The green, white, and red vertically divided design has not changed since independence in 1821, but the national emblem in the center has been revised each time the administration changed. The current design was established in 1968. In the national emblem, the "eagle" which represents the "power of the sun" in ancient Mexico and the "snake" which represents the "power of the land" are depicted, and together, they express the integration of the power of sun and land. Also depicted is the three colored ribbon which symbolizes the unification of mother land.