Country
The national flag of Mexico is a vertical tricolour of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War of Independence, and subsequent First Mexican Empire.
The coat of arms of Mexico is a national symbol of Mexico and depicts a Mexican (golden) eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus devouring a rattlesnake. The design is rooted in the legend that the Aztec people would know where to build their city once they saw an eagle eating a snake on top of a lake. The image has been an important symbol of Mexican politics and culture for centuries. To the people of Tenochtitlan, this symbol had strong religious connotations, and to the Europeans, it came to symbolize the triumph of good over evil.
Explore the coats of arms and flags of all 32 Mexican federal entities. Mexican state heraldry is among the most colorful and diverse in the Americas, blending pre-Columbian symbolism with colonial and republican traditions.
Mexico's heraldic symbols draw from Aztec, Maya, and other indigenous civilizations, combined with Spanish colonial influences. The eagle devouring a serpent on the national coat of arms is one of the most iconic heraldic images in the world. Each state's escudo tells the story of its unique cultural heritage.
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