The yellow, blue and red colors were made official when Gran Columbia was established. The current Comlumbian flag uses the same colors. Yellow represents the rich mineral resources and the sun, blue, the sky, sea, and the Amazon River, and red, blood shed for indepedence. In 1845, five years after separating from Gran Columbia, the emblem in the center was added. The condor bird from the Andes, mountain Chimborazo, the sun, and the Amazon River are depicted in the emblem.