Flag of Argentina

{{short description|none}} {{About|the state flag|a list of Argentine flags|List of Argentine flags}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox flag | Name = Argentine Republic | Image = Flag of Argentina.svg | Imagetext = | Nickname = | Morenicks = | Use = 111011 | Symbol = {{IFIS|Normal}} {{FIAV|111011}} | Proportion = 5:8 | Adoption = 27 February 1812 (original), 1861 (current version), November 2010 (standardization) | Design = A horizontal [[triband (flag)|triband]] of light blue (top and bottom) and white with a [[Sun of May]] centered on the white band. | Designer = [[Manuel Belgrano]] | Image2 = Flag of Argentina (civil).svg | Use2 = 100100 | Symbol2 = {{FIAV|100100}} | Proportion2 = 5:8 or 9:14 | Adoption2 = 27 February 1812 | Design2 = A horizontal [[triband (flag)|triband]] of light blue (top and bottom) and white (center). | Designer2 = [[Manuel Belgrano]] }}

The '''[[national flag]] of the [[Argentine Republic]]''', often referred to as the '''Argentine flag''' ({{langx|es|bandera argentina}}), is a [[triband (flag)|triband]], composed of three equally wide horizontal bands coloured [[baby blue]] and [[white]]. There are multiple interpretations on the reasons for those colors. The flag was created by [[Manuel Belgrano]], in line with the creation of the [[Cockade of Argentina]], and was first raised at the city of [[Rosario]] on 27 February 1812, during the [[Argentine War of Independence]]. The [[National Flag Memorial]] was later built on the site. The [[First Triumvirate (Argentina)|First Triumvirate]] did not approve the use of the flag, but the [[Asamblea del Año XIII]] allowed the use of the flag as a [[war flag]]. It was the [[Congress of Tucumán]] which finally designated it as the [[national flag]] in 1816. A yellow [[Sun of May]] was added to the center in 1818.

The full flag featuring the sun is called the Official Ceremonial Flag ({{Langx|es|Bandera Oficial de Ceremonia}}). The flag without the sun is considered the Ornamental Flag ({{Lang|es|Bandera de Ornato}}). While both versions are equally considered the national flag, the ornamental version must always be hoisted below the Official Ceremony Flag. In [[vexillology|vexillological]] terms, the Official Ceremonial Flag is the civil, state, and war flag and [[Ensign (flag)|ensign]], while the Ornamental Flag is an alternative civil flag and ensign. There is controversy of the true colour of the first flag between historians and the descendants of Manuel Belgrano between blue and pale blue.

==Design== [[File:Casa Rosada exterior from Plaza de Mayo.JPG|thumbnail|right|The flag at [[Plaza de Mayo]], in front of the [[Casa Rosada]].]] Popular belief attributes the colors to those of the [[sky]], [[cloud]]s and the [[sun]]; some anthems to the flag like "Aurora" or "Salute to the flag" state so as well. However, historians usually disregard this idea, and attribute them to loyalty towards the [[House of Bourbon]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Picone |first1=A. Lorena |last2=Romano |first2=Rosana M. |last3=Della Védova |first3=Carlos O. |date=31 July 2019 |title=Color Source for the First Argentinian Flags |journal=ACS Omega |language=en |volume=4 |issue=7 |pages=11424–11432 |doi=10.1021/acsomega.9b01412 |doi-access=free|issn=2470-1343 |pmc=6682053 |pmid=31460247}}</ref>

After the May Revolution, the first times of the Argentine War of Independence, the Triumvirate claimed to be acting on behalf of the Spanish King Ferdinand VII, who was prisoner of Napoleon Bonaparte during the [[Peninsular War]]. Whether such loyalty was real or a trick to conceal independentism is a topic of dispute. The creation of a new flag with those colors would have been then a way to denote autonomy, while keeping the relations with the captive king alive.{{citation needed|date = February 2014}}

=== Sun of May === [[File:Sol de mayo moneda.png|thumbnail|right|200px|The Sun of May on the first coin of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.]] {{Main|Sun of May}} The sun is called the [[Sun of May]] because it is a replica of an engraving on [[Argentine real|the first Argentine coin]], approved in 1813, whose value was eight ''escudos'' (one Spanish dollar). It has 16 straight and 16 waved sunbeams.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.casarosada.gob.ar/slider-principal/41429-tres-datos-de-color-sobre-nuestro-sol-de-mayo|title= Tres datos sobre el Sol de Mayo|trans-title= Three facts about the Sun of May|language= Spanish|author= |date= |publisher= Casa Rosada|accessdate=3 June 2024}}</ref>

In 1978 the sun color was specified to be golden yellow ({{lang|es|amarillo oro}}), to have an inner diameter of 10 cm, and an outer diameter of 25 cm (the diameter of the sun equals {{frac|5|6}} the height of the white stripe. The sun's face is {{frac|2|5}} of its height). It features 32 rays, alternately wavy and straight, and from 1978 it must be embroidered in the "Official Flag Ceremony".{{citation needed|date = February 2014}}

===Shape and size=== In 2002, the [[Instituto Argentino de Normalización y Certificación]] defined the flag's official proportions as 10:16, or 5:8.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 October 2002 |title=IRAM-DEF D 7679 |url=https://mininterior.gob.ar/asuntospoliticos/pdf_/iram-7679-2002.pdf |access-date=21 October 2025 |website=mininterior.gob.ar}}</ref> It is one of five national flags that use the ratio 5:8, the others being [[Flag of Guatemala|Guatemala]], [[Flag of Palau|Palau]], [[Flag of Poland|Poland]], and [[Flag of Sweden|Sweden]].

