The flag of Mercosur (Mercado Común del Sur) is the banner of the South American customs union founded by the Treaty of Asunción in March 1991. Mercosur is one of the largest trading blocs in the southern hemisphere, accounting for the bulk of South American GDP.
The design
The Flag of Mercosur is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 14:20, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses white, blue, green, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| White | white | Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes. |
| Blue | blue | Frequently symbolises sky, sea, freedom, vigilance or perseverance. |
| Green | green | Tends to evoke land, agriculture, hope, Islam or the natural environment. |
| Source | Official flag law | The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions. |
Symbolism & heraldry
A white field bearing a green stylised image of the Southern Cross constellation — the four stars visible across all of southern South America — above a curved blue band representing the Río de la Plata, the river basin around which the bloc was originally founded. The Southern Cross is the navigational sign of the southern hemisphere; the river ties the founding economies geographically.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Mercosur — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.
Adoption & history
The current flag was adopted in 1991. It is credited to Mercosur founding committee. Earlier banners flown by reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.
Etiquette & protocol
The Flag of Mercosur should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.
Specifications
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Country | — | |
| Continent | Americas | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1991 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 14:20 | height : length |
| Colours | white, blue, green | — |
| Designer | Mercosur founding committee | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
Venezuela became a full member in 2012 but was suspended in 2016 over democratic backsliding; the country has not been reinstated, leaving the bloc at four full members.
About the organisation
Mercosur was founded in 1991. Its headquarters are in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Member states
Mercosur has 4 member states. Membership current as of 2024-01.
