Movement initiated by the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (154563) to counter the spread of the Reformation. Extending into the 17th century, its dominant forces included the rise of the Jesuits as an educating and missionary group and the deployment of the Spanish Inquisition in Europe and the Americas. See also Germany: history 15191815, impact of the Counter-Reformation.
The stars stand for the two islands. Red recalls the struggle for independence. Yellow is said to represent the country's cocoa plantations. Effective date: 12 July 1975.