From 1978, the flag's official proportions was 9:14, and its official size was 0.9 by 1.4 meters, which each stripe being 30 centimeters high.{{citation needed|date = February 2014}} In the center stripe there is an emblem known as the Sun of May ({{langx|es|Sol de Mayo}}), a golden sun. Historian Diego Abad de Santillán claimed that the Sun of May was a representation of the [[Andean civilizations|Inca]] sun god [[Inti]].<ref>{{cite book |title=[[Historia Argentina]] |trans-title=Argentine history |last=Abad de Santillán |first=Diego |author-link=Diego Abad de Santillán |year=1965 |publisher=TEA (Tipográfica Editora Argentina) |location=Buenos Aires |language=es |oclc=9405703|id=Unknown ID 2900104629702 }}</ref>

Flags with proportions of 1:2 and 2:3 are also in use.{{citation needed|date = February 2014}}

===Colors=== The colors are officially defined using the [[Lab color space|CIE 1976]] standard: {| width="60%" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid #aaaaaa; border-collapse: collapse; white-space: nowrap; text-align: left" |- style="text-align: center; background: #eee" ! Scheme ! Sky blue  ! Yellow ! Brown |- | [[Lab color space|CIE (L*, a*, b*)]] | 67.27, -6.88, -32.23 | 74.97, 29.22, 81.58 | 44.53, 27.16, 22.48 |- |colspan ="4"|*Black and white are as normal. *Source: http://manuelbelgrano.gov.ar/bandera/normas-iram/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016095903/http://manuelbelgrano.gov.ar/bandera/normas-iram/ |date=16 October 2022 }} |}

The following are given for computer, textile, print and plastic use:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ![[File:Flag of Argentina.svg|30px]] Colours scheme !! style="background-color:#74ACDF"|Sky Blue !! style="background-color:#F6B40E"|Yellow !! style="background-color:#85340A"|Brown |- | '''[[:en:RGB color model|RGB]]''' || R: 116, G: 172, B: 223|| R: 246, G: 180, B: 14 ||R: 133, G: 52, B: 10 |- | '''[[:en:Hexadecimal|Hexadecimal]]''' || #74ACDF || #F6B40E || #85340A |- | '''[[:en:CMYK color model|CMYK]]''' || C: 100%, M: 68%, Y: 0%, K: 37% || C: 0%, M: 18%, Y: 100%, K: 0% || C: 16%, M: 0%, Y: 10%, K: 24% |- | '''[[:en:Pantone|Pantone]] (textile)''' ||16-4132 TC ||14-1064 TC||18-1441 TC |- | '''Pantone (print)''' || 284 C / 284 U || 1235 C / 116 U || 483 C / 483 U |- | '''Pantone (plastic)''' || Q 300-4-1 || Q 030-2-1 || Q 120-2-4 |- | '''Number''' || 75AADB || FCBF49 || 843511 |- |}

The Spanish word {{Lang|es|celeste}} ([[sky blue]]) is used to describe the colour of the blue stripes. <!--The [[color]]s are subject to discussion, and there is no official position on colour usage. Cerulean blue's is defined by [[Pantone]] as N21-01, which equals "155, 196, 226" in [[RGB]] notation.{{Facts|date=February 2007}}

{| border=1 style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%;" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 width=100% |- bgcolor=#C1D8FF !Color !RGB !HTML !HSV !Lab !CMYK !Sample |- |Cerulean Blue |align=center|156, 196, 226 |align=center|#9BC4E2 |align=center|201, 31, 89 |align=center|77, -9, -20 |align=center|37, 12, 3, 0 |bgcolor=9BC4E2| |- |Cerulean Blue (Websafe) |align=center|153, 205, 255 |align=center|#99CCFF |align=center|210, 40, 100 |align=center|80, 4444 6jm |align=center|35, 10, 0, 0 |bgcolor=99CCFF| |- |White |align=center|255, 255, 255 |align=center|#FFFFFF |align=center|0, 0, 100 |align=center|100, 0, 0 |align=center|0, 0, 0, 0 |bgcolor=FFFFFF| |- |Golden Yellow |align=center|255, 205, 51 |align=center|#FFCD33 |align=center|45, 80, 100 |align=center|85, 8, 76 |align=center|1, 19, 89, 0 |bgcolor=FFCD33| |- |Black |align=center|0, 0, 0 |align=center|#000000 |align=center|0, 0, 0 |align=center|0, 0, 0 |align=center|75, 68, 67, 90 |bgcolor=000000| |}-->

==History== ===Flags of Spain and first flag of United Provinces of the Río de la Plata=== {{Gallery|align=center|height=120 |File:Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg|Flag of United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (1810-1816) }} The first flags used in the territory of modern Argentina were those associated with the [[Spanish crown]]. The last formally used [[Flag of Spain|Spanish flag]] was a red and yellow one, established by King [[Charles III of Spain|Charles III]] in 1785 and used mainly for naval and military purposes.

When the [[United Provinces of the Río de la Plata]] became independent in the [[May Revolution]] of 1810, they continued to use Spanish flag. This was due to the political position that the new government was acting on behalf of King [[Ferdinand VII]] of Spain, who was then a prisoner of [[Napoleon]] during the [[Peninsular War]]. The yellow and red flag that flew over the seat of government in the [[Fuerte de Buenos Aires|fort of Buenos Aires]] is currently kept in the [[National Historical Museum (Argentina)|National Historical Museum]]. This flag does not maintain the proportions imposed by Charles III, as the three stripes are the same width.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Quartaruolo |first1=Mario |last2=Destéfani |first2=Laurio Hedelvio |title=Campaña naval de 1814 contra la escuadra realista de Montevideo |date=1964 |publisher=Secretaría de Estado de Marina; Peuser |location=Buenos Aires |edition=1st}}</ref> The Spanish flag was finally abandoned after the formal [[Argentine Declaration of Independence|declaration of independence]] on 9 July 1816, being replaced by the blue and white flags created in 1812 by General Manuel Belgrano.

