Flag of Aruba

Flag of Aruba

File:Flag of the Governor of Aruba.svg

Governor's standard

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

• Coat of arms of Aruba

External links

• Aruban Flag on government website www.aruba.com
• Aruba at Flags of the World