Coat of arms of El Salvador
Encyclopedia
The coat of arms of El Salvador
has been in use in its current form since 15 September 1912. Its center consists of a triangle
, in which five volcano
es rise out of the sea. They symbolize the five member states of the United Provinces of Central America. Above the volcanoes is a red Phrygian cap
on a staff before a golden sun and the date 15 September 1821, Independence Day of El Salvador. Over it is a rainbow
which means peace. Behind the coat of arms there are five flags representing the flags of the Federal Republic of Central America
raised. Under it, there is a scroll which states the national motto of El Salvador: Dios, Unión, Libertad (Span.
, "God, Union, Liberty").
All of this is surrounded by a laurel
garland, which is tied together under the national flag. The garland is divided into 14 different parts, which symbolize the 14 Departaments, the Salvadoran subnational administrative units. All this is surrounded by golden letters, which form the Spanish
words REPÚBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMÉRICA CENTRAL (English: Republic of El Salvador in Central America).
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
has been in use in its current form since 15 September 1912. Its center consists of a triangle
Triangle
A triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are line segments. A triangle with vertices A, B, and C is denoted ....
, in which five volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es rise out of the sea. They symbolize the five member states of the United Provinces of Central America. Above the volcanoes is a red Phrygian cap
Phrygian cap
The Phrygian cap is a soft conical cap with the top pulled forward, associated in antiquity with the inhabitants of Phrygia, a region of central Anatolia. In the western provinces of the Roman Empire it came to signify freedom and the pursuit of liberty, perhaps through a confusion with the pileus,...
on a staff before a golden sun and the date 15 September 1821, Independence Day of El Salvador. Over it is a rainbow
Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc...
which means peace. Behind the coat of arms there are five flags representing the flags of the Federal Republic of Central America
Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America, known as the United Provinces of Central America in its first year of creation, was a sovereign state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala of New Spain...
raised. Under it, there is a scroll which states the national motto of El Salvador: Dios, Unión, Libertad (Span.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, "God, Union, Liberty").
All of this is surrounded by a laurel
Bay Laurel
The bay laurel , also known as sweet bay, bay tree, true laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel tree, or simply laurel, is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glossy leaves, native to the Mediterranean region. It is the source of the bay leaf used in cooking...
garland, which is tied together under the national flag. The garland is divided into 14 different parts, which symbolize the 14 Departaments, the Salvadoran subnational administrative units. All this is surrounded by golden letters, which form the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
words REPÚBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMÉRICA CENTRAL (English: Republic of El Salvador in Central America).