===War of Independence=== ====The origin of colors==== The light blue and white colors were used on the [[Cockade of Argentina|cockade]] before they were used on the flag. The origin of the colours of the cockade and the reasons for their election cannot be accurately established. Theories include the symbolism of the [[House of Bourbon]], especially the [[ribbon]] of the [[Order of Charles III]]. Another version speaks of the colors of the then unofficial [[Coat of arms of Buenos Aires|Buenos Aires coat of arms]], where blue meant the sky and silver, later changed to white, meant the waters of [[Río de la Plata|La Plata]]. Another possible source of colours is the [[Plume (feather)|plume]] of the ''[[Regiment of Patricians|Los Patricios]]'' during the [[British invasions of the River Plate|British invasion of 1806 and 1807]].<ref>{{cite news |title=La Escarapela Nacional cumple 198 años |url=http://www.diariochaco.com/noticia.php?numero=57271 |newspaper=Diario Chaco |publisher=Loster |location=Resistencia, Chaco Province |date=18 May 2010 |accessdate=28 November 2011 |language=Spanish |trans-title=The National Cockade's 198th anniversary |quote=Por iniciativa de una comisión de profesores, que sólo tuvo en cuenta a Mitre, el 13 de mayo de 1935 el Consejo Nacional de Educación resolvió autorizar por primera vez el festejo del Día de la Escarapela: por expediente 9602-9-935 lo fijó en honor a French y Beruti el 20 de mayo, lo que reafirmó el mito de 1810. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405155611/http://www.diariochaco.com/noticia.php?numero=57271 |archive-date=5 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

====Belgrano flag==== {{Gallery|align=center|height=120 |File:Flag of Belgrano (1812).svg|Speculative two-stripe flag |File:Flag of Argentina (civil).svg|Traditional flag of the Belgrano army |File:Bandera de la Provincia de Tucumán.svg|Another variant of the Belgrano army flag }}

On 26 February 1812, General [[Manuel Belgrano]] wrote to the government of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata to propose the creation of a national flag, arguing that the colors of the recently adopted national cockade should also be reflected in the banners flown by patriot forces. In his letter, he noted the problem of using flags identical to those of the enemy, and proposed adopting distinctive symbols that would reflect the new political reality. Without waiting for a formal response, Belgrano inaugurated the following day an [[artillery battery]] called "Independencia" on Espinillo Island in the [[Paraná River]], near present-day [[Rosario]], and presented the new flag in a ceremony. Local tradition has it that the first flag was sewn by María Catalina Echevarría de Vidal and raised by Cosme Maciel, a civilian sailor. In a second letter sent the same day, Belgrano informed the government of the events, describing the raising of a flag made in white and light blue, matching the cockade. On that day, Belgrano said the following words:

{{blockquote|text=Soldiers of the Fatherland, we have heretofore had the glory of wearing [[Cockade of Argentina|the national cockade]]; there (pointing to the Independence battery), on the Independence Battery, where our Government has recently had the honor of bestowing it upon, shall our weapons enlarge their glory. Let us swear to defeat our enemies, internal and external, and South America will become the temple of Independence and Freedom. In testament that you so swear it, say with me: ''LONG LIVE THE FATHERLAND!'' (after the oath) "Captain, sir, and troops chosen for the first time for the Independence Battery: go, take possession of it and fulfill the oath you have just sworn today."<ref name="auto1">{{langx|es|Soldados de la Patria, en este punto hemos tenido la gloria de vestir la escarapela nacional; en aquél (señalando la batería Independencia) nuestras armas aumentarán sus glorias. Juremos vencer a nuestros enemigos interiores y exteriores y la América del Sud será el templo de la '''Independencia''' y de la '''Libertad'''. En fe de que así lo juráis decid conmigo: ¡Viva la Patria!" "Señor capitán y tropa destinada por la primera vez a la batería '''Independencia''': id, posesionaos de ella y cumplid el juramento que acabáis de hacer.}} [http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/20dejunio/proclama.html Proclama dirigida por M. Belgrano a su ejército al enarbolar por primera vez la bandera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605050515/http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/20dejunio/proclama.html |date=5 June 2011 }}</ref>}}

The exact color scheme of the first flag remains a subject of debate, due to the fact that, in describing the flag in a non-intuitive way, he first mentioned white. Some historians suggest that this first flag was with two stripes with white above light blue. In his first letter, Belgrano described the location of the first raising of the flag as the "Libertad" artillery battery. In a letter dated 18 July 1812, he corrected that the flag was flown at the Independencia battery, not the unfinished Libertad battery.

In early March 1812, the [[First Triumvirate (Argentina)|First Triumvirate]] ordered General Manuel Belgrano to abandon the new white and light blue flag, since they were still acting in the name of Ferdinand VII. Belgrano, who continued the campaign of the [[Army of the North]], was unable to receive this order. After reaching [[San Salvador de Jujuy]], Belgrano celebrated the second anniversary of the revolution on 25 May 1812. On that day, [[Canon (title)|Canon]] Juan Ignacio Gorriti blessed the white and light blue flag in the [[Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour, San Salvador de Jujuy|cathedral]]. Belgrano then ordered his soldiers to swear allegiance to this banner, which he called the "national flag".

{{blockquote|text=Soldiers of the Fatherland, we have heretofore had the glory of wearing [[Cockade of Argentina|the national cockade]]; there (pointing to the Independence battery), on the Independence Battery, where our Government has recently had the honor of bestowing it upon, shall our weapons enlarge their glory. Let us swear to defeat our enemies, internal and external, and South America will become the temple of Independence and Freedom. In testament that you so swear it, say with me: ''LONG LIVE THE FATHERLAND!'' (after the oath) "Captain, sir, and troops chosen for the first time for the Independence Battery: go, take possession of it and fulfill the oath you have just sworn today."<ref name="auto1"/>}} [[Image:Bandera de la Provincia de Jujuy.svg|thumb|250px|[[Flag of the Civil Freedom of Argentina]]]] It is not known whether it was the same flag that first flew in Rosario or a different one, since military tradition dictated that flags remain with military units, not commanders. On 29 May, Belgrano sent a letter informing the government of the ceremony. In response, he was reprimanded by the Triumvirate for using the new flag without authorization. In his response on 18 July, Belgrano explained that he was unaware of the previous ban and repeated that the flag was white and light blue. Despite this, the Army of the North continued to use the flag, including in the victorious [[Battle of Tucumán]] on 24 September 1812.

