Adopted in 1992; The flag of Cape Verde has five unequal horizontal bands; the top-most band of blue is equal to one half the width of the flag, followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars is centered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side; blue stands for the sea and the sky, the circle of stars represents the 10 major islands united into a nation, the stripes symbolize the road to formation of the country through peace (white) and effort (red). (ref: CIA World Factbook). Embassy Flag note: Cape Verde severed links with Guinea Bissau in 1992. The two former European colonies received independence from Portugal in 1974 (Cape Verde) and 1975 Guinea-Bissau).