriscal
* Aserrí
* Mora
* Goicoechea
* Santa Ana
* Alajuelita
* Acosta
* Orotina
* Tibás
* Guácimo
* Matina
* Moravia
* Montes de Oca
* Turrubares
* Dota
* Curridabat
* Jiménez
* Pérez Zeledón
* Alajuela
* Corredores
* Quepos
* San Ramón
* Grecia
* Hojancha
* San Mateo
* Atenas
* Poás
* Parrita
* San Carlos
* Zarcero
* Sarchí
* Guatuso
* Upala
* Los Chiles
* Río Cuarto
* Cartago
* Paraíso
* La Unión
* Oreamuno
* Turrialba
* Heredia
* Barva
* Santo Domingo
* Santa Bárbara
* San Rafael
* Belén
* Flores
* Sarapiquí
* Liberia
* Santa Cruz
* Nicoya
* Bagaces
* Carrillo
* Cañas
* Abangares
* Tilarán
* Puntarenas
* Esparza
* Buenos Aires
* Montes de Oro
* Osa
* Coto Brus
* Garabito
* Limón
* Pococi
* Siquirres
* Palmares
* San Jose
* Talamanca
* Vázquez de Coronado

## Historical flags

| Date | Use | Description |
| 1541–1821 | Burgundy Cross, flag of the Spanish Overseas Territories | A red saltire resembling two crossed, roughly-pruned (knotted) branches, on a white field |
| 1638–1707 | Flag of England | A white field with a red cross, also known as the St George's Cross |
| 1707–1787 | Flag of the Kingdom of Great Britain | The first version of the Union Jack used in England from 1606 and Scotland from 1707—the flags of England and Scotland superimposed |
| 1785–1821 | War ensign of Spain | Three horizontal stripes—red, yellow and red—with the coat of arms. The yellow strip being twice as wide as each red stripe |
| 1808–1813 | Flag of Spain under Joseph Bonaparte (1808–1813). | A white banner with the royal coat of arms under Joseph Bonaparte |
| 1819–1820 | First flag of Great Colombia | A tricolour of yellow, blue, and red with the coat of arms |
| 1820–1821 | Second flag of Great Colombia | A tricolour of yellow, blue, and red with the coat of arms |
| 1821 | First flag of the First Mexican Empire | Three diagonal strips of white, green and red with three golden stars |
| 1821–1823 | Second flag of the First Mexican Empire | Three vertical strips of green, white and red, with the imperial coat of arms in the center |
| 1821–1831 | Third flag of Great Colombia | A tricolour of yellow, blue, and red with the coat of arms in the center |
| 1823 | First Costa Rican national flag | Three horizontal strips of blue, yellow and blue |
| 1823–1824 | Second Costa Rican national flag | White field with a six-pointed red star |
| 1823–1824 | Flag of the United Provinces of Central America | Three horizontal strips of light blue (upper and lower) and white (central), with the coat of arms in the center |
| 1824 | First flag of the State of Costa Rica (within the United Provinces of Central America) | Same as UPCA flag, with the State Seal in the lower strip. |
| 1824–1838 | Second flag of the State of Costa Rica (within the United Provinces of Central America) | Same as UPCA flag, with the state seal in the lower strip |
| 1824–1849 | Flag of the United Provinces of Central America | Three horizontal strips of light blue (upper and lower) and white (central), with the coat of arms in the center |
| 1831–1834 | Flag of The Republic of New Granada | A tricolour of yellow, blue, and red with the coat of arms in the center |
| 1834–1856 | Flag of The Granadine Confederation | A vertical tricolour of red, blue, and yellow |
| 1838–1840 | Second flag of the State of Costa Rica (within the United Provinces of Central America) | Three horizontal strips of white, blue and white, with the state seal in blue strip |
| 1840–1842 | | |
| 1842–1848 | Third flag of the State of Costa Rica (within the United Provinces of Central America) | Three horizontal strips of blue, white and blue, with the state seal in white strip |
| 1848–1906 | First flag after break of UPCA | Same as actual flag, with the national coat of arms in the center |
| 1906–1964 | State flag from 1906 to 1964 | The number of stars appeared on coat of arms was five since 1848. In 1906 the style of coat of arms was slightly modified, and the one appeared on state flag was also modified, narrowed and was put into a white oval lied near to the hoist of the flag. |
| 1964–1998 | State flag from 1964 to 1998 | In 1964 a law was passed by the government to increase the numbers of the stars from five to seven, to reflect the increase of number of its provinces. In 1998 a decree was passed by the government about the design of the national coat of arms, and according to the decree there should be some smoke ejecting from three volcanoes as the current look. |

