Chile Flag

Chile's flag has two horizontal halves — white (top) and red (bottom) — with a blue canton in the upper hoist containing a white five-pointed star. The star is known as La Estrella Solitaria (The Lone Star), representing honour and progress.

The colours represent: white — the snow of the Andes; blue — the sky and the Pacific; red — the blood of patriots. The proportions are 2:3.

Chile declared independence from Spain in 1818. The flag was designed by Spanish-born Royalist officer Gregorio de Andía y Varela (who then joined the independence cause) and was formalised that same year.

The design draws on Mapuche cultural symbols — the blue and white echoing the flag of the Araucanía region. The current design has remained essentially unchanged since 1817, making it one of the most enduring flags in the Americas.