Wygląd i geograficzna symbolika herbów współczesnych państw Ameryki Południowej

Abstract

The coats of arms of the countries of South America contain elements harking back to both the history and geography of particular countries. The coats of arms of many countries of this region contain references to land forms (e.g. Chimborazo), vegetation and the animal world. The coats of arms of as many as four states (Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile and Columbia) are crowned with the silhouette of the condor, which, for states from the region of the Andes Mountains, has been the embodiment of freedom and national force since the times of Spanish colonisation. The coats of arms of Bolivia and Peru emphasise the role of llamas and related animals in the lives and economies of the Indigenous people. Horns of plenty symbolise mineral resources in the coats of arms of Columbia, Peru and Venezuela. While a sheaf of wheat underscores the importance of agriculture in the economies of Bolivia and Venezuela, coffee and tobacco branches in the coats of arms of Brazil symbolise the huge importance of these crops as exports.