Adopted in 1572. The flag of the Netherlands consists of three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue. Similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer, the colors were those of WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, who led the Dutch Revolt against Spanish sovereignty in the latter half of the 16th century. Originally the upper band was orange, but because it tended to fade to red over time, the red shade was eventually made the permanent color. The banner is perhaps the oldest tricolor in continuous use. (ref: CIA World Factbook) Netherlands is sometimes referred to as Holland, though this is a region on the western coast of the Netherlands. The country was also once known as the Dutch Republic. A Dutch flag, or a flag of Holland, is the flag of the Netherlands.