Flag of Spain

🎨 What the flag means

Spain's flag is red, yellow and red, with the yellow stripe twice as tall. King Charles III chose it in 1785 so Spanish ships would be easy to recognise at sea. The coat of arms shows symbols of the old kingdoms that joined to form Spain, such as a castle and a lion, plus two pillars with the motto "Plus Ultra", meaning "further beyond".

📊 Quick facts

👥 Population

48.6 million (2024)

🏙️ Capital

Madrid3.5 million people (2025)

🗣️ Main language

Spanish

✨ 3 fun facts

1. The Altamira cave in northern Spain has amazing paintings made by people tens of thousands of years ago.
2. Spain's highest point is Teide, a volcano on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
3. Spanish is the second-most spoken native language in the world.