Flag of Belgium
The Belgian flag, which was inspired by the French tricolor, was adopted in 1831, shortly after gaining independence from the Netherlands. Originally, the stripes were horizontal, but Belgians eventually inclined to the version with vertical stripes in order to differ from the Dutch flag. The black, yellow and red colors are characteristic of Brabant province - Brabant rebels wore these colors during the uprising against Austria in the late 18th century. For the second time, the tricolor appeared during the uprising against William I of the Netherlands. This riot, unlike the previous one, was successful, that is why the flag evokes the struggle for independence and freedom.
Country information
| Sovereign State | Yes |
|---|---|
| Country codes | BE, BEL (ISO 3166-1) |
| Official name | Kingdom of Belgium |
| Capital city | Brussels |
| Continent | Europe |
| Member of | United Nations, European Union, NATO |
| Population | 11 522 169 (2019) |
| Total area | 30 528 km2 |
| Highest point | Signal de Botrange (694 m, 2 277 ft) |
| Lowest point | Multiple, west of Veurne (-4 m, -13 ft) |
| GDP per capita | $ 47 519 (World Bank, 2018) |
| Currency | Euro (€, EUR) |
| Calling code | +32 |
| Internet TLD | .be |
