Aruba

The flag of Aruba, an autonomous region within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consists of a field of light blue, two narrow parallel horizontal yellow stripes in the bottom half, and a four-pointed white-fimbriated red star in the canton.
March 18 is a public holiday in Aruba, known as Flag Day (it coincides with the day when in 1948 Aruba was granted the right to autonomous status in the Kingdom of the Netherlands).
==Symbolism==
* The blue field represents the sky, the Caribbean sea, peace, hope, Aruba's future and its ties to the past.
* One narrow stripe represents "the flow of tourists to sun-drenched Aruba, enriching the island as well as vacationers", the other one "industry, all the minerals (gold and phosphates in the past, petroleum in the early 20th century)". In addition to sun, gold, and abundance, the yellow is also said to represent wanglo flowers.
* The four points of the star represent the four cardinal directions. These refer in turn to the many countries of origin of the people of Aruba. They also represent the four main languages of Aruba: Papiamento, Spanish, English, and Dutch. The star also represents the island itself: a land of often red soil bordered by white beaches in a blue sea. The red also represents blood shed by Arubans during war, past Indian inhabitants, patriotic love, and Brazil wood. The white also represents purity and honesty.Arubaplaza.com: The flag of Aruba
==Other flags of Aruba==
File:Aruba (Governor).svg|Governor's flag
==History==
There was a Spanish colony on the island since 1499, and in 1636, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch. In 1954 Aruba became a part of a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles.
In March 1978 took place a contest for Aruba's distinct flag design. The final result is a combination of several leading proposals.
In 1986 Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, under the Dutch crown.
==References==
Category:Netherlands
Category:North America
Category:Caribbean
Category:Blue background
Category:Four-pointed stars
Category:Yellow
Category:Red
Category:White
Category:Stripes