Chile’s national flag, known as the Estrella Solitaria or Lone Star, has a red lower half and an upper half divided between a blue canton with a white five-pointed star and a white field. The current design dates from 1817.
What does the Chilean flag look like?
The lower half is red. The upper half is white except for a blue square at the hoist containing one white five-pointed star.
Who designed the flag?
Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the flag was conceived by José Ignacio Zenteno, Bernardo O’Higgins’s war minister. It was most probably designed by Spanish-born military officer Antonio Arcos, although some historians attribute the design to Gregorio de Andía y Varela.
History of the Lone Star
The current flag was legalised by decree on October 18, 1817 and used publicly at the proclamation of independence on February 12, 1818. The proportions of its colors were fixed in 1854, and the size and diameter of the star were standardised in 1912.
What do the colors mean?
Chile’s government presents several traditional interpretations rather than one exclusive official definition. Common explanations associate blue with the sky and Pacific Ocean, white with the snow-covered Andes and red with blood shed during the struggle for independence.
Chile flag facts
- Nickname: Estrella Solitaria (Lone Star)
- Colors: blue, white and red
- Legalised: October 18, 1817
- First public independence use: February 12, 1818
Source
Primary reference: Chile Ministry of Foreign Affairs — National Emblems.
