Argentina vs. Uruguay: Flag Comparison
Argentina and Uruguay are Río de la Plata neighbors that both fly the golden Sun of May on blue and white fields, but Argentina uses a horizontal triband while Uruguay uses nine horizontal stripes with a canton.
How to tell Argentina and Uruguay apart at a glance
- Count the stripes: Argentina has only 3 broad horizontal stripes (sky blue, white, sky blue); Uruguay has 9 narrow stripes (5 white, 4 blue).
- Check the sun location: Argentina centers the Sun of May in the middle white band; Uruguay places the Sun of May in a square white canton in the upper hoist.
- Compare the sun's rays: Argentina's sun has 32 rays; Uruguay's sun has 16 rays.
Side-by-side structural comparison
| Attribute | Argentina | Uruguay |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 5:8 (5:8) | 2:3 (2:3) |
| Layout & orientation | horizontal triband | horizontal canton |
| Band / color sequence | light blue · white · light blue | white · blue · white · blue · white · blue · white · blue · white |
| Official color specs | Celeste (Sky Blue) (Pantone 284 C); Blanco (White) (statute-named); Amarillo Oro (Golden Sun) (Pantone 1235 C) | Blanco (White) (statute-named); Azul (Blue) (Pantone 286 C); Oro (Gold) (Pantone 123 C) |
| Official adoption | 1812-02-27 | 1830-07-11 |
| Region | South America | South America |
| Visual similarity score | 46/100 (Layout 13/35 · Colors 12.5/25 · Symbols 12/20 · Ratio 8.3/10 · Geometry 0/10) | |
Why these two flags look alike
Both flags feature the radiant golden Sun of May (Sol de Mayo) on a palette of white and blue. Argentina's flag is an equal horizontal triband (celeste, white, celeste) with the 32-ray sun centered in the white band. Uruguay's flag has nine alternating white and blue stripes with the 16-ray sun positioned inside a square white canton in the upper hoist.
Argentina uses a pale celestial sky blue (celeste, Pantone 284 C). Uruguay uses a deeper royal blue (Pantone 286 C). Look at the stripes and sun location: Argentina has only 3 broad stripes with the sun in the exact center; Uruguay has 9 narrow stripes with the sun in the upper-left corner canton.
Both flags celebrate the May Revolution of 1810 in Buenos Aires that launched the independence movement in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. Argentina created its flag in 1812, while Uruguay established its flag in 1828–1830 following its independence from Brazil and Argentina.
Explore each flag in detail
Read the complete statutory specification, color table, and historical timeline on the Flag of Argentina page or the Flag of Uruguay page, or return to all flag comparisons.
Sources
- Decreto 10302/1944: Símbolos Patrios — Boletín Oficial
- Ley de 11 de julio de 1830 — Registro Cívico