Chile flag is one of the main national symbols of the Chilean unitary republic for international representation.
Also known as La Estrella Solitaria, the Chilean flag is formed by two horizontal bands of the same size: the upper one (White) and the lower one (red).
In the upper left corner, within the white strip, there is still a blue square, with one White Star five-pointed (pentagram) in the center.
The official proportion of the Chilean flag is 2:3.
Officially, the national flag of Chile - as it is known today - was instituted on October 18, 1817.
The Chilean flag is one of the oldest in the world that is still in use. According to some historians, the idea for its creation came from José Ignacio Zenteno, Minister of War during the struggle for Chile's independence from Spanish rule.
However, it was only with the Supreme Decree nº 1534, of 1967, that all the official characteristics of the flag were defined, such as the dimension, proportion of the star, color tone and so on.
Many people confuse the Chilean flag with the Texas flag, which belongs to the United States.
The main difference is that the Texas flag has a blue column that covers the top and bottom left of the flag, with a centered white star.
The blue space of the Chilean flag, however, is limited to the upper left corner, in a square shape.
Meaning of Chilean Flag Colors
Popularly, the colors of the Chilean flag – white, red and blue – symbolize the following meanings:
- White: represents the snow of the Andes Mountains, one of the main landmarks of the country;
- Red: represents the blood of Chilean heroes who died during the struggles for Chilean independence;
- Blue: represents the beautiful sky and the Pacific Ocean that surrounds the country;
- White Star: represents the unitary republic character that constitutes the Chilean political system.
Discover the meaning of the others country flags.
