Europe · Horizontal tricolour
How to draw the flag of Netherlands
The flag of the Netherlands is three equal horizontal bands — red, white and blue from top to bottom. It flies at a ratio of 2:3.
Step by step
- Start with the right shape. the Netherlands flies at 2:3 — for every 3 units of width the flag is 2 tall. Sketch that rectangle first; a flag drawn too square is the fastest way to lose layout points.
- Divide the height into three. Mark two guide lines before you fill anything in. Even bands matter more than neat edges — the scorer cares where the colour blocks sit.
- Band 1: red. Fill the first band from the top with red. Use the fill tool rather than shading — flat blocks score better than sketchy strokes.
- Band 2: white. Fill the second band from the top with white. Use the fill tool rather than shading — flat blocks score better than sketchy strokes.
- Band 3: blue. Fill the third band from the top with blue. Use the fill tool rather than shading — flat blocks score better than sketchy strokes.
Netherlands flag colours
The colour codes below are the ones to reach for if you are recreating the flag digitally.
| Colour | Hex | RGB |
|---|---|---|
| Red | #AE1C28 | rgb(174, 28, 40) |
| White | #FFFFFF | rgb(255, 255, 255) |
| Blue | #21468B | rgb(33, 70, 139) |
What the flag means
The red-white-blue replaced the original orange-white-blue of William of Orange, because the orange dye faded at sea.
Common mistakes
- Reaching for orange. Orange only appears on the pennant flown above the flag on royal occasions, never in the flag itself.
- Watch out for Luxembourg, France, Russia and Croatia — they are close enough to the Netherlands that people draw the wrong one from memory.
A trick for remembering it
Netherlands is Russia upside down — red on top.
Flags that look like this one
Side-by-side breakdowns of the pairs people mix up:
Questions about the Netherlands flag
What colours are on the flag of Netherlands?
The Netherlands uses 3 colours: red (#AE1C28), white (#FFFFFF), blue (#21468B).
What order are the stripes on the Netherlands flag?
Red, then White, then Blue — from the top down.
What are the proportions of the Netherlands flag?
It flies at 2:3 (height to width). Drawing it at the wrong shape is one of the quickest ways to lose layout marks in the game.
What does the Netherlands flag mean?
The red-white-blue replaced the original orange-white-blue of William of Orange, because the orange dye faded at sea.
Which flags look like the Netherlands flag?
Luxembourg, France, Russia, Croatia. Watch out for Luxembourg, France, Russia and Croatia — they are close enough to the Netherlands that people draw the wrong one from memory.
How hard is the Netherlands flag to draw from memory?
PlayVexle rates it 1 out of 5. Flat colour blocks and no fine detail, so most players score in the eighties or nineties.
