Costa Rica

About the flag

Costa Rica is correct. Its flag is defined by a broad central red stripe flanked by white and blue, and the state version bears a coat of arms near the hoist—unlike Chile’s star-in-canton, Colombia’s yellow-heavy tricolor, or Bolivia’s red‑yellow‑green. The colors reflect ideals from the 1848 design inspired by the French tricolore: blue for the sky and perseverance, white for peace, and red for the warmth and sacrifice of the people. The coat of arms shows three volcanoes, two oceans, merchant ships, and seven stars for the provinces—fitting for a nation between the Pacific and Caribbean. Memory tip: think “Pura Vida” and a warm red heart at the center, with ships on two seas—Costa Rica, the “Rich Coast.”