## Flag Proposal

| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
| | 1845 |
| | 2022 | Map of the Pavas district, with a rainbow and the text: 'Liberty, peace, and equity' | A proposal sent to the San José municipal government |

## Political flags

| Flag | Date | Party |
| current ||||
| | 2021–present | A Just Costa Rica |
| | 2020–present | Social Democratic Progress Party |
| | 2019–present | New Republic Party |
| | 2018–present | United We Can |
| | 2016–present | Liberal Progressive Party |
| | 2014–present | Social Christian Republican Party |
| | 2014–present | Authentic Limonense Party |
| | 2012–present | New Homeland Party |
| | 2012–present | New Generation Party |
| | 2012–present | Workers' Party |
| | 2012–present | Christian Democratic Alliance |
| | 2009–present | Patriotic Alliance |
| | 2005–present | National Restoration Party |
| | 2004–present | Broad Front |
| | 2004–present | Accessibility without Exclusion |
| | 2004–present | Cartago Green Party |
| | 2002–present | National Rescue Party |
| | 2002–present | Escazu's Progressive Yoke |
| | 2000–present | Citizens' Action Party |
| | 1997–present | 21st Century Curridabat |
| | 1997–present | Party of the Sun |
| | 1996–present | National Integration Party |
| | 1995–present | Costa Rican Renewal Party |
| | 1994–present | Libertarian Movement |
| | 1990–present | Agrarian Labour Action Party |
| | 1977–present | Social Christian Unity Party |
| | 1969–present | Cartago Agrarian Union Party |
| | 1951–present | National Liberation Party |
| | 2005–present | National Union Party |
| | 1948–1958 | National Union Party |
| | 1943–present | People's Vanguard Party |
| former ||||
| | 2006–2010 | Union for Change Party |
| | 2005–2010 | New Feminist League |
| | 2005–2006 | United Left |
| | 2004–2010 | Homeland First Party |
| | 1997– 2003 | New Democratic Party |
| | 1996–2010 | Democratic Force |
| | 1989–2007 | National Agrarian Party |
| | 1986 | Alianza Popular Coalition |
| | 1998–? | Independent Party |
| | 1982–1998 | Independent Party |
| | 1982–2006 | Christian National Alliance |
| | 1981–? | National Movement |
| | 1978-2000s | United People |
| | 1978–? | Socialist Workers Organization |
| | 1976–1983 | Unity Coalition |
| | 1973–2007 | Independent Workers Party |
| | 1973–2007 | Democratic Nationalist Alliance |
| | 1972–2007 | National Patriotic Party |
| | 1972–1984 | Democratic Renewal Party |
| | 1970s | National Front Party |
| | 1970–2007 | Partido Unión Generaleña |
| | 1969–1978 | Socialist Action Party |
| | 1967–1984 | Christian Democratic Party |
| | 1966–1978 | National Unification Party |
| | 1962–1966 | National Unification Party |
| | 1960s | Popular Democratic Action |
| | 1957–1968 | Revolutionary Civic Union |
| | 1952–2003 | Democratic Party |
| | 1929–2002 | Costa Rican Socialist Party |
| | 1901–1952 | National Republican Party |

## Sources

* The Flags of Costa Rica. Flags of the World
* National symbols of Chile. Museums of Costa Rica (in Spanish)