Liberia's national flag has 11 horizontal stripes.
The stripes alternate red and white, with red at both the top and bottom. In the upper hoist corner, a blue square carries a single white five-pointed star, giving the flag its familiar resemblance to the United States flag.
The eleven stripes symbolize the eleven signatories of Liberia's Declaration of Independence. The flag was adopted on 24 August 1847, shortly after Liberia declared independence on 26 July. Its American-inspired design reflects Liberia's establishment by free Black settlers and formerly enslaved people from the United States and the Caribbean.
A common mistake is to count only the visible red stripes or to confuse Liberia's flag with the United States flag, which has 13 stripes. Liberia's design has 11 stripes and one star, while the U.S. flag has 13 stripes and 50 stars.