In early February 1813, during the Army of the North’s advance toward Salta, General Manuel Belgrano received orders from the Assembly of Year XIII to have his troops swear allegiance. On 13 February 1813, after crossing the [[Salado River (Argentina)|Salado River]], later known also as the "River of the Oath". Belgrano led a solemn ceremony in which the troops swore obedience to the Assembly under the white-and-light-blue flag. In that ceremony, the flag was carried by Major General Eustoquio Díaz Vélez, preceded by Colonel Martín Rodríguez and Belgrano himself, escorted by granaderos playing music.

On 20 February 1813, the [[Battle of Salta]] was fought, in which Belgrano achieved a complete victory. After the battle [[Eustoquio Díaz Vélez]] placed the flag on the balcony of the Cabildo, and the trophies captured from the royalists were placed in the Chapter House. Díaz Vélez, appointed by Belgrano as military governor of the province of Salta del Tucumán, was the first official to use the blue-and-white flag.

While stationed in the city of [[San Salvador de Jujuy]] on 23 May, Belgrano presented the residents with a white cloth bearing the coat of arms of the Assembly of the Year XIII, which is today known as the [[Flag of the Civil Freedom of Argentina|flag of the Civil Freedom]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gobierno de Jujuy |title=Simbolos Jujeños |url=https://jujuy.gob.ar/simbologia/ |website=jujuy.gob.ar |access-date=1 October 2024}}</ref>

The Army of the North used light blue and white flags until its [[Battle of Ayohuma|destruction at Ayohuma]] in modern-day [[Bolivia]] at 14 November 1813. After the defeat, two of the flags used in this campaign were hidden in a chapel in the village of [[Santiago de Macha|Macha]] to avoid capture by royalist forces. These flags remained hidden until their accidental discovery in 1885. Both banners consist of three horizontal stripes of white and light blue, with one having a white stripe between two blue stripes and the other having a blue stripe between the white stripes. One was returned to Argentina and is currently located at the [[National Historical Museum (Argentina)|National Museum of History]] in Buenos Aires, while the other remained in Bolivia and is kept at the Casa de la Libertad in [[Sucre, Bolivia]].<ref>[http://www.museonor.gov.ar/bandera.htm La Primera Bandera y su destino] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402222250/http://www.museonor.gov.ar/bandera.htm |date=2 April 2010 }} {{in lang|es}}</ref>

====Artigas flag==== {{main|Artigas flag}} {{Gallery|align=center|height=120 |File:One of the early flags of the League of the Free Peoples.svg|Early version of the [[League of the Free Peoples]] flag |File:Flag of Artigas 1815.svg|Early version of the League of the Free Peoples flag |File:Flag of Artigas.svg|[[Artigas flag|Flag]] of the League of the Free Peoples }}

In 1814, [[José Gervasio Artigas]], leader of the [[Banda Oriental|Provincia Oriental]] (now [[Uruguay]]), began to organize the [[League of the Free Peoples]]. Artigas adopted a modified Belgrano flag with two narrow red stripes placed within blue fields. The blue stripes symbolized the banks of the Río de la Plata, while the red symbolized the struggle for [[federalism]].

Later, Artigas changed the two red stripes to one diagonal one, to clearly distinguish his flags from similar flags of [[Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata|his opponents]]. The final design was not created directly by Artigas but by José María de Roo, a customs official from [[Montevideo]] and an expert in [[heraldry]]. De Roo likely served as a consultant to Artigas, though the exact nature of their collaboration and the extent of Artigas's influence on the design remain unclear<ref name="auto">{{cite web |last1=Fiorotto |first1=Daniel Tirso |title=¿Quién diseñó de verdad la bandera entrerriana? |url=https://www.unoentrerios.com.ar/sociedad-y-tendencias/quien-diseno-verdad-la-bandera-entrerriana-n2669057.html?__cf_chl_tk=6nLQYwihVm.f8zvaPPyhBJM9cjWldIh.tm5iwDkK.bs-1737063245-1.0.1.1-h9CQJK68TGMJ6pucKVri5q.p.FF8VNPaG5Mb5PnCMWM |website=Uno Entre Rios |access-date=18 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2003 |title=Día de la Bandera |url=http://www.educ.ar/educar/alumnos/egb3/vrecurso.jsp?url=SOCINOTI017%2FBAND04.HTML&contenido=45&tema=754 |url-status=live |website=[[Educ.ar]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040717004418/http://www.educ.ar/educar/alumnos/egb3/vrecurso.jsp?url=SOCINOTI017%2FBAND04.HTML&contenido=45&tema=754 |archive-date=17 July 2004 }}</ref> The new flag was first raised at Artigas's military camp in [[Arerunguá]] on 13 January 1815. In [[Montevideo]] it was flown for the first time on 26 March by order of the military governor of Montevideo, Colonel [[Fernando Otorgués]], and in [[Entre Ríos Province|Entre Ríos]] on 13 March. Over time, the flag spread throughout the League.<ref name="auto"/>

===United Provinces of the Río de la Plata=== {{Gallery|align=center|height=120 |File:Flag of Argentina (civil).svg|Temporary flag (1816-1818) |File:Flag of Argentina.svg|Light blue flag (1818–1819 and 1820-1829) |File:Flag of Argentina (1818).svg|Heraldic blue flag (1819–1820) }}

At the [[Congress of Tucumán]], which [[Argentine Declaration of Independence|proclaimed independence]] on 9 July 1816, the flag created by Manuel Belgrano was officially recognized as the symbol of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata on 20 July 1816. At that point, the use of Spanish flags was abolished. The congress was attended by delegates from most of the former [[Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata|Viceroyalty]] (including [[Tarija]] and other northern territories, now part of [[Bolivia]], but without delegations from provinces allied with the League of Free Peoples). A decree of 20 July, signed by [[Francisco Narciso de Laprida]] and [[Juan José Paso]] as Deputy Secretary, established that the previously used light blue and white flag would remain the national flag, used exclusively by [[army|armies]], [[warships]], and [[fortresses]] as a secondary flag. It also stated that once the most appropriate form of government had been determined, the final design of the main national flag would be established.

