You’re staring at a flagpole. Or maybe a tiny icon on a Olympic broadcast. You see three stripes. Red, white, and blue. Horizontal. Simple, right? Except it’s not.
Honestly, it’s a geographical minefield.
One minute you think you’re looking at Russia, but wait—the red is on the bottom. Is that Serbia? Or maybe you’re looking at the Dutch flag, but the blue is too dark, so now you’re wondering if it’s Luxembourg. It’s a mess. Most people just guess. But these horizontal bands carry centuries of blood, revolution, and very specific shades of dye that actually mean something.
If you’ve ever wondered why so many nations picked the exact same three colors and laid them out in roughly the same way, you aren't alone. It’s basically the "blue jeans" of international vexillology. Everyone wears it, but the fit is always a little different.
The Netherlands: Where Red White and Blue Flags Horizontal Actually Started
Most people assume France started the whole tricolor trend. They didn’t.
The Dutch did.
Back in the 16th century, during the 80 Years' War, William of Orange led the charge against the Spanish. His colors were orange, white, and blue. But orange is a fickle color. On the high seas, under the punishing sun, that orange dye tended to fade into a weird brownish-red or just look generally terrible. So, around the mid-1600s, the Dutch officially swapped the orange for red.
That’s the Statenvlag.
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The Dutch flag is the literal ancestor of almost every other horizontal tricolor you see today. When Peter the Great visited the Netherlands to learn about shipbuilding, he was so impressed he took the color scheme back to Russia. He just shuffled the order. If you see red, white, and blue flags horizontal and the red is on top, followed by white and then blue, you’re looking at the Netherlands. It’s the original. It’s the blueprint.
Interestingly, the Dutch blue is technically "cobalt blue," which is darker than what you’ll see on some neighboring flags. If it looks suspiciously bright, you might be looking at someone else.
The Russian Variation and the Slavic Explosion
Peter the Great wasn't subtle. He wanted Russia to be a naval power, and he figured a great navy needed a great flag. He took the Dutch colors and rearranged them: white on top, blue in the middle, red on the bottom.
This became the Russian national flag.
But it didn't stop there. In 1848, during the Pan-Slavic Congress in Prague, these three colors were officially adopted as the "Pan-Slavic colors." That’s why, if you travel through Eastern Europe today, you’ll feel like you’re seeing the same flag over and over with minor tweaks.
- Slovakia: They use the Russian layout (white-blue-red) but realized they looked exactly like Russia. To fix it, they slapped their coat of arms on the left side. It features a double cross on three blue mountains.
- Slovenia: Same problem. White-blue-red. They added their own shield in the upper left corner, showing Mount Triglav and three yellow stars.
- Serbia: They flipped the whole thing upside down. For Serbia, the red is on top, followed by blue, then white. It’s the Russian flag standing on its head. Usually, you’ll see the double-headed eagle crest on it to make it official.
It’s kind of funny. All these nations wanted to show their shared Slavic identity, but they also desperately needed to make sure they didn't get invaded by mistake because of a laundry error.
Luxembourg: The Flag That Drives the Dutch Crazy
If you want to see a vexillologist get heated, bring up Luxembourg.
The flag of Luxembourg is almost identical to the Netherlands. It’s red, white, and blue. Horizontal. Same order: red on top, white in the middle, blue on the bottom.
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So, what's the difference? The shade.
Luxembourg uses a very specific "bleu ciel" or sky blue. It’s much lighter than the Dutch navy blue. Also, the proportions are different. The Dutch flag is usually 2:3, while Luxembourg prefers a longer 3:5.
There have been actual debates in the Luxembourg parliament about changing the flag to the "Red Lion" (a cool-looking banner with a lion on blue and white stripes) just so people stop confusing them with their neighbors. For now, the light blue stays. If you see a flag and think, "That looks like the Netherlands but it’s been through the wash too many times," it’s Luxembourg.
The Mystery of the French Influence
Wait, isn't France red, white, and blue?
Yes, but they’re vertical.
