Honduras vs Nicaragua vs El Salvador flag: how to tell them apart
Each is a blue, white, blue horizontal triband. Honduras has five blue stars in an X pattern, Nicaragua has a triangle coat of arms with a rainbow and the words Republica de Nicaragua, and El Salvador has its own coat of arms in the white stripe.
How to tell them apart
Honduras: five stars
Honduras has five blue five-pointed stars in an X shape on the white stripe, for the five nations of the old Federal Republic of Central America.
Nicaragua: rainbow arms
Nicaragua's coat of arms is a triangle with five volcanoes, a rising sun, a Cap of Liberty and a rainbow, ringed by the text Republica de Nicaragua.
El Salvador: its own arms
El Salvador's national flag has its coat of arms in the centre, fully inside the white stripe. A civil version shows the words DIOS UNION LIBERTAD instead.
Shapes
Honduras is 1:2, the longest. Nicaragua is 3:5. El Salvador's national flag is 189:335, about 1:1.77.
Blue shades
Nicaragua lists its blue as Pantone 281C (#00205b). Honduras switched back to navy blue in January 2026 after a turquoise period from 2022.
Quick quiz
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