Vessels sailing under the Costa Rica country flag are required to have on board this flag as part of flag state requirements that derive from maritime regulations in the International Code of Signals and the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. These codes are published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as an ongoing effort to reinforce maritime safety procedures and communications to the international maritime community. Fleet management companies and ship owners are responsible to ensure that each vessel in their respective fleets have the appropriate flag signage onboard to be in compliance. This flag is used to identify the flag state a vessel is sailing under and to communicate with other vessels under the provisions of the International Code of Signals.

The flag of Costa RIca is based on a design that was made in 1848. The flag features five horizontal stripes. The top and bottom stripe are blue. There are white stripes just above and just below the blue stripes. In the middle there is a large red stripe. When Costa Rica gained their independence from Spain in 1848 they decided that they would need a flag to represent their new nation. The designer of the Costa Rican flag Pacifican Fernandez was inspired by the French revolution and thus looked at the French Flag. She decided to emulate the red, white, and blue tricolor of France. The colors all represent Costa Rican values. The blue is meant to represent idealism and opportunities. The white color represents peace and happiness. The red is meant to honor the martyrs of the country, who fought so hard for Costa Rican independence, but it also represents warmth and generosity.

Having trouble finding a flag are looking for? E-mail our team at sales@amnautical.com for information on our flag collection!