Belgium Flag Colors, Meaning & History

Belgium flag
Color Palette
ColorsHEX CodeRGBCMYK
Black#0000000, 0, 00, 0, 0, 100
Yellow#FAE042250, 224, 660, 10, 74, 2
Red#ED2939237, 41, 570, 83, 76, 7

The flag of Belgium is made of three colors that are arranged in equal and vertical stripes. The colors are black to the left, yellow in the middle, and red to the right.

Meaning of the flag

The design of the flag is inspired by the French flag. The Belgian flag’s yellow, red, and black colors are taken from the ancient Brabant region coat of arms, which had a black background, and  a golden lion with red claws. The flag represents the pride of the Belgians in the history of their country. It also represents the several regions that constitute Belgium.

History of the flag

The colors of the Belgian flag originate from the Duchy of Brabant coat of arms which was made of a black background, and a golden lion with red claws. The Duchy of Brabant existed in the 10th century and was a state in the Roman Empire that included the Belgian lands.   Throughout history, Belgium was under the rule of the Spanish, the Austrians, and the Dutch. But when Belgium sought independence, it was under the rule of the Netherlands. Before independence, Belgium had a flag of three horizontal stripes with the same colors. In 1830, Belgium gained its independence, and the vertically striped flag was adopted on January 23, 1831. Today, Belgium is united under the same flag that was adopted around 200 years ago, although the country has French-speaking regions, and Dutch-speaking parts, it is united and people live in harmony.