In early 1817, [[José de San Martín]] ordered [[Army of the Andes|his soldiers]] to take an oath to the [[flag of the Andes]] before setting out on an [[Crossing of the Andes|expedition to Chile]].

On 9 July 1817, the [[privateer]] [[Hipólito Bouchard]] set off on a two-year voyage under his command. Bouchard, flying the flag of the United Provinces, fought a battle with [[Piracy in the Sulu and Celebes Seas|Malay pirates]] in the [[Makassar Strait]]. After crossing into the Pacific, he attacked royalist forces from [[Monterey, California|Monterey]] to [[El Realejo]]. The flag was used again in [[Central America]] a few years later by [[Manuel José Arce]], becoming the basis for the [[Flag of Central America|flag]] of [[United Provinces of Central America]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Felipe Pigna|title=Los mitos de la Historia Argentina 2.|year=2005|publisher=Grupo Editorial Planeta S.A.I.C. 2005|location=Argentina|isbn=950-49-1342-3|page=92|url=http://www.elhistoriador.com.ar/libros/mitos2.php|access-date=20 June 2013|archive-date=13 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113104810/http://www.elhistoriador.com.ar/libros/mitos2.php|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Belgrano dejó descendencia en América Central|url=http://www.aimdigital.com.ar/aim/2012/08/05/belgrano-dejo-descendencia-en-america-central/|access-date=20 June 2013|newspaper=aimdigital|date=5 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013132102/http://www.aimdigital.com.ar/aim/2012/08/05/belgrano-dejo-descendencia-en-america-central/|archive-date=13 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=El origen de las banderas de centroamérica|url=http://www.mdzol.com/nota/53509/|access-date=20 June 2013|newspaper=mdz online|date=20 June 2008|archive-date=13 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013160159/http://www.mdzol.com/nota/53509/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Another privateer who used the Argentine flag in Central America was [[Louis-Michel Aury]], who occupied [[Providencia and Santa Catalina Islands]].

On 25 January 1818, [[Juan Martín de Pueyrredón]] formally established the national flag, with the Sun of May as its central symbol. The May Sun added to the flag is based on the design of Argentina's first coin. It is a yellow-gold disc with a human face surrounded by 32 alternating rays – 16 straight and 16 wavy. Shortly thereafter, the official shade of blue was changed to heraldic blue, which remained in legal definitions until the color light blue was reestablished in the early 20th century. The session noted that "white and blue shall be the exclusive colors of this state, and on them shall be placed a golden embroidered sun." For naval purposes, a war flag was designated with two blue stripes, one white stripe, and a golden sun surrounded by stars. However, this flag was never used, as it was invalidated seven days later.

===Federalist Party and Argentine Confederation=== {{Gallery|align=center|height=120 |File:Flag of Liga Federal.svg|Turquoise blue (1829-1835) }}

With the rise to power in Buenos Aires of Brigadier General [[Juan Manuel de Rosas]] in 1829, the official shade of the national flag was modified to turquoise blue. The change stemmed partly from Rosas’s interpretation of the flag specifications approved by the Congress of Tucumán in 1818, and partly from his wish to differentiate it from the lighter blue commonly associated with the [[Unitarian Party|Unitarians]], his opponents in the [[Argentine Civil Wars|civil war]]. Although formally only [[governor of Buenos Aires Province]], Rosas authority extended over the [[Argentine Confederation]], a political union in which the provinces retained significant autonomy but delegated foreign affairs to Buenos Aires.<ref>El sol del escudo nacional y la restauración de los Incas: monografía histórica. pp. VIII. Autor: Mariano A. Pelliza. Editor: F. Lajouane, 1900</ref>

====Rosas flag==== {{Gallery|align=center|height=120 |File:Flag of Argentina (1840).svg|Flag of the Argentine Confederation (1836-1852) |File:Military Flag of Argentine Confederation.svg|Example of a Federalist military flag |File:Federal Flag of Buenos Aires.svg|Argentine Confederation naval flag (1840s-1852) }}

In 1836 four [[Phrygian cap]]s were placed in each corner, and the Sun of May was depicted in red, a color used by the federalists since the time of Artigas. The changes introduced by Rosas were not recorded in any law or decree, so it is presumed that they were simply Rosas's personal decision. Rosas also never established a special flag for the province of Buenos Aires. Federalist supporters often used these variants, both in official and military contexts.<ref>[http://www.lagazeta.com.ar/bandera_nacional.htm La Gazeta]</ref> In combat, the Federal Army frequently carried dark blue versions of the Argentine flag, sometimes inscribed with slogans such as ''“¡Viva la Confederación! ¡Mueran los salvajes unitarios!”'' (“Long live the Confederation! Death to the savage Unitarians!”). In addition, some regiments used a red-and-white bicolor flag. By the late 1840s, especially in the northern provinces, where dissatisfaction with Rosas was growing but still respecting his dominance, flags bearing the slogan ''“¡Libertad, Constitución o Muerte!”'' (“Liberty, Constitution, or Death!”) appeared. In turn, units of the [[Ejército Grande|Grand Army]] commanded by [[Justo José de Urquiza]] used flags bearing the slogan ''“¡Constitución Federal o Muerte!”'' (“Federal Constitution or Death!”).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Frías |first1=Bernardo |title=Tradiciones históricas: República Argentina |date=1926 |publisher=Editorial Tor |location=Buenos Aires |page=204 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F-IdAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>

====Urquiza flag==== {{Gallery|align=center|height=120 |File:Flag of the Argentine Confederation.svg|Flag of the Argentine Confederation (1852-1861) }}

[[Justo José de Urquiza]], [[Governor of Entre Ríos Province|governor of Entre Ríos]], assumed national leadership as president of the Argentine Confederation after defeating Rosas at the [[Battle of Caseros]] on 3 February 1852. Urquiza retained the Phrygian caps introduced under Rosas, but their orientation was changed so that each cap faced the corner of the flag in which it was located. These changes symbolized continuity with the Confederation while also marking a shift away from Rosas's personalist domination.

