Editing Flag of the Netherlands (section)

==Description==
[[File:Jan van Hout - Vruntschap - 1575.jpg|alt=|thumb|''Vruntschap'' of Jan van Hout (1575), the oldest known colour illustration of the Dutch flag. The flag is sticking out at the left of the top panel.]]
The [[national flag]] of the [[Netherlands]] is a [[Tricolour (flag)|tricolour]] flag. The horizontal [[fess]]es are bands of equal size in the colours from top to bottom, red (officially described as a "bright [[vermilion]]"), white (silver), and blue ("[[cobalt blue]]"). The flag proportions (width:length) are 2:3. The colour parameters were defined in November 1958 by the NEN (former HCNN) in as the following:<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://puc.overheid.nl/doc/PUC_41859_10/1/#7185c358-2968-4439-a34a-297f8a2565a3|title=Ceremonieel & protocol – Ministeriële- en Defensie publicaties|website=Overheid (Dutch Government)|location=Appendix H, section 2|language=nl|access-date=28 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://crwflags.com/fotw/flags/nl.html|title=Flags of the World (2006)|language=en|access-date=11 June 2019}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nen.nl/Nieuws/Nieuws/Vlag-uit-op-Nederlandse-Veteranendag.htm NEN 3055]</ref>
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:60%; background:#f9f9f9; border:1px solid #aaa; border-collapse:collapse; white-space:nowrap; text-align:left;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" border="1"
|- style="text-align: center; background: #eee"
! Scheme
!style="background:#AD1D25; color:white"| Red
! style="background:#FFFFFF;"| White
!style="background:#1E4785; color:white"| Navy blue
|-
| [[Chromaticity|Chromatic]]
| X=18.3 Y=10.0 Z=3.0
| Y=100.0
| X=7.5 Y=6.6 Z=25.3
|-
| [[CMYK color model|CMYK]]
| 0.83.78.32
| 0.0.0.0
| 77.47.0.48
|-
| [[RGB color model|RGB]]
| (173,29,37)
| (255,255,255)
| (30,71,133)
|-
| [[Hex triplet|Hexadecimal]]
| #AD1D25
| #FFFFFF
| #1E4785
|-
| [[RAL colour standard|RAL]]
| 2002
| 9010
| 5013
|}

In this definition, the colours are defined using [[Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage|CIE-1931 colour space]] and [[Standard illuminant]] C at a 45° angle.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://puc.overheid.nl/mp-bundels/doc/PUC_41859_10/|title=Ceremonial and protocol – Ministry of Defence|website=Overheid (Dutch Government)|language=nl|access-date=11 June 2019}}</ref>

The flag of the Netherlands is similar to [[Flag of Luxembourg|that of Luxembourg]], but it has a smaller width and it uses slightly darker shades of red and blue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-the-Netherlands|title=Flag of the Netherlands|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=28 January 2019}}</ref> The similarity of the two flags has given rise to a national debate to change the flag of Luxembourg, initiated by [[Michel Wolter]] in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://luxtimes.lu/archives/10515-change-the-luxembourg-flag|title=Change the Luxembourg flag?|website=luxtimes.lu|date=11 December 2017|language=en|access-date=29 January 2019}}</ref>

===Symbolism===

Each band of colour in the Dutch flag holds some symbolism for the country. The red band symbolizes bravery, strength, valor, and hardiness; the white band, peace and honesty; and the blue band represents vigilance, truth, loyalty, perseverance, and justice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vexillologymatters.org/dutch-flag.htm|title=Dutch Flag|website=Vexillology Matters|language=en|access-date=18 July 2021}}</ref>

Another theory as to why the Dutch flag has these colours is because some researchers claim that they used to be a symbol of society: red symbolizes the people, white the church and blue the nobility.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Margriet |first=Redactie |date=2021-04-27 |title=Dít is de verklaring van de kleuren van de Nederlandse vlag |url=https://www.margriet.nl/gs-b2b3897f |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=Margriet |language=nl-NL}}</ref>