The country flag of Argentina is designed with three evenly wide horizontal stripes with a white stripe between blue stripes. It was first raised on the twelfth of February, 1812. The design concept of the flag was made by Manuel Belgrano , a military leader, lawyer and politician who was an influential leader behind the Argentine Wars of Independence.
There are several understandings on what the flag of Argentina means. A common interpretation is in relation to the beginning of declaration of independence in Buenos Aires wherein the colors represent blue as the sky and white as the clouds. Another interpretation is that the color white symbolizes silver, from a Latin word “Argentum”, where the country’s name was originated and the color blue that symbolizes the world’s widest river, Rio de la Plata, which can be seen in Argentina. Because of this, many first explorers thought that large quantity of silver can be discovered along this wide river that is also why the name means River of Silver.
At the middle of the national flag is an emblem of a golden sun with a face, famously called the Sun of May. Its design is similar to the earliest coin of Argentina which was equivalent to the value of one Spanish dollar in 1813. The golden sun has a total of thirty two rays, half are straight and half are undulated, which are alternately placed.
It is believed that the sun is a replica of Inti, the ancient Incan god of the sun which is the god of civilization for ancient dwellers and tribesmen.