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Colombia - Historical Flags (1856-1909)

Last modified: 2004-07-31 by dov gutterman
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1856 Flags

See: Grenadine Confederation (1856 -1861)


1861 Flags

See: United States of New Granada (1861) and United States of Colombia (1861-1886)


1889 Flags

Unitary regime was established on 5 August 1886 but there was no change in flags (but surely the state flag dispeared) until three years laters. according to Executive Decree 838 of 5 November 1889, the stars in the red ovals were supressed, and inscription was changed to "Republica de Colombia" (color not quoted but probably white).  Those flags lasted until 14 July 1906.
Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

National Flag


by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Naval Ensign


by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Ratio 2:3. Adopted: 5 November 1889. Abolished: 14 July 1906.
Jaume Ollé, 20 December 1996

Civil Ensign


by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Army Flag


by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Ratio ~4:6. Adopted: 5 November 1889. Abolished: 14 July 1906.
Jaume Ollé, 20 December 1996

Cavalry Standard


by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Ratio 1:1. Adopted: 5 November 1889. Abolished: 14 July 1906.
Jaume Ollé, 20 December 1996


1890 Flags


by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Ratio 2:3. Adopted: 28 April 1890. Abolished: no official abolition. Later the star was changed to fivepointed without changing the regulations.
Jaume Ollé, 20 December 1996

Diplomatic flag. Decreed in the article # 309 of 1890. Is used in the embassies and consulates abroad and is the merchant ensign of Gran Colombia.
Jorge Candeias, 1 October 1999

At "Nouveau Petit Larousse Illustre" (1924) - Colombia: Version with star, the star and also the oval being bigger, and the star being five-pointed.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 29 October 2000

On 28 April 1890 the flag was modified by executive of decree 28 April 1890; proportion fixed in 2:3 and stablished a blue oval with a single white eighpointed star. Decree retain red border of 5 cms. and greater diameter 40 cms.  For unknown reasons, this flags is frequently manufactured with five pointed star.
Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Coat of Arms


by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

By law no modifications were issued in the arms but in 1890 some small variations came into use.
Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


1906 Flags

With the conservatives in the power after 1886 with a fraudulent system of elections (according to the liberals) a liberal revolt started on 1895 but was supressed. In 1899 there was the "War of the Thousand days" with alliance between  some liberals and moderate conservatives, waiting a less conservative party without left wing liberals. War lasted in 1902, and in 1903 Panama became independent.
On 14 July 1906, Executive Decree 844 confirmed the national flag, but in fact it was a state flag because its use was forbidden for civil non-official acts. New military flags were adopted (in use until 17 May 1924). Decree says that the flags must have 15 stars (one for each department), but in 1906 there were only 13 departments instead of 15 (13 counting Panama, independent de facto but its independence not recognized). Color and rays of the stars are not quoted but is clear that they must be white and eighpointed. However, 7 pointed (as before), 6 pointed (pictured by Restrepo but probably derived from a missinterpretation of L. Philippe) and five pointed stars can't be discarded. Red border, officialy of 5 cms, always was used wider then prescribed.
Naval ensign was de facto supressed since it was stated that Navy ships and fortress don't need to arms. Merchant ensign is not quoted in the decree and is assumed that no changes were made in it.
Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Does anyone know of or have illustrations of the Conservative and Liberal flags used during the 1899-1902 War of the Thousand Days?
I believe the Conservstives had a blue field & the Liberals red.
Al Osorio, 19 December 2002

From <www.historyguy.com/wars_of_1899.html>:
"The War of the Thousand Days (1899-1902) - Civil war in Colombia between the Liberal Party and the ruling Conservative Party. Begins October 18, 1899 with an uprising in the north-eastern Santander region in response to government imposition of martial law throughout the nation."
Ole Andersen, 20 December 2002

National Flag


by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Army Flag


Flag according legislation
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag with 8 points stars
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag with 7 points stars
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag with 6 points stars
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag with 5 points stars
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Ratio ~4:5 (1,10 m. x 1,35m.). Adopted: 14 July 1906. Abolished: 17 May 1924. This flag and the following one were in use between 1906 and 1924. The number of stars corresponds to the number of the departments of the country as those were 13 in 1906 (It included Panama whose independence had not been recognized), reduced to 12 in 1908, increased to 15 in 1910 and reduced to 14 as the independence of Panama was recognized in 1914. There was no other modification until 1947. The executive decree that created the military flags in 1906 was not establishing the number of points of the stars neither their color.
Jaume Ollé, 20 December 1996

Cavalry Standard


Flag according legislation
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag with 8 points stars
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag with 7 points stars
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag with 6 points stars
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag with 5 points stars
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Ratio 1:1.
Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


1908 Flags

In 1908 Atlantic department (created 1905) was supressed and, according to the law, the number of star must decrease to 12. I believe that this flag never manufactured, only existed virtually at law. Here it is only with 8 pointed stars and with red border according law or as in regular use.
Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Army Flag


Flag according legislation
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag in regular use
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

Cavalry Standard


Flag according legislation
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Flag in regular use
by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


Colombia - Historical Flags (1910-1949)