Bolivia’s red‑yellow‑green tricolour was adopted in 1851. The civil flag is the plain tricolour; state and war flags add the coat of arms centred on the yellow band. Red symbolises bravery and sacrifice; yellow mineral wealth; green fertility and hope. A 15:22 proportion is traditional. Statutes regulate colour references, emblem drawings, protocol for precedence and half‑masting, and dignified retirement; the Wiphala also holds official status in state contexts.
Adopted on 5 November 1851, Bolivia’s national flag comprises three equal horizontal stripes of red, yellow, and green. The civil flag is the plain tricolour. The state and war flags display the national coat of arms centred on the yellow band, with precise drawings defined by decree to maintain heraldic consistency.
Public symbolism associates red with bravery and the blood shed by defenders of the nation, yellow with the riches of the land—especially mineral resources—and green with the fertility of the territory and hope for the future. The customary proportion is 15:22, and guidance provides colour references to standardise manufacture.
Protocol
stipulates the order of precedence when flown with other flags, half‑masting by government order, illumination when flown at night, and dignified retirement of worn flags through respectful destruction. The flag is displayed across ministries, schools, and missions abroad and is central to civic ceremonies and national days.
In 2009 the plurinational constitution affirmed the Wiphala as a state symbol alongside the tricolour, representing Andean indigenous peoples. In official contexts, the Wiphala may be flown with or beneath the national flag according to protocol.
Across more than 170 years the tricolour has remained stable, with changes confined mainly to the coat of arms’ artwork. Its clear palette and simple geometry support strong recognition in international settings while reflecting the republic’s multiethnic identity.