Flag of Netherlands

Facts about the Flag of Netherlands

1. The original Prinsenvlag of the 1570s was orange, white and blue. Orange gradually gave way to red during the seventeenth century, probably because the dye faded and red was more stable.
2. A royal decree of 1937 formally settled the question in favour of red, ending centuries of ambiguity.
3. An orange pennant is flown above the flag on royal birthdays, which is the surviving trace of the original colour.
4. This is generally regarded as the oldest tricolour still in national use, and the model for most tricolour flags worldwide.
5. The flag of Netherlands was officially adopted on February 19, 1937.
6. The design is older than its adoption. It was already in use in 1572, 365 years before it was formally made the flag of Netherlands.
7. The flag in its present form is 89 years old as of 2026.
8. Design type: Horizontal tricolour.
9. The flag is known as De Driekleur, a name used far more often than the formal "flag of Netherlands".
10. The official proportions are 2:3. It shares that ratio with 82 national flags.
11. The flag uses 3 colours: red, white and blue.
12. The red on the flag stands for originally orange, for William of Orange.
13. The white on the flag stands for the middle band.
14. The blue on the flag stands for the lower band.
15. Prinsenvlag: The original flag was orange, white and blue; the orange faded and was replaced by red, formally fixed in 1937.
16. Oldest tricolour: Generally regarded as the oldest tricolour still in national use.
17. The design belongs to the "Horizontal tricolour" family, shared with 32 other flags in this reference.
18. Flags most often confused with it: Armenia, Austria and Azerbaijan.