What Spanish nickname for Colombia's flag means 'The National Tricolor'?

Colombia’s flag is known in Spanish as “El Tricolor Nacional,” meaning “The National Tricolor.”

The nickname describes the flag’s three horizontal colors: yellow, blue and red. Unlike many tricolors, its bands are not equal in height. The yellow stripe occupies the upper half, while blue and red each occupy one quarter, producing a 2:1:1 proportion.

The Colombian colors descend from the revolutionary flag associated with Francisco de Miranda and the independence movements of Spanish America. They were adopted successively by Gran Colombia and later by the Republic of New Granada. The present arrangement was officially adopted on November 26, 1861.

Colombia’s flag is often confused with Ecuador’s and Venezuela’s because all three inherit the yellow-blue-red tradition of Gran Colombia. Ecuador’s flag is especially similar, but it commonly includes a coat of arms in the center. Colombia’s plain national flag is identified by its broad yellow upper band, while official and military versions may add emblems for particular uses.