Flag of New Mexico

Facts about the Flag of New Mexico

1. The Zia sun symbol on gold is regularly ranked the best state flag in the country in design surveys, largely because it has no lettering, no seal and only two colours.
2. The red and gold are the colours of the Spanish crown under which the territory was first claimed.
3. The symbol is sacred to the Zia Pueblo, whose position on its use by the state has been raised repeatedly since the flag was adopted in 1925.
4. The flag of New Mexico was officially adopted on March 19, 1925. It was designed by Harry Mera.
5. The flag in its present form is 101 years old as of 2026.
6. Design type: Yellow field with a red Zia sun symbol.
7. The official proportions are 2:3. It shares that ratio with 83 national flags.
8. The flag uses 2 colours: yellow and red.
9. The yellow on the flag stands for the Spanish heritage and the colours of Isabella of Castile.
10. The red on the flag stands for the Zia symbol and the Spanish heritage.
11. Zia sun symbol: A sacred emblem of the Zia Pueblo — four groups of four rays for the four directions, four seasons, four times of day and four stages of life.
12. Design: Widely rated the best-designed US state flag for its simplicity.
13. The design belongs to the "Plain field with a central emblem" family, shared with 70 other flags in this reference.
14. Flags most often confused with it: Aruba, China and Idaho.
15. New Mexico joined the Union on 6 January 1912, as the 47th state.
16. The state is nicknamed The Land of Enchantment.
17. The state bird is the greater roadrunner.
18. The state flower is the yucca flower.