The national flag of Singapore was first aopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It became the national flag upon the Republic's full independence on 9 August 1965. The design is a horizontal bicolour of red above white, charged in the canton by a white crescent moon facing, toward the fly, a pentagon of five small white five-pointed stars. The elements of the flag denote a young nation on the ascendant, universal brotherhood and equality, and various national ideals.