The national flag of Belize was adopted on September 21, 1981 upon independence from the United Kingdom. The flag is a continuation of the earlier flag of the British Honduras (as Belize was previously known), which was established in 1950 when the British Honduras began on the path to independence. The two red stripes at the top and bottom were added to the original design upon independence. The center of the flag has the coat of arms of Belize.