With hundreds of flags around the world, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that a few of them are somewhat similar to one another. But some flags are just uncanny in their resemblance. Why do the Texan and Chilean flags look so similar to one another? Well, we’ll answer that exact question right here, right now.
The Similarities Between the Two
There’s no denying that these two flags look very similar. Even Texans and Chileans can sometimes get them confused, as both flags include a long star with a blue background on the left side of the design and red or white bands on the right. Heck, the two flags even have the same aspect ratio of 3:2, meaning they are the same size as well.
The only actual difference between them is the blue leftmost section that serves as the background for the white star. The Texas flag has a blue band that stretches from the top of the flag to the bottom, with the white star in the middle of it. The Chile flag has a blue square only in the top left corner, with the star centered there.
Other than that, the shades of blue and red are a little different between the two flags. So, why do these two flags look so similar?
The Flag Similarity is a Coincidence
This might sound impossible: the two flags are so similar, how could that resemblance possibly be a coincidence? Well, the truth is, there are only so many good flag designs, and there are many symbols that the whole of the human race attributes meaning to. Colored stripes are very common design elements and there are only so many colors to use.
Many flags use stars, and many flags use blue and red too. These flags look very similar, but the symbolic meaning behind them is totally different despite their similar elements. For instance, the white star: on the Chilean flag, it symbolizes progress, honor, and the government’s power, as well as the snow of the Andes.
But on the Texas flag, this star symbolizes the unity of God, Country, and State, with the five points denoting the ideal traits of the Texas citizen: loyalty, fortitude, prudence, righteousness, and broad-mindedness. As you can see, the meanings are totally different. The colors also have completely different meanings.
The white, blue, and red of the Chilean flag symbolize the snow of the Andes, the Pacific ocean and sky, and the blood shed by the nation’s heroes, respectively. These same colors on the Texas flag symbolize purity, loyalty, and bravery. Their symbolic meaning is completely different.
All of this is to say that neither flag inspired the other. The Chilean flag was designed first, but the Texas flag didn’t copy its elements intentionally. It’s just that stars, colored bands, and simple primary colors like blue and red are very often used in flag design. Believe it or not, similarity between flags around the world is very common!
