The current flag of Bolivia was decided upon in 1851 and has so far held the test of time. Every object represented on the flag carries significance to the country’s current and historical state. The background contains three horizontal stripes; red on top, then yellow, and lastly green. The red symbolizes the soldiers of Bolivia and the blood that they shed for the country, green stands for the fertility of the land, and yellow is a representation of the country’s rich mineral deposits.
In addition to the stripes, the flag is sometimes shown with the crest in the center. Its general idea is of a cartouche, and it is surrounded by multiple Bolivian flags. Behind the cartouche are crossed rifles, which are supposed to represent the country’s difficult fight for independence. There is also an ax and a Phrygian hood, symbolizing freedom. Atop the cartouche there laurel branches for peace, which lie behind a condor bird who is supposed to defend the country and the liberty it fought for. On the cartouche itself, “Bolivia” is written above a string of ten stars. Nine of the ten stars are dedicated to the nine departments, while the other is for the former province Litoral. In the center of the cartouche Mount. Potosi, an alpaca, a tree, and wheat are all depicted as they represent Bolivia’s natural resources.