VENEZUELA

The flag of Venezuela dates from 1811, the beginning of that nation's struggle for independence. The basic design, inspired by Francisco de Miranda, includes a horizontal tricolor of yellow, blue, and red. Further modifications have involved including a set of stars, multiple changes to the placement and number of stars and inclusion of an optional coat of arms at the upper-left corner. This format has remained largely unchanged since 1811, but underwent several modifications as regards the stars and the Coat of Arms. Currently, the flag of Venezuela has 8 stars.