Flag of the Kingdom of Lesotho
Description
- Three horizontal bands of blue (top), white (middle) and green (bottom)
- A black mokorotlo, the traditional Basotho straw hat, is centred on the white band
- Adopted on 4 October 2006 for the 40th anniversary of independence, replacing an earlier military-themed design
Trivia
- The 1987-2006 flag bore a shield with an assegai and knobkerrie, reflecting military rule
- Lesotho is entirely surrounded by South Africa, one of only three fully enclaved states
- The mokorotlo is said to be modelled on Mount Qiloane in the Thaba Bosiu region
Flag of Lesotho
Lesotho's flag has three horizontal bands of blue, white and green with a black mokorotlo, the traditional Basotho straw hat, centred on the white band. The colours are read as blue for the rain that gives the mountain kingdom its water, white for peace, and green for prosperity. The mokorotlo stands for the Basotho people and their indigenous culture.
Adopted on 4 October 2006, the flag was unveiled on the 40th anniversary of independence from the United Kingdom. It replaced a 1987 design featuring a Basotho shield, assegai and knobkerrie, symbols associated with the military government of the time. The peaceful new flag deliberately set aside all martial imagery in favour of a unifying cultural icon.
json:data
{
"g": "nf,africa",
"ns": "lesotho",
"id": "lesotho",
"index": "c/lesotho",
"title": "Flag of the Kingdom of Lesotho",
"ratio": "2:3",
"colors": [
{
"color": "blue",
"hex": "#00209F",
"note": "Top band symbolising rain, which gives Lesotho its lifeblood water."
},
{
"color": "white",
"hex": "#FFFFFF",
"note": "Middle band representing peace."
},
{
"color": "green",
"hex": "#009543",
"note": "Bottom band evoking prosperity and the land."
},
{
"color": "black",
"hex": "#000000",
"note": "Mokorotlo Basotho hat, symbolising the indigenous culture of the nation."
}
],
"desc": "- Three horizontal bands of blue (top), white (middle) and green (bottom)\n - A black mokorotlo, the traditional Basotho straw hat, is centred on the white band\n - Adopted on 4 October 2006 for the 40th anniversary of independence, replacing an earlier military-themed design",
"article": "lesotho/flag.md",
"use": {
"as": "national flag",
"since": "2006-10-04"
},
"of": {
"country": "lesotho"
},
"countryData": {
"name": "Lesotho",
"officialName": "Kingdom of Lesotho",
"continent": "africa",
"un": "member"
},
"trivia": "- The 1987-2006 flag bore a shield with an assegai and knobkerrie, reflecting military rule\n - Lesotho is entirely surrounded by South Africa, one of only three fully enclaved states\n - The mokorotlo is said to be modelled on Mount Qiloane in the Thaba Bosiu region\n",
"flag": "lesotho/flag.svg",
"_name": "Lesotho",
"_namespace": "lesotho",
"_namePart": ""
}