Flag of Cape Verde and red represents the road toward the construction of the nation, and the colours stand for peace (white) and effort (red). The yellow colour, circular formation of the stars, and dark blue field show similarity to the flag of Europe (which has 12 stars instead of 10, and was originally designed for the Council of Europe, but is also used by the European Union). The stripes are in 6:1:1:1:3 ratio, and the circle of stars is centred along the fly. The Constitution of the Republic does not specify what the official proportions for the height and the width of the
Flag strictly enforced. A national flag flown at sea is known as an ensign. A courteous, peaceable merchant ship or yacht customarily flies its ensign (in the usual ensign position), together with the flag of whatever nation it is currently visiting at the mast (known as a courtesy flag). To fly one's ensign alone in foreign waters, a foreign port or in the face of a foreign warship traditionally indicates a willingness to fight, with cannon, for the right to do so. As of 2009, this custom is still taken seriously by many naval and port authorities and is readily enforced