Flag of Belgium

What the flag means

• ⚫Black, yellow and red — from the arms of the Duchy of Brabant

Design set by: ⁨Grondwet / Constitution, art. 193; Arrêté n° 30 du Gouvernement provisoire du 23 janvier 1831⁩ · Adopted 1831

Highlights

• 🍫 World-renowned chocolate
• 🍟 Home of fries and waffles
• 🍺 Birthplace of abbey beer
• 🏛️ Grand-Place and medieval towns
• 🇪🇺 Brussels, the heart of the EU

Quick facts

Region

Europe · Western Europe

Population

11,941,781 people (2025)

Area

30,528 km²

Capital

Brussels

Languages

Dutch, French, German

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Organizations

United Nations, European Union, NATO, OECD

Neighboring countries

• France
• Germany
• Luxembourg
• Netherlands

Land neighbors, approximated from simplified map outlines.

Symbols in History (2)

Coats of arms and emblems whose historic seat lies within this country’s present-day territory.

• 

  Arms of the County of Flanders

  The Low Countries (present-day Flanders in Belgium and northern France) · 862–1795 · county arms

  OriginThe black lion on a gold field is the emblematic coat of the County of Flanders.

  DescriptionOn a golden field a single black lion is drawn rearing on its hind legs with its forepaws raised (lion rampant), with only its tongue and claws painted red.

  Source: Decreet houdende vaststelling van het wapen, de vlag, het volkslied en de feestdag van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap · Vlaamse Overheid — Vlaamse Codex (official consolidated legislation of the Flemish Government) · Image source: Wikimedia Commons — Arms of Flanders.svg

• 

  Arms of the Duchy of Brabant

  The medieval Low Countries (parts of present-day Belgium and the Netherlands) · 1183–1795 · duchy arms

  OriginThe gold lion on a black field is known as the arms of the Duchy of Brabant, and it carries on into the later heraldic tradition of Brabant and of Belgium.

  DescriptionOn a black field a gold lion is drawn without a crown, rearing on its hind legs with its forepaws raised. Its tongue and claws are red, and its tail rises up behind its back and forks at the tip.

  Source: Het provinciewapen · Provincie Noord-Brabant · Image source: Wikimedia Commons — Coat of arms of the Duchy of Brabant.svg · Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0 · Samhanin