Adopted in 1831. The Tunisian flag is red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star. It resembles the Ottoman flag (red banner with white crescent and star) and recalls Tunisia's history as part of the Ottoman Empire. Red represents the blood shed by martyrs in the struggle against oppression, white stands for peace; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam. (ref: CIA World Factbook)