===Unitarian Party and State of Buenos Aires=== {{Gallery|align=center|height=120 |File:Flag of Unitarian Party (Navy).svg|Light blue flag used by Unitarian Party on sea |File:Flag of Unitarian Party (exiled).svg|Light blue flag used by Unitarian Party on sea }}

During the Confederation era, Unitarian exiles in [[Montevideo]] continued to use light blue national flags and their own naval flags. These flags remained in use until 1852.

{{Gallery|align=center|height=120 |Flag of the State of Buenos Aires (1852-1861).svg|Flag of the State of Buenos Aires (1852-1861) |Pabellón naval estado Buenos Ayres.svg|Buenos Aires [[naval ensign]] (1852-1861) |Bandera marina mercante estado de Buenos Aires.svg|Buenos Aires [[merchant flag]] (1852-1861) }}

On 11 September 1852, the Unitarian Party carried out a [[Revolution of 11 September 1852|bloodless coup]] in the province, which led to the creation of the [[State of Buenos Aires]]. The state effectively controlled only the coast of [[Río de la Plata|La Plata]]. Although Buenos Aires was then an independent state, with its own diplomatic relations, it tried to reintegrate with Argentina. The State of Buenos Aires used a flag consisting of two light blue stripes and a white one in the middle, where the Greater [[Coat of Arms of Argentina]] was located. It was replaced by the national flag with the unification of the country in 1861. Since then, no provincial flag has been used in Buenos Aires until the adoption of the current design. Buenos Aires warships continued to use the [[naval ensign]] previously used by the Unitary Party. This was the original light blue Argentine flag with an additional thin white stripe at the top.<ref name=":0">[[c:File:1851_chart_of_maritime_flags_of_the_world_by_Charles_Copley.jpg|1851 Chart of Maritime Flags of the World by Charles Copley]]</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web|access-date=28 April 2024 |date=1 September 2008 |language=en |title=Doubtful Argentine naval flags in 19th Century flag charts |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ar~19c.html |website=[[Flags of the World (website)|Flags of the World]]}}</ref>

===Argentine Republic=== Buenos Aires and the Confederation clashed at the [[Battle of Pavón]], which was won by the Unitarians in 1861. After this victory, Buenos Aires was reincorporated into the national structure, and [[Bartolomé Mitre]] assumed office as president of the united Argentine Republic in 1862. His rule ushered in a more centralized government, with Buenos Aires as its political and economic center.

In 1869, President [[Domingo Faustino Sarmiento]] authorized the display of flags on homes and buildings during national holidays, a practice that had previously been prohibited.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/http://www.elhistoriador.com.ar/aula/varios/creacion_de_la_bandera.php|title=La creación de la Bandera. El Historiador}}</ref>

On 24 September 1873, during the unveiling of the [[Equestrian monument to General Manuel Belgrano|Belgrano Monument]] in Buenos Aires, Sarmiento delivered his "Discourse on the Flag." In it, he rejected the former Confederate flags, calling them the invention of barbarians, tyrants, and traitors, and declared that they could not be considered the Argentine flag. The debate over the flag's colors resurfaced in 1878. Bartolomé Mitre argued for maintaining the Unitarian light blue and white, while Mariano A. Pelliza and C. Frigeiro argued that the original color of the 1818 flag was turquoise.

On 25 April 1884, President [[Julio Argentino Roca]] issued a decree that again restricted the use of the sun flag to government institutions. A year later, a blue and white flag was approved for the diplomatic corps. In 1895, President [[José Evaristo Uriburu]] established light blue and white as the official colors, a decision confirmed by President [[Figueroa Alcorta]]'s decree of 24 May 1907. Further regulations were introduced in 1943 under the administration of [[Pedro Pablo Ramírez]]. Decrees 1027, 5256, and 6628, issued on 19 June 13 August, and 26 August of the same year, defined the design of the official national flag, the image of the sun, and the manner of wearing the sash. It stipulated that the national flag must always display the sun when flown by government offices, while private individuals were required to use it without the sun.

On 8 June 1938, president [[Roberto María Ortiz|Roberto Ortiz]] sanctioned national law no. 12,361 declaring 20 June "[[Flag Day]]", a national holiday. The date was decided as the anniversary of Belgrano's death in 1820. In 1957 the [[National Flag Memorial (Argentina)|National Flag Memorial]] (a 10,000 m{{sup|2}} monumental complex) was inaugurated in Rosario to commemorate the creation of the flag, and the official Flag Day ceremonies have customarily been conducted in its vicinity since then.

