Flag of Venezuela

What the flag looks like

Three equal horizontal bands of yellow, blue and red, with an arc of eight white five-pointed stars in the center of the blue band; the state flag adds the coat of arms at the upper hoist.

What it means

Yellow is commonly said to represent the land's wealth, blue the sea and red the blood of the independence struggle; seven stars honor the provinces that declared independence in 1811 and the eighth the province of Guayana.

How to remember it

Venezuela has three equal stripes and an arc of eight white stars in the blue; Colombia and Ecuador have a double-height yellow band and no stars.

Fun facts

• The eighth star was added in 2006, based on an 1817 decree by Simón Bolívar adding the province of Guayana.
• Angel Falls in Venezuela is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, at about 979 m.

Venezuela at a glance

Capital

Caracas

Region

South America

Population

28 million

Area

916,445 km²

Languages

Spanish

Currency

Venezuelan bolívar (Bs.)

Flag adopted

2006

Flags often confused with Venezuela

• Colombia: Colombia and Venezuela are both yellow, blue and red stripes. Colombia's yellow takes up half the flag and it has no stars; Venezuela's stripes are equal with an arc of white stars.
• Ecuador: Ecuador and Venezuela are both yellow, blue and red. Ecuador's yellow band fills the top half and it has a coat of arms with a condor; Venezuela's bands are equal, with an arc of white stars on the blue.