Flag of Aruba
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Aruba's national flag () was adopted on March 18, 1976. The design consists of a field of light blue (called "Larkspur"), two narrow parallel horizontal yellow ("Bunting Yellow") stripes in the bottom half, and a four-pointed white-fimbriated red ("Union Flag red") star in the canton.
Description
The design elements have multiple symbolic meanings:
- The blue field represents the sky, the sea, peace, hope, Aruba's future and its ties to the past.
- The two narrow stripes "suggest the movement toward status aparte".The other "industry, all the minerals (gold and phosphates in the past, petroleum in the early 20th century)". [1] In addition to sun, gold, and abundance, the yellow is also said to represent wanglo flowers.
- The star has particularly complex symbolism.
- It is vexillologically unusual in having four points, representing the four cardinal directions. These refer in turn to the many countries of origin of the people of Aruba.
- The star also represents the island itself: a land of often red soil bordered by white beaches in a blue sea.
- The red colour also represents blood shed by Arubans, the Indian inhabitants, during the French pass war; patriotic love.
- The white also represents purity, honesty and the white beaches of Aruba.
March 18 is a public holiday in Aruba, known as Flag Day and it is celebrated through carnivals and fairs.
Governor's standard
There is also a standard for use by the Governor of Aruba in his capacity as representative of the Monarch of the Netherlands. It consists of a white field, with the flag of the Netherlands striped across both the top and the bottom, and a circular version of the flag of Aruba in the centre.
See also
External links
- Aruban Flag on government website www.aruba.com
- Aruba at Flags of the World