Paraguay

3×5' nylon national flag of Paraguay.

Paraguay's flag is famous among vexillologists for one reason: its two sides are different. The front carries the national arms, the back the seal of the treasury, making it the only national flag with a distinct emblem on each face.

Design

Three equal horizontal bands of red, white and blue. On the obverse, the white band carries the national arms: a yellow star in a wreath of palm and olive, ringed by the words "República del Paraguay." On the reverse it carries the treasury seal: a lion beneath a red cap of liberty, with the motto "Paz y Justicia."

History & Symbolism

The tricolor was adopted on 25 November 1842; the emblems were most recently redrawn in 2013. Red stands for patriotism and courage, white for peace, and blue for liberty. The colors are often linked to those of revolutionary France.

Flag Specifications

• Adopted: 25 November 1842; emblems revised 2013
• Official proportions: 11:20
• Colors: red, white, blue
• Emblems: national arms (front), treasury seal (back)

Vexillographer's Note

A fully correct Paraguayan flag must be made in two layers to show different emblems on each face. Many flags sold around the world carry the national arms on both sides.

Humphrys Flag Company · Old City Philadelphia · Est. 1864