Flag of Indiana

What the flag looks like

A blue field with a gold torch giving off rays, surrounded by an outer ring of 13 gold stars and an inner arc of five, with a larger 19th star above the torch beneath the word INDIANA.

What it means

The torch stands for liberty and enlightenment; the outer 13 stars are the original states, the inner five the next states admitted, and the big star Indiana, the 19th.

How to remember it

Indiana is a gold torch in a ring of stars on blue, with one big star labelled INDIANA for the 19th state.

Fun facts

• Paul Hadley designed it for a contest held during the state's centennial in 1916.
• The rays from the torch are meant to show Indiana's far-reaching influence.

Indiana at a glance

Nickname

The Hoosier State

Statehood

1816

Capital

Indianapolis

Region

East North Central

Population

6.8 million

Area

94,326 km²

Flag adopted

1917