Flag of Lesotho

Infobox flag
Name = Lesotho
Article =
Type = National

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Nickname =
Morenicks =
Use =
Symbol =
Proportion = 2:3
Adoption = October 4, 2006
Designer = The current national flag of Lesotho, adopted on October 4, 2006, features a horizontal blue, white, and green tricolour with a black "mokorotlo" (a Basotho hat) in the centre. The design, introduced to honour the 40th anniversary of independence, is reportedly intended to reflect a peaceful orientation for the country.cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5405862.stm |publisher=BBC News |title=Lesotho unfurls 'peaceful' flag |date=2006-10-04 ] cite news |url=http://www.lesotho.gov.ls/articles/2006/Senators_New_Flag.php |publisher=The Lesotho Government Portal |title= Senators give new flag green light |accessdate=2006-10-05 ]

Former flags

The first flag of Lesotho was introduced on October 4, 1966, the day of Lesotho's full independence from the United Kingdom. It featured a prominent white "mokorotlo". The blue stood for sky and rain, the white for peace, the green for land, and the red for faith.

A new flag, designed by Sergeant Retšelisitsoe Matete, [http://www.trc.org.ls/events/events20.063.htm#New%20National%20Flag%20Passed%20by%20Parliament "New National Flag Passed by Parliament"] , Summary of Events in Lesotho, 3rd Quarter 2006, trc.org.ls.] was adopted on January 20, 1987, following a military coup which ousted the Basotho National Party after 20 years in power. A light brown traditional Basotho shield along with an assegai (lance) and knobkierie (club) replaced the Basotho hat as the primary emblem. The colour scheme and pattern changed as well, with a triangular white field standing for peace. The bottom diagonal contained a blue strip for rain and a green triangle for prosperity.

2006 flag

In 2006, a new flag was chosen from four proposed designs; all of these designs included a brown Basotho hat instead of the shield. This was subsequently changed to a black Basotho hat in order to represent Lesotho as a black nation. The bill changing the flag was approved by the National Assembly on September 18 2006, with 84 members of parliament voting in favour of it, 18 against it, and two abstaining. It was subsequently approved by the Senate as well.

Gallery

Royal Standards

References

External links

*FOTW|id=ls|title=Lesotho