The red color stands for the bloodshed in the independence struggle. The white bands describe the purity and strength of the fight for the independence of Cuba. The blue bands refer to the three old divisions of the island: central, occidental, and oriental. A red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center. The National Flag of Cuba features three equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with two white bands. The flag’s overall design is modeled after the flag of the United States of America and was designed in 1849 by Miguel Teurbe Tolón and Narciso López. The National Flag of Cuba was officially adopted on May 20, 1902.
