The flag of the Netherlands is the oldest Republican tricolour in the world: the Princenvlag (orange-white-blue) was introduced in the struggle against the Spanish under leadership of William I, the Prince of Orange Nassau, in 1579: the seven northern provinces (Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Groningen, Friesland, and Overijssel) formed the United Provinces and declared their independence, leading to the Eighty Years' War with Spain. The red-white-blue version was officially established on 14 February 1796, supposedly because "the colour red was better visible at sea". The flag inspired the revolutionary flag of France and the flag of Russia under Czar Peter the Great in the 18th Century. Orange (for the House of Orange) has remained the National Colour. The provincial flags have designs that often go back for centuries:

The Frisian flag, officially adopted on 9 July 1957, has a long history; it is claimed it dates from the 9th century, when Friesland had its own King. The three white stripes probably stand for the rural quarters Oostergo, Westergo and Zevenwouden and the blue stripes for the Frisian rivers. The seven "pompeblêdden" (lily leaves) represent the seven old Frisian lands from around the 8th till the 14th century, from the north of Holland to the north west of Germany.

The province of Groningen in the north east of the Netherlands consists of two historical parts: the (Saxon) city of Groningen and the (Frisian) Ommelanden, the rural areas of the province. The flag, adopted 17 February 1950, reflects this: Green and white are the city's colours, placed in the centre for the central role of the capital. Red, white and blue are derived from the arms and flag of the Ommelanden, similar to the Frisian flag.

Drenthe, in the east of the Netherlands, used to be part of the bishopric of Utrecht. The flag, adopted on 19 February 1947, has the colours white and red, the traditional Saxon colours. The six stars symbolise the six "dingspels" or jurisdictions of the province (Zuidenveld, Oostermoer, Noordenveld, Rolder, Beiler en Dieverder). The tower represents the castle of Coevorden, from where Drenthe traditionally was ruled.

The province of Overijssel (meaning "on the other side of the IJssel river") in the east of the Netherlands was part of Utrecht until in 1528 the Spanish King Charles V, as count of Holland, inherited the area. As a result the flag of the province still has the colours of the arms of Holland (a red lion on a yellow background). The blue wavy line represents the IJssel river, terminating in the IJsselmeer, the former Zuider Zee. The flag was officially adopted on 21 July 1948.

Flevoland is the newest province of the Netherlands, consisting of the polders in the former Zuiderzee (now IJsselmeer). The flag, dating from 1 January 1986, symbolizes land, made from the sea: the colours stand for land, wheat and sky and the wavy lines for the sea. The fleur-de-lis is the symbol for Dr. Lely, who started the process of reclamation in the thirties.

Gelderland, the largest and one of the oldest Dutch Provinces, has a flag, adopted 13 April 1953, with colours based on the arms: a golden lion on a blue field and a black lion on a golden field; this is based on the arms of the count of Gelre, early in the 13th century, featuring a golden lion on a blue field. In 1543 Charles V combined the lion of Gelderland with the lion of the town of Zutphen, a red lion with golden crown on a silver shield. This was changed in 1802 to the present arms.

Holland, the heartland of the Netherlands along the North Sea, has a coat of arms depicting a red lion on a yellow background. The arms of Westfriesland, formerly Frisian but now a region in the north of Holland, is identical to the Frisian arms: two yellow lions on a blue background. These colours are combined to form the flag of the province of North Holland, adopted on 22 October 1958.

In 1948 the Province of South Holland adopted a yellow-red-yellow flag, the colours of the arms of the old county of Holland. On 24 October 1985 it was decided to restore the old flag of the Counts of Holland, in use since the time of the Crusades, when the lion was supposed to symbolize the "always victorious lion of Judah". The flag is official since 1 January 1986.

Zeeland ("Sea-Land"), in the south west of the Netherlands, has always struggled with the sea; after the disastrous floods of 1951 the "Delta Plan" was adopted, a system of dikes and dams, greatly reducing the danger of flooding. The flag shows the coat of arms, a lion emerging from the sea, placed on blue and white waves. Zeeland's motto "Luctor et emergo" - I wrestle and emerge - was however adopted after Zeeland fought itself free from Spain with the help of the English in 1585.

The old Duchy of Brabant, first mentioned in 1101, had a golden lion on a black shield as its arms. In the 14th century nails and tongue became red. This is identical to the arms of Belgium, that now contains (South) Brabant. The present Dutch province of North Brabant, in the south of the Netherlands, didn't come under Austrian and later French authority and therefore remained separate. Although the arms are as described, it has a chequered red and white flag (the colours of the Bishropic of Utrecht), adopted on 21 January 1959.

Limburg, in the south east of the Netherlands, has a complicated history. It was only partly governed by the counts of Limburg. The main part is the present day (Belgian) province of Limburg. The original arms of Limburg was a red lion on a silver shield, known since 1208 and this is reflected in the present flag. Yellow features in the arms of three counties, displayed on the present arms (Gulik, Horne and Gelre), and the blue stripe represents the River Maas (Meuse) that traverses the province from south to north.