thumb|Detail of the coat of arms
thumb|Flag at the Plaza de la Independencia, [[Granada, Nicaragua]]
The flag of Nicaragua was first adopted on September 4, 1908, but not made official until August 27, 1971. It is based on, and inspired by, the flag of the Federal Republic of Central America, with a blue and white triband and a coat of arms as the charge in the centre. Its flag is one of the few that currently use the color purple, due to the rainbow in its coat of arms.
The flags of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica are also based on the flag of the Federal Republic.
Design
The two Azure bands on the flag and the arms of Nicaragua in use today is derived from that of the United Provinces of Central America. The triangle, volcanoes, rising sun, Cap of Liberty, and rainbow all appeared on the original emblem. The coat of arms used today contains the name of the state, Republica de Nicaragua, whereas in 1823 the title was Provincias Unidas del Centro de America. The decision to revert to the emblems used by the United Provinces of Central America was taken in 1908 and reflected Nicaragua's aspirations for the rebirth of the political entity formed by the 5 nations. Except for the text around the arms, the flag is very similar to that of the United Provinces of Central America. The 5 volcanoes represent the original 5 member states, the Cap of Liberty represents national freedom, and the rays of the sun and the rainbow are symbolic of the bright future to come.
The presence of a rainbow in the coat of arms makes the flag of Nicaragua one of only a handful flags of a sovereign state to include the color purple.
Colours
Flag
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Scheme
! scope="col" style="background:#00205b; color:white;" |Azure
! scope="col" style="background:white; color:black;" |White
|-
!Refs
!
!
|-
! scope="row" |Pantone (paper)
|281C
|Safe
|-
! scope="row" |HEX
|#00205b
|#FFFFFF
|-
! scope="row" |CMYK
|100, 65, 0, 64
|0, 0, 0, 0
|-
! scope="row" |RGB
|0, 32, 92
|255, 255, 255
|}
Coat of Arms
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Scheme
! scope="col" style="background:#b58500; color:black;" |Gold
! scope="col" style="background:#69B3E7; color:black;" |Light blue
! scope="col" style="background:#ffc700; color:black;" |Yellow
! scope="col" style="background:#009639; color:white;" |Green
! scope="col" style="background:#abcae9; color:black;" |Grey
! scope="col" style="background:#000000; color:white;" |Black
|-
!Refs
!
Historical flags
<gallery>
File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|New Spain until 1785
File:Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg|Captaincy General of Guatemala (1785–1821)
File:Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg|First Mexican Empire<br>(1823–1824)
File:Flag of the United Provinces of Central America.svg|United Provinces of Central America<br>(1823–1824)
File:Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg|Federal Republic of Central America<br>(1824–1838)
File:Flag of Nicaragua (1858-1889 and 1893-1896).svg|(1838–1854)
File:Flag of Nicaragua (1839-1858).svg|(1854–1856)
File:State Flag of Nicaragua (1854-1858).png|State flag<br>(1854–1856)
File:Civil Ensign of Nicaragua (1854-1858).svg|Merchant Navy flag<br>(1854–1856)
File:Flag of Nicaragua under William Walker (1856-1857).svg|William Walker's Nicaragua flag<br>(1855–1857)
File:Flag of Nicaragua (1858-1889 and 1893-1896).svg|(1858–1889)
File:Flag of Nicaragua (1889–1893).svg|(1889–1893)
File:Flag of Nicaragua (1858-1889 and 1893-1896).svg|(1893–1896)
File:Flag of Nicaragua (1896-1908).svg|(1896–1908)
File:Flag of the Greater Republic of Central America (1898).svg|Greater Republic of Central America<br>(November 1898)
File:Flag of Nicaragua (1908-1971).svg|(1908–1971)
File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg|United States occupation of Nicaragua<br>(1912–1933)
</gallery>
See also
- List of Nicaraguan flags
- Coat of arms of Nicaragua
- Flag of El Salvador
- Flag of Guatemala
- Flag of Honduras