North America ยท AW / ABW
Flag of Aruba
The Aruba flag is a light blue field with a white-edged red four-pointed star in the upper hoist corner and two narrow yellow stripes across the lower part. It was adopted on 18 March 1976, together with the anthem, and was partly designed by the vexillologist Whitney Smith.
What the flag of Aruba looks like
The flag of Aruba has a plain light blue background. In the upper left corner, near the pole, is a red four-pointed star with a white border. Two narrow horizontal yellow stripes run across the lower part of the flag, with a broad blue border beneath them. The proportions are 2:3.
The four-pointed star looks like a compass rose with its points aimed in four directions. Aruba is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but it has its own flag, separate from the Dutch tricolor. You can find the flag on the Aruba flag emoji ๐ฆ๐ผ.
Aruba flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#418FDERGB
65, 143, 222CMYK
71, 36, 0, 13HEX
#FFD100RGB
255, 209, 0CMYK
0, 18, 100, 0Aruba flag meaning and symbolism
The flag's elements are commonly explained as follows:
- Light blue stands for the sea that surrounds the island.
- Yellow signifies abundance and solidarity. The stripes stand for prosperity from gold mining and aloe in the past and from tourism today, and for the island's yellow flowers. They also symbolize Aruba's distinct status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- The red star represents the island itself. Its four points stand for the four points of the compass and the diverse origins of the Aruban people. Red also symbolizes love and honors the indigenous Arubans who died at Frenchman's Pass.
- The white border around the star stands for peace, the island's beaches and the purity of the hearts of the Aruban people.
Sources describe these meanings in slightly different ways.
History of the Aruba flag
Spanish explorers reached Aruba around 1499, and the Dutch took the island in 1636. For much of the 20th century it belonged to the Netherlands Antilles, a group of Dutch Caribbean islands governed together. During the 1970s many Arubans, led by the politician Betico Croes, called for a separate status for their island.
In January 1976 a committee was formed to choose a flag for Aruba. Of 693 design entries, 157 were considered and three proposals were selected; one was hard to manufacture, so Whitney Smith made a new proposal, which the committee worked into the flag that was adopted. The flag and the anthem "Aruba Dushi Tera" were adopted on 18 March 1976, and the date is celebrated as National Anthem and Flag Day. Aruba left the Netherlands Antilles on 1 January 1986 and became a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Full independence had been planned for 1996, but the plan was dropped in 1990. The flag has not changed since 1976.
Aruba flag facts
| Country | Aruba |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | March 18, 1976 |
| Proportions | 2:3 |
| Colors | #418FDE, #FFD100 |
| Symbols | four-pointed star |
| Flag emoji | ๐ฆ๐ผ |
| Country code | AW, ABW (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Oranjestad |
| Continent | North America |
| Population | 106,739 |
| Area | 179 kmยฒ |
| Currency | Aruban florin |
| National anthem | Aruba Dushi Tera |
Aruba flag: frequently asked questions
What does the Aruban flag symbolize?
The blue is the sea, the yellow stripes abundance, solidarity and the island's past and present prosperity, the red star the island and the four points of the compass, and the white edge peace and the beaches.
Is Aruba a country or a state?
Aruba is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It manages its own internal affairs, while defense and foreign affairs are handled by the kingdom.
What country does Aruba belong to?
Aruba belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but it is not part of the Netherlands proper. It has had a separate status since 1986.
What does Aruba mean?
The origin of the name is uncertain. One common explanation is that it comes from a word in a native language meaning "red gold", and others link it to the Spanish phrase for "there was gold".
What flag is ๐ฆ๐ผ?
๐ฆ๐ผ is the flag of Aruba: light blue with a red four-pointed star in the upper corner and two narrow yellow stripes below. On Windows it usually appears as the letters AW rather than a flag.
When was the Aruba flag adopted and who designed it?
It was adopted on 18 March 1976, together with the anthem, and the date is celebrated as National Anthem and Flag Day. The committee considered 157 of 693 entries, and the vexillologist Whitney Smith made the proposal it worked into the final design.
What was Aruba's flag before 1976?
Aruba used the territorial flag of the Netherlands Antilles, which it was part of. It left the Netherlands Antilles on 1 January 1986 and became a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but the Aruba flag has not changed since 1976.