When people talk about red white and blue flags horizontal, they often accidentally include France because the colors are so iconic. But the French Revolution actually pushed the world toward vertical stripes to distinguish themselves from the horizontal stripes of the "old" monarchies (like the Dutch).
However, the French "tricolore" spirit did bleed into horizontal designs elsewhere. Take Croatia. Their flag is red, white, and blue horizontal bands. But they have that famous red-and-white checkered shield (the šahovnica) right in the center. Without that shield, they’d just be another variation of the Pan-Slavic theme.
Beyond Europe: The Global Reach
It’s not just a European thing. Not by a long shot.
Thailand uses a horizontal pattern, but it’s more complex. It’s five stripes: red, white, blue, white, red. The blue stripe in the middle is twice as thick as the others. This is called the Trairanga. Before 1917, Thailand (then Siam) had a red flag with a white elephant. But during World War I, they changed it to these colors to show solidarity with the Allies (specifically Great Britain and France).
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Then you have Costa Rica. Their flag looks very similar to Thailand's, but the colors are mirrored. It’s blue, white, red, white, blue. The red stripe in the middle is the thick one.
And don't forget the United States. While we think of it as "stars and stripes," it is technically a collection of red, white, and blue flags horizontal bands—thirteen of them. The blue is tucked away in the canton.
Why These Colors?
You might wonder why everyone settled on these three. Is it just a lack of imagination?
Sorta. But mostly it's symbolism.
Red usually represents bravery, revolution, or the blood spilled for liberty. White is almost universally a symbol of peace, purity, or the snow of the mountains. Blue often stands for the sky, the sea, or truth.
But honestly? A lot of it was practical. In the 1700s and 1800s, red, white, and blue dyes were relatively cheap and stable. They didn't fade as fast as purple or certain shades of green. If you're a new nation trying to keep your flag looking sharp on a budget, you go with what works.
How to Tell Them Apart Without a PhD
If you're trying to identify a red white and blue horizontal flag, follow this mental checklist. It works 90% of the time.
- Check the top stripe. Is it red or white? If it's white, you're likely looking at Russia or a Slavic nation. If it's red, look at the bottom.
- Look for a "sticker." Does it have a crest, a shield, or a lion? If there's a shield on a white-blue-red layout, it's Slovakia or Slovenia. If there's a crown or eagle on a red-blue-white layout, it's Serbia.
- Analyze the blue. Is it dark like the ocean? Probably the Netherlands. Is it light like the sky? That’s Luxembourg.
- Count the stripes. If there are more than three, you’ve moved into Thailand or Costa Rica territory.
The Nuance of Proportions
One thing most casual observers miss is the aspect ratio.
The Russian flag is 2:3.
The German flag (different colors, I know, but stay with me) is 3:5.
The Dutch flag is 2:3.
When you see these flags flying together at the UN, they are often standardized to the same size for "equality," but in their home countries, the literal shape of the rectangle is part of the law. A 2:3 flag looks more "square-ish" than a 3:5 flag, which looks more like a long banner.
Actionable Takeaways for Flag Spotting
Identify the color order immediately. Red-White-Blue (Top to Bottom) is the classic Dutch layout. White-Blue-Red is the Russian layout. Red-Blue-White is the Serbian layout.
Check for the "Canton." If there is a square in the top left corner (like the US or Malaysia), it's a different category of flag entirely.
Don't ignore the shade of blue. It is often the only legal distinction between two different countries.
If you are buying a flag for an event, check the proportions. A "standard" 3x5 foot flag might actually be the wrong dimension for a Dutch or Russian flag, technically speaking.
If you really want to dive deeper, look up the "FOTW" (Flags of the World) database. It’s the gold standard for real-world vexillology and covers the exact Pantone shades used by every government.
Next time you see a horizontal tricolor, don't just say "Oh, a flag." Look at the blue. Check the order. You'll realize that these red white and blue flags horizontal are actually a complex map of history, migration, and 17th-century naval tradition.