Flag of the Netherlands facts for kids
The flag of the Netherlands is a special kind of flag called a tricolour. This means it has three colors: red, white, and blue. It first appeared in 1572. Since 1937, this flag has been the official national flag for both the Netherlands and the larger Kingdom of the Netherlands.
What the Flag Looks Like
The national flag of the Netherlands has three horizontal stripes. The colors are red, white, and blue.
Long ago, the first ruler of the Dutch Republic was a leader named William of Orange. He helped the Dutch people fight for their freedom from Spain. To honor him, the very first Dutch flag was orange, white, and blue.
However, the orange dye used for the flag often faded and turned red over time. So, in the mid-1600s, red officially replaced orange as the top color. This red, white, and blue flag has been used ever since.
This flag was one of the first "revolutionary" flags in the world. It inspired many other countries to create their own flags with three stripes. For a long time, until about 1800, the number and order of the stripes sometimes changed. But the red, white, and blue design eventually became the standard.
Images for kids
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Dutch ships fighting Spanish ships near the English coast, 1602 by Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom
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An orange pennant added to the flag on Koningsdag (King's Day)
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The flag of Westchester County, New York
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The flag of Ulster County, New York
See also
In Spanish: Bandera de los Países Bajos para niños
