Lesotho

Lesotho
Adopted	October 4, 2006
Proportions	2:3

The flag of Lesotho is an equal horizontal tricolour of blue, white, and green, with a stylized black Basotho hat in the centre of the white stripe and flag.

Symbolism

The blue represents the sky and rain, the green represents prosperity, and the white represents peace.

The black hat is a silhouette of a traditional straw hat from the country and represents the people of Lesotho. It was used on the flag from 1966-1987

The flag is described by some Lesotho citizens as representing peace with itself and other nations.

History

Lesotho, was first named as Basutoland, and was a colony of the United Kingdom, so its' flag was none other than the Union Jack. There has been an unofficial flag for Basutoland from 1951 to 1966, containing a blue Ensign, with a white disc containing the colony's shield inside, at the fly.

After independence, the colony gave itself a new name, and with it a new flag and coat of arms. The flag consisted of a blue background with two stripes of green and red, with a white Basotho hat. It was hoisted the same day the country gained independence. The flag uses the colors from the country's own national party. The flag lasted until 1987, when a military coup overthrown the National Party.

After the military coup, a new flag was adopted on January 17, 1987. The new flag consisted of a diagonal blue stripe separating fields of white and green, with a Basotho shield along with an assegai and knobkierrie, all in light-brown, in the canton of the flag. The flag was designed by Sergeant Retšelisitsoe Matete.

In 2006, a new flag was chosen from four proposed designs, each included a brown Basotho hat (later changed to black because of the country's black population). The bill to change the flag was later approved by the National Assembly, and later the Senate.