This Country Has Two National Flags for an Important Reason
There are currently more than 250 official country flags used around the world. It is a figure that represents 193 sovereign nations, and two observer states, as well as Antarctica and at least 50 territories. Each is a powerful symbol of identity and conveys meaning with a combination of colors, symbols, and shapes.
In the mosaic of these national identifiers, Bolivia stands out for a unique reason: it proudly boasts not one, but two official national flags. Outside of every government building in the central South American country, two flags are flown. One is rectangular, with horizontal tri-colored stripes (red, yellow, and green) with the Bolivian coat of arms at the center, while the other is square-shaped and features 49 squares in a seven-by-seven grid, with seven rainbow colors placed in diagonal rows.
It’s not a quirk of history but rather a deliberate reflection of Bolivia’s complex identity.
Radoslaw Czajkowski/Shutterstock
The story behind Bolivia’s dual flags dates back to the tumultuous years of the 19th century when Bolivia, like many South American nations, fought for independence from Spanish colonial rule. As that revolutionary fervor swept through Latin America, a new national flag was adopted. Designed by Manuel Isidoro Belzu, a military officer and statesman who served as the 11th president of Bolivia from 1848 to 1855, a version of the flag was adopted on July 25, 1826, 11 months after the country had declared independence. Originally, the horizontal stripes were in yellow-red-green color order. However, they were changed in 1851 to red-yellow-green to increase the flag’s distinctiveness when seen from afar.
“The red symbolizes heroism, yellow represents wealth, and green signifies natural resources,” explained Roxana C., a tour guide for Kuoda, a boutique luxury travel company that runs tours in Bolivia.
But even after gaining independence and being united under one flag, Bolivia’s people grappled with questions of identity and nationhood. They weren’t just battling against outsiders but were also fighting from within, as various factions vied for power and influence.
The state flag of Bolivia, which is also used by the armed forces, includes Bolivia’s coat of arms.Public domain
At the forefront of this struggle were tensions between the Indigenous populations, who had inhabited the land for millennia, and the descendants of European settlers who held political and economic power. The Indigenous communities were eventually largely shut off from the political process–until the Bolivian National Revolution of 1952, Indigenous peoples were not recognized as citizens nor did they have the right to vote.
It wasn’t until the second official flag, known as the wiphala (which simply means “flag” in the Indigenous Aymara language), was adopted in 2009 as a national flag, equal to the 1851 flag, that the Indigenous population saw an increase in political representation.
“It was added when the new constitution of the state was approved, and Bolivia changed its name from the Republic of Bolivia to the Plurinational State of Bolivia,” said Silvia H, another Kuoda tour guide. She added that it was signed into law by Evo Morales, the first Indigenous president of Bolivia, who held the office from 2006 to 2019.
The historic decision was part of a shift in the country’s political and social landscape aimed at recognizing and honoring its diverse Indigenous communities, which had long been marginalized and ignored. Today, Bolivia has a population with one of the highest percentages of Indigenous people in the world. There are 36 recognized Indigenous groups (which were also recognized, along with their languages, in the new constitution), the largest of which are Quechua and Aymara, who cumulatively make up as much as 60 percent of the total population, by some estimates.
“The wiphala is a centuries-old Andean emblem, symbolizing unity and equality among Bolivia’s diverse ethnic groups,” C. explained.
Bolivia’s naval flag includes both the civil flag and the national flag.Public domain
The seven colors include red (for the Earth and the Andean man), orange (for society and culture), yellow (for energy and strength), white (for time and change), green (for natural resources and wealth), blue (for the cosmos), and violet (for the Andean government and self-determination).
The decision to adopt two official flags was not without controversy, sparking debates over national identity and historical memory. Some argued that it was a necessary step towards recognizing Bolivia’s multicultural reality, while others saw it as a divisive move that undermined national unity.
Nevertheless, Bolivia’s dual flags serve as a reminder of the country’s complex history and the ongoing quest for inclusion.
“Both flags are important symbols of Bolivia’s history and cultural diversity, reminding us to cherish and respect our heritage,” Roxana C. said.
In a world often divided by ethnic, cultural, and ideological fault lines, Bolivia’s dual flags offer a lesson in coexistence and mutual respect. They remind us that national identity is not monolithic but multifaceted, encompassing a multitude of perspectives and experiences.
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