The flag of Argentina is one of the main official symbols of the Republic of this country, representing the Argentine people before other world nations.
Currently, the official flag of Argentina has a ratio of 9:14 (height x width), and is formed by three horizontal bands of the same size, the first and last being sky blue, separated by a band White. In the center of the flag, on a white background, is also the symbol of the Sun of May.
Until 1985, Argentina used two different models of flags: civil and war. The difference was in the presence of the Sun of May in the center of the “flag of war”, while the civil one presented only the sky blue and white bands.
But, from that date, the model with the Sun of May started to be used in all occasions, whether in the civil, state or military scope.
Argentina flag colors
At official colors of the Argentine flag, according to the CIE 1976 standard, are: sky blue, white, yellow “gold” and brown.
Each of the colors that make up the Argentine flag has a symbolic meaning:
sky blue: represents the blue of the sky;
White: represents the clouds, in addition to the feeling of peace and purity;
Yellow "gold" and brown: represent the sun.
Some historians attribute different interpretations to the meaning of the colors of the Argentine flag, such as the likely relationship they would have with the devotion of the Argentine people to the image of the Virgin Mary, in addition to representing the colors of the Home of Bourbon (line of a noble European family).
Sun of May
In the center of the Argentine flag is the Sol de Maio (Sun of May, in Spanish), one of the official symbols of the country.
The “Sol de Mayo” is composed of 32 rays, 16 straight and 16 wavy, around the image of a sun with the figure of a human face. It is considered to representation of the sun god from Inca mythology, Apu Inti.
The Sun of May refers to May Revolution, an event that took place between May 18 and 25, 1810, and marked the beginning of the process of independence of Argentina (until then known as Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata) in relation to Spain.
The creation of the current representation of the Sun of May was by the Peruvian Juan de Dios Rivera Túpac Amaru (1760 – 1843), known as “he Inca”, due to the fact that he is a descendant of the nobility of this civilization.
Its use as an Argentine national shield was attributed from the decree of March 12, 1813, instituted by the Constituent General Assembly.
Sol de Maio is also part of the official flag of Uruguay.
See the meaning of Uruguay flag.
Argentina Flag History
The current version of the Argentine flag was conceived by the military and intellectual Manuel Belgrano, initially presented in February 27, 1812, as a symbol of the War of Independence.
The design of the flag was made in the region of Rosario and hoisted for the first time on top of the Church of São Nicolau de Bari, on August 23, 1812.
The flag made by Belgrano, however, was only officially declared an Argentine symbol in July 20, 1816, along with the country's Declaration of Independence.
Sol de Maio was only included in 1818, by a vote of Congress, but, as stated, it was originally only used in the “flag of war”.
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