The current United States flag has 50 stars.
The stars represent the 50 states of the Union, while the 13 stripes represent the original Thirteen Colonies. The present 50-star design took effect on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959.
The flag has changed many times as new states joined the United States. The most recent change added two stars, producing the 50-star arrangement used today. The stars are arranged in nine rows that alternate between five and six stars.
A frequent confusion concerns the number of stripes. The flag has never had one stripe for every current state; its 13 stripes preserve the number of original colonies. The 50 stars, rather than the stripes, show the current number of states.