The flag was officialized in 1949, basing its blue, white, blue design on the flag of Federal Republic of Central America. Originally, it was decided under the government decree of 1866 that "the design will add five blue stars to that of the former Federal Republic of Central Amercia", but in 1949, the blue was changed to the trico-blue. The five stars represent the five nations in the former Federal Republic of Central America, blue, the sky and Caribbean Sea, and white, the national land and peace.