Honduras’s flag—blue, white, blue with five blue stars in an X pattern—was standardised on 7 March 1866, drawing on the Central American triband. Blue denotes the Caribbean, Pacific, and sky; white peace. The five stars recall the former federation’s members and the ideal of regional fraternity. Proportion and star geometry are codified; protocol covers precedence, half‑masting, and dignified retirement.
The national flag of Honduras preserves the colour scheme of the United Provinces of Central America while adding a distinct emblem of regional kinship: five blue five‑pointed stars on the centre white stripe arranged in a quincunx. The blue–white–blue horizontal triband symbolises the Caribbean and Pacific and the sky between, while white stands for peace.
Following independence in 1821 and the federation period (1823–1839), Honduras initially used the shared blue‑white‑blue banner. On 7 March 1866, decree under President José María Medina fixed the five‑star device to represent Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, projecting hope for unity that today reads as historical fraternity rather than a programme of political reunion.
Later regulations defined the national proportion (commonly 1:2), the exact size of stars, their placement relative to the flag’s axes, and colour standards. The civil flag mirrors the national pattern; maritime and military variants adhere to specific ensign rules. Government guidance requires public buildings to fly the flag on commemorations—especially 15 September—while schools instil correct handling and salutes.
Throughout the twentieth century, minor manufacturing inconsistencies led to occasional variance in star size and tone of blue; modern standards seek uniformity. Protocol prescribes precedence with foreign flags, half‑masting by decree, illumination when flown at night, and dignified retirement of worn banners. The flag appears across ministries, stadiums, and missions abroad as a plain, legible emblem of state and a reminder of Central America’s shared heritage.
Honduras’s banner, thus, joins simple geometry to layered meaning—oceans and sky, peace and fraternity—embodying both national sovereignty and a memory of regional union.