Flag of Honduras Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Republic of Honduras


Use	National flag, civil and state ensign
Proportion	1:2
Adopted	16 February 1866 (modified colour on 27 January 2022)
Design	A horizontal triband of cyan (top and bottom) and white with five cyan five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered on the white band.


Variant flag of Republic of Honduras
Use	Naval ensign
Proportion	1:2
Design	A horizontal triband of blue (top and bottom) and white with the National Coat of Arms above an inverted arc of five blue five-pointed stars centered on the white band.

The national flag and a woman wearing the previous national colors at the Fiesta DC 2019 Parade.

The flag of Honduras is a very important symbol for the country. It has three equal stripes that go across. The top and bottom stripes are a bright blue color, known as cyan. The middle stripe is white. In the very center of the white stripe, there are five bright blue stars. These stars are arranged in a pattern that looks like the number five on a dice.

The two blue stripes on the flag represent the big oceans that surround Honduras: the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. They also stand for the clear blue sky and the idea of friendship among people. The white stripe in the middle shows the land of Honduras, which is located between these two oceans. It also symbolizes peace, good times for everyone, and pure thoughts. The five stars are very important. They remind people of the five countries that were once part of the Federal Republic of Central America. These countries were El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala. The stars show the hope that these nations might one day come together again.

Honduras first used a flag similar to this in 1823 when it joined the United Provinces of Central America. Even after this union ended in 1838, Honduras kept using a simple blue and white flag. On March 7, 1866, five blue stars were added to the flag. These stars represented the five original provinces of the former union.

For many years, the flag was often made with a darker blue color, even though a law in 1949 said it should be cyan. However, starting on January 27, 2022, when President Xiomara Castro took office, the Honduran government began using flags with the brighter turquoise color. This change followed a recommendation from the National Autonomous University of Honduras in 2021.

Ships belonging to the Honduran Navy use a special flag called a naval ensign. This flag also has blue and white stripes. It features the coat of arms of Honduras and an arch of five small blue stars in the middle.

The Story of the Honduran Flag
How the Flag is Designed
- Flag Measurements
- Official Colors
Flags of Different Regions
- Departments of Honduras
Flags of Different Groups
See Also

The Story of the Honduran Flag

Early Flags of Central America

Flag of the United Provinces of Central America (1823–1824)
Flag of the United Provinces of Central America (1825–1839)

The design of the Honduran flag has roots in the United Provinces of Central America. Honduras was a part of this group of countries. This union was the first in Central America to use a flag with blue, white, and blue stripes. This design was inspired by the flag of Argentina.

Honduras' First National Flag

Honduras' flag from 1839 to 1866

After gaining independence, Honduras used a flag that looked like the one from the United Provinces of Central America, but without any special emblem. This flag was used until 1949.

Adding the Five Stars

Honduras' flag from 1866 to 1949
An earlier version of the flag (1866–1898)
Another alternative flag design (1866–1898)

On February 16, 1866, President José María Medina made some changes to the country's symbols. He added five stars to the flag. These stars represented the five original provinces that had been united. The most common way to arrange these blue stars was like the dots on a dice. However, there were also other ways the stars were sometimes placed. By the 1930s, the current star arrangement became the standard.

For a long time, there wasn't a clear rule about the exact shade of blue to use. Because of this, many flags, especially those used by the military, were made with a dark blue color, often called navy blue.

The Greater Republic of Central America

Flag of the Greater Republic of Central America (1896–1898)
An alternative Honduran flag during 1898–1930s

Between 1896 and 1898, Honduras was part of a group called the Greater Republic of Central America. During this time, Honduras kept its own flag. However, some flag makers started to make the five stars gold, similar to the flag of the Greater Republic. This golden star design was never officially approved.

The Official Color Change

Honduras' flag from 1949 to 2022 (often seen in dark blue)

On January 26, 1949, President Juan Manuel Gálvez updated the 1866 flag law. This new law confirmed where the stars should be placed. It also officially stated that the blue color for the stripes and stars should be turquoise. Even with this official rule, the flag continued to be made with a darker navy blue for 73 years.

Honduras' flag from 2022 to today (with the official turquoise color)

In 2020, the National Autonomous University of Honduras gave advice on the correct shades of blue for the flag. This was because there wasn't a clear official rule being followed. They suggested using a lighter blue, following the original idea of the 1949 law.

Then, on August 4, 2023, the Honduran Armed Forces announced they would start using the turquoise color for the national flag on their uniforms and logos. This announcement came shortly after President Xiomara Castro also confirmed the use of the flag in this brighter shade of blue. This meant the flag finally matched the official turquoise color.