Capital of North Brabant province, the Netherlands, at the confluence of the Aa and Dommel rivers, 45 km/28 mi southeast of Utrecht; population (1997) 126,500. There is an important cattle market here. The Gothic cathedral, St John's, dates back to the 11th century, although it was rebuilt or extended in the 14th century. It was the birthplace of the painter Hieronymus Bosch.
Green, yellow, and red are the pan-African colours. The flag is modelled on the French tricolour. The design was identical to the Rwandan tricolour, obliging that country to modify its flag. Effective date: 1 March 1961.