Belgian Flag

The black, yellow, and red represent historical regions and noble houses: the black lion of Flanders and Namur, the yellow lion of Brabant, and the red lion of Hainaut, Limburg, and Luxembourg. These colors also recall the revolutionary Brabant cockades.

The original flag in 1830 had horizontal red-yellow-black stripes. It was based on the flag used in the Brabant Revolution (1789–1790). The current vertical layout was established on January 23, 1831, with black at the hoist. Throughout history, Belgium has had flags influenced by Spanish, Austrian, and French rule. Revolutionary movements and uprisings also used variations of these colors. The flag's proportions of 13:15 are uncommon.

Three equal vertical bands: black (hoist side), yellow (center), and red (fly side). The official colors are Black (#000000), Yellow (#FDDA24), and Red (#EF3340). Variants include a 2:3 civil ensign and specialized flags for naval, government, and royal uses.

The national flag takes precedence over all other flags in Belgium. It is used above royal palaces when the monarch is present. When flown with other flags (community, regional, European, provincial, or municipal), it is always given the place of honor. Different versions exist for military, naval, and civil use.