Flag of Spain: colours, meaning and facts for kids

What does the flag of Spain look like?

The flag of Spain has three stripes going across: red, yellow and red. The yellow stripe in the middle is twice as tall as each red one. On the yellow, nearer the flagpole, sits the coat of arms.

Where did the flag come from?

For many years Spanish flags were mostly white. Then, in 1785, King Charles III wanted a flag that could not be mistaken for any other country's, and he chose stripes of red and yellow. Apart from a few years in the 1930s, red and yellow have been Spain's colours ever since.

The coat of arms shows the Pillars of Hercules with the Latin motto Plus Ultra, which means more beyond. It was meant to reflect the voyages of Spanish explorers.

Flags that share something with Spain's

These flags share a shape, a colour or a coat of arms with Spain's flag. Here is how to tell them apart:

Spain in a nutshell

• Capital city: Madrid
• Continent: Europe
• Countries next door: Portugal, France, Andorra and Morocco. Spain also borders Gibraltar, which belongs to the United Kingdom. Morocco shares a short border with Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish cities on the coast of North Africa.
• A fact to impress your friends: Spain's national anthem has no official words.

Quick quiz: the flag of Spain

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