The national flag of Malaysia was adopted on September 16, 1963. It is an interesting combination of a flag inspired by that of the United States which also has the crescent and star, a traditional symbol of Islam. Malaysia's flag is similar to that of the United States in that it has a blue field, along with stars and stripes. On the Malaysian flag, there are 14 stripes that stand for the fourteen states of Malaysia, likewise the star has fourteen points for the same reason. The blue field symbolizes the unity of the Malaysian people, and the yellow seen on the crescent and star is the color of the royal family.