Peru’s national flag is a vertical red-white-red tricolour. The plain national flag used by citizens does not carry the coat of arms; official state versions use the national arms in the central white band.

What does the Peruvian flag look like?

The national flag consists of three equal vertical stripes: red at the hoist, white in the centre and red at the fly. Peru’s Constitution identifies the red-white-red flag as one of the symbols of the nation.

How did Peru’s flag develop?

José de San Martín created Peru’s first republican flag by decree on October 21, 1820. That design used diagonal red and white fields with a rising sun. José Bernardo de Tagle replaced it in March 1822 with a horizontal red-white-red design and changed it again on May 31, 1822 to vertical stripes because the horizontal version could be confused with Spain’s flag at a distance.

On February 25, 1825, the Constituent Congress retained the vertical red-white-red arrangement but replaced the sun with the new national coat of arms. In 1950, during the government of Manuel Odría, the plain flag without the coat of arms was established for general national use, while state forms retained official emblems.

Peru flag facts

• Colors: red, white and red
• First republican flag: October 21, 1820
• Vertical tricolour introduced: May 31, 1822
• 1825 design: vertical flag with national arms
• Plain national flag established: 1950

Sources

Primary references: Peru Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Defence — history of the national flag.