Republic of Chile, 1817

The flag of Chile consists of two equal horizontal bands of white and red, with a blue square the same height as the white band in the canton, bearing a white five-pointed star in the centre. The star may represent a guide to progress and honour while other interpretations refer to its reference to an independent state; blue symbolises the sky and the Pacific Ocean, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the blood spilled to achieve independence.The flag was adopted on 18 October 1817. Easter Island was annexed by Chile on 9 September 1888.