Blue, yellow, red and white colours come together to form the Aruban flag, which was officially raised for the first time on March 18, 1976. Each colour has its own meaning. Blue is the main colour of the flag and represents the vast sea surrounding the island, while the yellow in the two stripes refers to its past (gold) and present (oil and aloe) resources. The red in the shining star supposedly reflects the love Arubans have for their country and, of all things, the wood industry. The tiny white boundary around the red star represents the 'purity of all souls' of Arubans and its countless white beaches. The red star and the two yellow lines reflect the four points of the compass and its universal attraction to visitors from around the globe. The lines stand for the free and independent position Aruba enjoys within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In short, a philosophically minded Aruban had a lot of time on his hands in 1976.