The flag of Cuba features five horizontal stripes of equal size, starting from the top: blue, white, and red, followed by another blue and white stripe. A white star surrounded by a red background is on the left side.
During its colonial era, Cuba divided into three departments, represented by the blue stripes on the flag. The white stripe symbolizes the purity of the nation’s intentions. The red stripes represent the blood that was shed in Cuba’s struggle for independence from Spain.
The white star represents the unity of the Cuban people. Narciso López designed Cuba’s flag, first raised in 1850, symbolizing the country’s fight for independence from Venezuela. On May 20, 1902, they adopted the current design. Cuba gained independence from the United States at that time.