Ecuadorian
Flag
Flag of
Ecuador
During the
15th century, most of Ecuador (the Spanish word for 'equator') was part
of the great Inca Empire. After the region was conquered by the Spanish
(between 1532 and 1533), Ecuador was ruled as part of the viceroyalty of
Peru. Liberated by the armies of Antonio Jose de Sucre and Simon Bolivar
in 1822, it was initially federated with Colombia and Venezuela as the
state of Gran Colombia, but in 1830 became completely independent.
The civil flags of Ecuador and Colombia are very similar: having both
retained essentially the same flag of the confederation of Gran Colombia,
each uses a horizontally arranged tricolor of yellow, blue and red.
Ecuador's civil flag is, however, of different proportions and, when used
abroad as the state flag, it always contains the country's coat of arms.
This dates from 1845 and depicts an Andean condor atop an oval shield in
which is depicted an allegorical scene of Mount Chimborazo (the
continent's highest peak) and a ship at the mouth of the Guyas River
(symbolizing trade), above which are the signs of the zodiac for the
months of March through May. The shield is surrounded by flags in the
national colors supported on a fasces (a bundle of rods containing an
axe), which signifies republicanism.
