Flag of SpainReino de España

What the flag looks like

The Spanish flag is a horizontal tricolor of red, yellow and red, with the yellow band twice the height of each red band. The coat of arms of Spain appears on the hoist side of the yellow band. The proportion is 2:3. The current design was formalized by the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the Flag Law of 1981.

Colors and meaning

Red represents the blood shed by Spaniards in defense of the nation, and yellow represents the wealth and generosity of the country. The colors are traditional heraldic colors of the Spanish kingdoms and have been used together since the 18th century.

Red

Represents bravery, strength and the blood shed by Spaniards in defense of the nation. Red is also a traditional color of the Crown of Castile.

Yellow

Represents generosity, wealth and the gold of the Spanish Empire. It is a traditional heraldic color of the Crown of Aragon.

Coat of arms

Displays the quartered arms of Castile, León, Aragon and Navarre, with Granada at the base, the Pillars of Hercules on either side and the Bourbon-Anjou escutcheon in the center.

History and adoption

The red-yellow-red design was chosen by King Charles III in 1785 to distinguish Spanish naval ships from those of other nations, which used similar white ensigns. It was known as the Rojigualda. The design became the national flag in 1843 under Queen Isabella II. The current coat of arms was added in 1981, replacing the earlier version used under Franco, and reflects the constitutional monarchy established in 1978.

Key facts

Adopted

19 December 1981

Proportion

2:3

Designer

Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazán (naval origin)

Capital

Madrid

Country code

ES

Similar flags

None

Historical and related flags

Spain has used several national flags across its history, and different political eras used different coats of arms on the same Rojigualda base.

• Bourbon Spain (1785–1873): Rojigualda with the Bourbon coat of arms.
• First Spanish Republic (1873–1874): Rojigualda with a crowned or uncrowned republican variant.
• Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939): Rojigualda with a mural crown and purple stripe replacing the lower red band.
• Francoist Spain (1939–1977): Rojigualda with the Eagle of Saint John.
• Current flag (1981–present): Rojigualda with the constitutional coat of arms.

Frequently asked questions

What does the flag of Spain look like?

The flag of Spain has three horizontal bands of red, yellow and red, with the yellow band twice as wide as each red band. The Spanish coat of arms sits on the hoist side of the yellow band.

When was the flag of Spain adopted?

The current flag of Spain was officially adopted on 19 December 1981.

What do the colors mean?

Red represents the blood shed by Spaniards in defense of the nation, and yellow represents the wealth and generosity of the country. The colors are traditional heraldic colors of the Spanish kingdoms and have been used together since the 18th century.

Which flags look similar to the Spain flag?

No other national flag uses the same red-yellow-red arrangement with an off-center coat of arms. Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela use yellow-blue-red horizontal bands, which are related by history but visually distinct.