Flag of Belgium
Categories: National flags | Belgian culture
The national flag of Belgium contains three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the vertical design was based on the flag of France, whereas the colours were taken from the colours of the duchy of Brabant. Its unusual proportions (13:15) are of unknown origin.
The flag was adopted January 23 1831, soon after the Belgians gained their independence from the Netherlands in 1830. The flag had played an important role during the revolt, where the colours of the flag served as a reminder of an older flag with horizontal bands used during a previous revolt in 1789 in the then Austrian Netherlands. The original flag was with horizontal bars, but it was changed to vertical because of the resemblance with the German flag.
Ironically, article 193 of the Belgian Constitution describes the colors of the Belgian Nation as Red, Yellow and Black instead of the order used in the above official flag. Although the Constitution orders a reverse order, it is not followed in practice.
See Also
External links
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es:Bandera de Bélgica fr:Drapeau de la Belgique it:Bandiera belga he:דגל בלגיה lb:Belsche Fändel nl:Belgische vlaggen no:Belgias flagg pl:Flaga Belgii pt:Bandeira da Bélgica ro:Steagul Belgiei sv:Belgiens flagga zh:比利时国旗