The current flag of the United States has 50 stars, with one star for each state.
The stars are arranged in nine horizontal rows on the blue canton. The design became official on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state in 1959. Alaska had joined the Union as the forty-ninth state the previous year.
The flag’s thirteen alternating red and white stripes represent the original thirteen colonies. The stars represent the states, so the star count has changed as new states entered the Union. Earlier versions included 48 stars, 49 stars, and 50 stars.
The flag is commonly called the Stars and Stripes or the Star-Spangled Banner. The phrase “Star-Spangled Banner” can also refer specifically to the historic flag associated with Fort McHenry and to the United States national anthem, so those uses should not be confused with the current national flag.