🇧🇪

Flag of Belgium

Europe

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Quick Facts

Capital
Brussels
Flag adopted
1831
Population
11,825,551
Area
30,528 km²
Languages
German, French, Dutch
Currency
euro (€) — EUR
Demonym
Belgian
Government
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Subregion
Western Europe
Driving side
Right
Timezones
UTC+01:00
Independence
1830

Religions

  • Roman Catholic 57.1%
  • None 20.2%
  • Atheist 9.1%
  • Muslim 6.8%
  • Protestant 5.1%
  • Other 1.7%

About This Flag

The flag of Belgium consists of three equal vertical bands of black on the hoist side, yellow in the center, and red on the fly side. The colors are derived from the coat of arms of the Duchy of Brabant — a golden lion with red claws and tongue on a black field — which was used as a rallying symbol during the 1830 Belgian Revolution against Dutch rule.

The flag was adopted on January 23, 1831, shortly after Belgium declared independence. Although the constitution specifies the colors as red, yellow, and black (in that order), the flag is traditionally displayed with black at the hoist.

The vertical stripe layout was inspired by the French tricolor.

What the colors & design mean

Black, yellow, and red are derived from the heraldic colors of the Duchy of Brabant. Black represents the shield, yellow represents the golden lion, and red represents the lion's claws and tongue. Together they symbolize Belgian independence and national unity.

black yellow red

Pattern: Vertical Stripes

Bordering countries (4)

🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇳🇱 Netherlands

Fun Facts

  • Belgium's flag colors are officially listed in the constitution as red, yellow, and black — the reverse of how they actually appear on the flag, an anomaly that has never been formally corrected.
  • The vertical stripe design was directly inspired by the French tricolor, reflecting France's influence on the 1830 Belgian Revolution.
  • Belgium is divided into three linguistic communities — Dutch-speaking Flanders, French-speaking Wallonia, and a small German-speaking community — making the unifying national flag especially significant.
  • The Duchy of Brabant's lion coat of arms, which inspired the flag's colors, dates back to the 12th century and remains one of the most recognizable heraldic symbols in the Low Countries.

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