Colors and the Meaning of the Chile Flag
The Chilean flag is the national flag of Chile and was adopted on 18 October 1817.
The blue color represents the sky, the white, the Andes’ snow, and the red, the hero’s courage and blood. The white star symbolizes honor and progress, while, according to another interpretation, a symbol of; Chile is not a federally organized state, but a centralized state.
History of the Chile Flag
The people of Chile resisted the Spanish forces for about 300 years between 1540-1818. The Jose de San Martin government decided to form an independent national flag for Chile during the years of resistance. With this in mind, the first flag of Chile emerged. This flag consisted of three horizontal bands of blue, white and yellow, respectively, from top to bottom. It was first launched on 4 July 1812 at the US Independence Day celebrations held at the American Embassy in Chile.
Victory Against the Spanish
On May 26, 1817, Bernardo O’Higgins and Jose de San Martin won victory over the Spanish occupation forces in the Temuco region of northern Chile. A second national flag is created for Chile after victory. This new flag is called “Liberation”. The yellow color in the flag is replaced by a red color that symbolizes the blood of the insurgents. The white color symbolizes the snow on the Andes and symbolizes the Pacific Ocean in blue. This flag was designed by Juan Gregorio de Las Heras.
The New Salvation Flag was very similar to the French flag, which caused the confusion of the two countries. Therefore, after a short period of five months on October 18, 1817, the flag is replaced by adding a star. This flag consists of two horizontal bands of equal thickness in red and white. On the left side of the white strip is a blue square and within this square is a white five-pointed star. This starlight and luminous path represent the blue sky and the Great Ocean. The white color symbolizes the snow in the Andes, the red color, the blood spilled for the sake of independence.
Independence of Chile
In the resistance of Chile in 1818, the Liberating Process was led by Bernardo O’Higgins. In 1826, the Spanish forces withdrew completely from Chile. The government of Chile has called for the first national anthem to be written and nourished. On 20 August 1820 the lyrics and composition of the first anthem is determined. The poet of this first anthem is Bernardo de Vera y Pintado and the composer is Manuel Robles.
Between 1879 and 1883, Chile began war with its neighbors, Peru and Bolivia. As a result of these wars, it moved north and added the area of Atakama to its territory and increased its surface area by one third. Bolivia’s big ocean cut its way and accelerated its development and progress. In 1973, General Augusto Pinochet made a revolution and declared a military rule under his dictatorship.
In 1989, Chile regained a democratic regime and Patricio Aylwin was elected president. Although the Chilean people have undergone many ups and downs, the last national flag has never changed.
Neighboring Countries of Chile
Chile is a country in South America. Chile has three neighbors. In the west of Argentina, Chile is a South American country between the Andes and the Pacific, neighboring Peru in the north, Bolivia in the northeast and Argentina in the east.
Main Characteristics of Chile
Chile is an American country where you can enjoy nature sports, visit historical places, participate in festivals and enjoy a lot of activities. The world-famous Moai stone figures are located within the borders of the country. The capital and largest city of the country is Santiago, where a large part of the population lives. The official language is Spanish. Chile pesos is used as currency.
Climate varies by region. There is an arid climate in Northern Chile, and the Atacama Desert is almost never raining. Southern Chile is one of the most rainfall areas in the world.
It consists of Spanish cuisine and food of the communities that lived in Chile. Seafood is consumed a lot. There are restaurants serving international cuisine in the capital. The wines produced in the country are world famous.
| Country | Chile |
| Code | CL (CHL) |
| Calling code | 56 |
| Capital city | Santiago |
| Currency | chilean peso (CLP) |
| Emoji symbol | 🇨🇱 |
| Highest point | Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) |
| Internet TLD | .cl |
| Population(2017) | 18,054,726 |
| Total area | 756,096 km2 |