According to the Decree 10,302/1944 the article 2 stated that the Official Flag of the Nation is the flag with sun, approved by the "Congress of Tucumán", reunited in Buenos Aires on 25 February 1818. The article 3 stated that the flag with the sun in its center is to be used only by the Federal and Provincial Governments; while individuals and institutions use a flag without the sun.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/55000-59999/59311/norma.htm|title=Considerando: Que el Escudo, la Bandera y el Himno son símbolos de la soberanía de la Nación y de la majestad de su historia;|website=servicios.infoleg.gob.ar|access-date=23 March 2018}}</ref>

In 1985 the Law 23,208 repealed the article 3 of the Decree 10,302/1944, saying that the Federal and Provincial Governments, as well as individuals have the right to use the Official Flag of the Nation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/20000-24999/24855/norma.htm|title=Norma: LEY 23208|website=servicios.infoleg.gob.ar|access-date=23 March 2018}}</ref>

In November 2010, the exact design specifications for the flag were standardized and promulgated via presidential decree, specifying the exact colors, proportions, and aspect ratio.<ref name=decreto1650de2010>{{Cite web|url=https://www.argentina.gob.ar/normativa/nacional/decreto-1650-2010-175328/texto|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924054925/https://www.argentina.gob.ar/normativa/nacional/decreto-1650-2010-175328/texto|url-status=live|archive-date=24 September 2020|date=23 November 2010|language=es|publisher=Poder Ejecutivo Nacional|location=Argentina|title=Decreto 1650/2010}}</ref>

==Anthems to the flag==

===Aurora (Sunrise)=== :{| align=top width=100% || <poem> Alta en el cielo, un águila guerrera Audaz se eleva en vuelo triunfal. Azul un ala del color del cielo, Azul un ala del color del mar.

Así en el alta aurora irradial. Punta de flecha el áureo rostro imita. Y forma estela el purpurado cuello. El ala es paño, el águila es bandera.

Es la bandera de la patria mía, del sol nacido que me ha dado Dios. Es la bandera de la Patria Mía, del sol nacido que me ha dado Dios. </poem> || <poem> High in the sky, a warrior eagle rises audacious in its triumphal flight One wing is blue, sky-colored; one wing is blue, sea-colored.

In the high radiant aurora its golden face resembles the tip of an arrow. And its purple nape leaves a wake. The wing is cloth, the eagle is a flag.

It is the flag of my Fatherland, born of the sun that God gave me. It is the flag of my Fatherland, born of the sun that God gave me. </poem> |}

Lyrics by [[Luigi Illica]] and [[Héctor Cipriano Quesada]], music by [[Héctor Panizza]], it is sung during flag raising ceremonies.

===Saludo a la bandera (Salutation to the Flag)=== :{| align=top width=100% || <poem> Salve, argentina bandera azul y blanca. Jirón del cielo en donde impera el Sol. Tú, la más noble, la más gloriosa y santa, el firmamento su color te dio.

Yo te saludo, bandera de mi Patria, sublime enseña de libertad y honor. Jurando amarte, como así defenderte, mientras palpite mi fiel corazón. </poem> || <poem> Hail, Argentina blue and white flag. Shred of the sky where the Sun reigns. You, the most noble, the most glorious and holy, the heavens gave its color to you.

I salute you, flag of my fatherland, sublime ensign of freedom and honor. Swearing to love you, as well as to defend you, for as long as my faithful heart beats. </poem> |}

===Mi Bandera (My Flag)=== :{| align=top width=100% || <poem> Aquí está la bandera idolatrada, la enseña que Belgrano nos legó, cuando triste la Patria esclavizada con valor sus vínculos rompió.

Aquí está la bandera esplendorosa que al mundo con sus triunfos admiró, cuando altiva en la lucha y victoriosa la cima de los Andes escaló.

Aquí está la bandera que un día en la batalla tremoló triunfal y, llena de orgullo y bizarría, a San Lorenzo se dirigió inmortal.

Aquí está, como el cielo refulgente, ostentando sublime majestad, después de haber cruzado el Continente, exclamando a su paso: ¡Libertad! ¡Libertad! ¡Libertad! </poem> || <poem> Here is the idolized flag, the flag that Belgrano left to us, when the sad enslaved Homeland bravely broke its bonds.

Here is the splendorous flag that surprised the world with its victory, when arrogant and victoriously during the battles the top of the Andes it has climbed.

Here is the flag that one day triumphantly rose in the middle of the battle and, full of pride and gallantry, to San Lorenzo it went immortal.

Here it is, like the shining sky, showing sublimate majesty after having crossed the continent shouting in its way: "Freedom!" "Freedom! Freedom!" </poem> |}

== Pledge to the Flag == As [[Flag Day (Argentina)|Flag Day]] is celebrated on 20 June, the following pledge is recited to students nationwide on this day by their respective school principals or grade level advisers. In large towns where students are gathered en masse, the pledge is taken by the local town or city executive, preceded by words of advice and honor to the memory of its creator, Manuel Belgrano, using the following or similar formulas:

=== Traditional Pledge === {| width="81%" | : Summons: ''Niños/Alumnos, la Bandera blanca y celeste—Dios sea loado—no ha sido atada jamás al carro triunfal de ningún vencedor de la tierra.''

: ''Niños/Alumnos, esa Bandera gloriosa representa a la Patria de los Argentinos. Prometáis rendirle vuestro más sincero y respetuoso homenaje, quererla con amor inmenso y formarle, desde la aurora de la vida un culto fervoroso e imborrable en vuestros corazones; preparándonos desde la escuela para practicar a su tiempo, con toda pureza y honestidad, las nobles virtudes inherentes a la ciudadanía, estudiar con empeño la historia de nuestro país y la de sus grandes benefactores a fin de seguir sus huellas luminosas y a fin también de honrar la Bandera y de que no se amortigüe jamás en vuestras almas el delicado y generoso sentimiento de amor a la Patria. En una palabra: ¿prometéis lo que esté en las medidas de vuestras fuerzas que la Bandera Argentina flamee por siempre sobre nuestras murallas y fortalezas, en lo alto de los mástiles de nuestras naves y a la cabeza de nuestras legiones y para que el honor sea su aliento, la gloria su aureola, la justicia su empresa?''

: Response: ''¡Sí, prometo!''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://normas.gba.gob.ar/ar-b/decreto/1998/2785/63771|title=Sistema de Información Normativa y Documental Malvinas Argentinas - Decreto 2785/1998|website=normas.gba.gob.ar}}</ref> | valign="top" | : Summons: ''Children/Students, the white and sky-blue flag, God be praised, has never been carried in the triumphal carts of any victors of this Earth.''

