Americas

Flag of Paraguay

Paraguay is a landlocked South American country bordered by Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia, and is one of only two landlocked countries on the continent. Despite its landlocked status, it is a major electricity exporter from the Itaipú Dam, one of the world's largest hydroelectric power plants. Paraguay is notable for being the only country in the Americas where an indigenous language, Guaraní, is an official language alongside Spanish and is widely spoken by the majority of the population.

CapitalAsuncion
RegionAmericas
Current flag since1990
Main coloursRed, White, Blue
Populationabout 7 million
Areaabout 407,000 km²
GeographyLandlocked
Flags in history2

Population and area are rounded.

What the flag of Paraguay means

Red, white and blue were inspired by the French tricolour: red for patriotism, white for peace and blue for liberty. The front shows the national arms, a yellow star in a wreath, while the back shows the Treasury seal, a lion and a cap of liberty with the words “Paz y Justicia”. The two-sided flag dates from 1842.

How to recognise it

Horizontal red-white-blue — the only flag in the world with different emblems on each side.

Did you know?

Paraguay is one of the few countries where the national language (Guaraní) is an indigenous language.

Easily confused with

Paraguay's flag is often mixed up with these. Learn to tell them apart:

Netherlands

Austria

Flag history of Paraguay

Every flag that has flown over Paraguay, from today back through time.

1990–present

Republic of Paraguay (current)

Paraguay's flag is unique in the world: its obverse and reverse show different emblems. The front bears the national coat of arms (a star surrounded by olive and palm branches under the motto "Peace and Justice"); the back shows the Treasury Seal (a lion guarding a staff of liberty). This double-sided design has been official since 1842 and was last updated in 2013. The red-white-blue tricolor is said to have been inspired by the French Tricolore, which was associated with liberty across the Atlantic world.

1842–1990

Republic of Paraguay (classic design)

When Paraguay declared independence from Spain in 1811 under José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, the flag's design evolved through several versions before the distinctive double-sided design was codified in 1842. Francia ruled as "El Supremo" in near-total isolation from the outside world — he closed Paraguay's borders and severed contact with Argentina and Brazil — giving Paraguayan national symbols an unusually homegrown character.