Flag of Paraguay

File:Flag of the President of Paraguay.svg
 File:Naval Jack of Paraguay.svg
 File:Paraguay flag bandera.jpg
The **flag of Paraguay** (Spanish: *bandera de Paraguay*) was first adopted in 1842. Its design, a red–white–blue triband, was inspired by the colours of the French flag, believed to signify independence and liberty. The flag is unusual because it differs on its obverse and reverse sides: the obverse of the flag shows the national coat of arms, and the reverse shows the seal of the treasury. It was revised in 2013 to bring the flag towards its original design. It has a ratio of 11:20.

## Description

Officially adopted in 1842 (following the Recomendación, i. e. : address, de la Junta gubernativa de Asunción), each side of this tricolour flag contains a horizontal tricolor of red, white and blue with the National Emblem centered on the white band. The emblem on the obverse side is the national coat of arms of Paraguay: a yellow five-pointed star surrounded by a green wreath of palm and olive leaves tied with ribbons of the colour of the stripes, and capped by the words *REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY* ("Republic of Paraguay" in Spanish), all within two concentric circles).

The colours of the flag are believed to be inspired from the flag of France to show independence and liberty, and the coat of arms represents the independence of Paraguay. The emblem on the reverse side is the seal of the treasury: a yellow lion below a red Phrygian cap on the top of a pole (symbolising liberty) and the words *Paz y Justicia* ("Peace and Justice"). The differences in the obverse and reverse sides comes from the period when José de Francia was in power (1814–1840). On July 15, 2013, the flag was revised. The coat of arms was simplified and the design was brought closer to its original form.

## Historical flags

Flag of Paraguay 1811.svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned First provisional flag of 1811. Ratio: 2:3Flag of Paraguay June 1811.svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned Second provisional flag of 1811. Ratio: 2:3Flag of Paraguay (1811-1812).svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned Third provisional flag, from 1811 to 1812. Ratio: 2:3Flag of Paraguay (1812-1826).svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned Flag from 1812 to 1826. Ratio: 1:2Flag of Paraguay (1826-1842).svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned Flag from 1826 to 1842. Ratio: 2:3Flag of Paraguay (1842-1954).svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned Flag from 1842 to 1954. Ratio: 2:3Flag of Paraguay (1954-1988).svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned Flag from 1954 to 1988. Ratio: 1:2Flag of Paraguay (1988-1990).svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned Flag from 1988 to 1990. Ratio: 3:5Flag of Paraguay (1990-2013).svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned Flag from 1990 to 2013. Ratio: 3:5Flag of Paraguay (reverse 1957-2013).svgDesign used in the past, but now abandoned Reverse Flag from 1842 to 2013. Ratio: 3:5

## See also

* Coat of arms of Paraguay
* Flags whose reverse differs from the obverse

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Alison Behnke (1 August 2009). *Paraguay in Pictures*. Twenty-First Century Books. pp. 69–. ISBN 978-1-57505-962-4.
2. ↑ Leslie Jermyn; Jui Lin Yong (1 September 2009). *Paraguay*. Marshall Cavendish. pp. 123–. ISBN 978-0-7614-4858-7.
3. ↑ Paraguay flag. World Flags 101. Retrieved on 1 August 2015.
4. ↑ New Country Flags. Flags Australia. Retrieved on 1 August 2015.