:''Children/Students, this glorious Flag represents the Fatherland of the Argentines. I ask you all to promise to pledge your most sincere and respectful homage, to love it and nurture, with immense love, from the dawn of life a fervent and indelible cult in your hearts; preparing yourselves from school to practice in its time, with all purity and honesty, the noble virtues inherent in citizenship, studying with determination the history of our country and that of its big benefactors, in order to continue its luminous traces and as a way to honor the Flag so that there should never get depressed in your souls the delicate and generous feeling of love for the Fatherland. In one word: do you promise, to the extent of your capabilities, that the Flag of Argentina flames forever over our walls and forts, on top of the masts of our ships and at the head of our legions and so that honor should be its breath, glory its aurora, justice its company?''

: Response: ''Yes, I promise!'' (standing to attention and extending the right arm towards the flag) |}

Versions of this include references to Belgrano and to all who fought for the country during the Argentine War of Independence and other wars that followed.

=== Modern Pledge === {| width="81%" | : Summons: ''Niños/Alumnos, esta es la Bandera que creó Manuel Belgrano en los albores de nuestra libertad, simboliza a la República Argentina, nuestra Patria.''

: ''Es el símbolo de nuestra libre soberanía, que hace sagrados a los hombres y mujeres y a todos los pueblos del mundo. Convoca el ejercicio de nuestros deberes y nuestros derechos, a respetar las leyes y las instituciones. Es la expresión de nuestra historia forjada con la esperanza y el esfuerzo de millones de hombres y mujeres, los que nacieron en nuestra tierra y los que vinieron a poblarla al amparo de nuestra bandera y nuestra Constitución.''

: ''Representa nuestra tierra y nuestros mares, nuestros ríos y bosques, nuestros llanos y montañas, el esfuerzo de sus habitantes, sus sueños y realizaciones. Simboliza nuestro presente, en el que, día a día, debemos construir la democracia que nos ennoblece, y conquistar el conocimiento que nos libera; y nuestro futuro, el de nuestros hijos y el de las sucesivas generaciones de argentinos.''

: ''Niños/Alumnos, ¿prometen defenderla, respetarla y amarla, con fraterna tolerancia y respeto, estudiando con firme voluntad, comprometiéndose a ser ciudadanos libres y justos, aceptando solidariamente en sus diferencias a todos los que pueblan nuestro suelo y transmitiendo, en todos y cada uno de nuestros actos, sus valores permanentes e irrenunciables?''

: Response: ''Sí, prometo!''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/20dejunio/promesa.html |title=Student Oath to the Flag as sanctioned by the Ministry of Education of Argentina. |access-date=25 June 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052347/http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/20dejunio/promesa.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> | valign="top" | : Summons: ''Children/Students, this is the Flag that Manuel Belgrano created at the dawn of our freedom; the symbol of our fatherland, the Argentine Republic.''

:''It is the symbol of our free sovereignty, which renders sacred the men and women and all the peoples of the world. It calls on us to exercise our duties and our rights, to respect our nation's laws and institutions. It is the expression of our history forged with the hope and the efforts of millions of men and women, those who were born in our land and those who came to settle it under our flag and our Constitution.''

: ''It represents our land and our seas, our rivers and forests, our plains and mountains, the efforts of its inhabitants, their dreams and achievements. It symbolizes our present, in which, day by day, we must build the democracy that ennobles us and conquer the knowledge that frees us, as well as our future, that of our children and the successive generations of Argentines.''

:''Children/Students, do you promise to defend, respect, and love it, with fraternal tolerance and respect, studying with determination, committing to be free and honest citizens, accepting in solidarity the diversity of all those who inhabit our lands, and passing on these permanent and irrevocable values in everything you do?''

: Response: ''Yes, I promise!'' (standing to attention and extending the right arm towards the flag) |}

The ''Glorious Reveille'' may be sounded by a [[military band|military]] or a [[marching band]] at this point, and [[confetti]] may be showered upon the students.

In the [[Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic]] and civil uniformed services the pledge is similar but with a different formula and response of ''¡Si, juro!'' (''Yes, I pledge!'')

=== Military/police variant === {| width="85%" | : Summons: ''¿Juráis a la Patria seguir constantemente su bandera y defenderla hasta perder la vida?''

: Response: ''¡Sí, juro!''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eam.iua.edu.ar/rumbos/Revista-26/RevistaRumbos26-Nota10.html |title=Military/Civil Uniformed Services Pledge to the Flag of Argentina |author=Rumbos Aeronauticos |access-date=22 August 2012 |archive-date=11 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611092632/http://www.eam.iua.edu.ar/rumbos/Revista-26/RevistaRumbos26-Nota10.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> | valign="top" | : Summons: ''Do you therefore pledge to the Fatherland constantly to follow its flag and defend it even at the cost of your lives?''

: Response: ''Yes, I pledge!'' |}

In the [[Argentine Federal Police]], the words {{Lang|es|y su Constitución Nacional}} (and its Constitution) may be inserted.

==See also== {{Portal|Heraldry|Argentina}} *[[List of Argentine flags]] *[[Spanish fess]] *[[Flag of El Salvador]] *[[Flag of Honduras]] *[[Flag of Nicaragua]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Commons category-inline}} * {{FOTW|id=ar|title=Argentina}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20061103104003/http://www.rapiarte.com.ar/cancionesypoesias.htm All anthems to the Argentine flag] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20041012040050/http://www.portalargentino.net/simbolos/bandera.htm More information] {{in lang|es}} * [http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/20dejunio/index.html Día de la Bandera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626025832/http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/20dejunio/index.html |date=26 June 2007 }} {{in lang|es}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Argentina, Flag of}} [[Category:Symbols introduced in 1812]] [[Category:National symbols of Argentina|Flag]] [[Category:Flags of Argentina| ]] [[Category:Blue and white flags]] [[Category:National flags]] [[Category:Culture of Argentina|Flag]] [[Category:Quadcolor flags]] [[Category:Flags displaying a sun]]