Adopted in 1817, the Chilean flag is divided in half horizontally to make up two rectangles of equal proportion. The red stripe is on the top and the white is on the bottom. In the blue canton of the flag is a five-pointed white star floating in the center. The star, whose diameter is half the size of the canton, is a symbol of progress. White represents the snow of the Andes Mountains and red symbolizes Chilean blood spilled in its fight for independence. |
