View source for Flag of Lesotho

{{Infobox flag
| Name = Lesotho
| Article = 
| Type = National
| Image = Flag of Lesotho.svg
| 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 center. The design, introduced to honour the 40th anniversary of independence, is reportedly intended to reflect a peaceful orientation for the country.<ref name="bbc">{{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 }}</ref><ref name="gov">{{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 }}</ref>

==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 [[landform|land]], and the red for [[faith]].

A new flag, designed by Sergeant Retšelisitsoe Matete,<ref name=Flag>[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.</ref> 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 [[Club (weapon)#Knobkierie|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 of Lesotho|National Assembly]] on September 18, 2006, with 84 members of parliament voting in favour of it, 18 against it, and two abstaining.<ref name=Flag/> It was subsequently approved by the [[Senate of Lesotho|Senate]] as well.<ref name="gov"/>

==Gallery==

<center><gallery>
File:Lesoto flag 1884.gif|Colonial flag of [[Basutoland]] from 1884&ndash;1966
File:Flag of Lesotho (1966).svg|Flag from 1966&ndash;1987
File:Flag of Lesotho (1987-2006).svg|Flag from 1987&ndash;2006
</gallery></center>

===Royal Standards===
<center><gallery>
File:Royal Standard of Lesotho (1966-1987).svg|Royal Standard of Lesotho between 1966&ndash;1987.
File:Royal Standard of Lesotho (1987-2006).svg|Royal Standard of Lesotho between 1987&ndash;2006.
File:Royal Standard of Lesotho.svg|Royal Standard of Lesotho from October 4, 2006.
</gallery></center>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{FOTW|id=ls|title=Lesotho}}

<br clear=all>
{{Africa topic|Flag of|title=[[Flags of Africa]]}}
{{nationalflags}}<!-- to edit this table, go to [[Template:Nationalflags]] -->

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesotho, Flag of}}
[[Category:National flags]]
[[Category:National symbols of Lesotho|Flag]]


{{Lesotho-stub}}
{{africa-flag-stub}}

[[af:Vlag van Lesotho]]
[[am:የሌሶቶ ሰንደቅ ዓላማ]]
[[ar:علم ليسوتو]]
[[ast:Bandera de Lesothu]]
[[be:Сцяг Лесота]]
[[be-x-old:Сьцяг Лесота]]
[[bs:Zastava Lesotoa]]
[[ca:Bandera de Lesotho]]
[[cs:Lesothská vlajka]]
[[da:Lesothos flag]]
[[de:Flagge Lesothos]]
[[et:Lesotho lipp]]
[[el:Σημαία του Λεσότο]]
[[es:Bandera de Lesoto]]
[[eo:Flago de Lesoto]]
[[fa:پرچم لسوتو]]
[[fr:Drapeau du Lesotho]]
[[ko:레소토의 국기]]
[[hi:लेसोथो का ध्वज]]
[[hr:Zastava Lesotoa]]
[[bpy:লেসাথোর ফিরালহান]]
[[id:Bendera Lesotho]]
[[it:Bandiera del Lesotho]]
[[he:דגל לסוטו]]
[[lt:Lesoto vėliava]]
[[hu:Lesotho zászlaja]]
[[mk:Знаме на Лесото]]
[[nl:Vlag van Lesotho]]
[[ja:レソトの国旗]]
[[no:Lesothos flagg]]
[[pl:Flaga Lesotho]]
[[pt:Bandeira do Lesoto]]
[[ru:Флаг Лесото]]
[[sk:Vlajka Lesotha]]
[[sr:Застава Лесота]]
[[sh:Zastava Lesotoa]]
[[fi:Lesothon lippu]]
[[sv:Lesothos flagga]]
[[th:ธงชาติเลโซโท]]
[[tr:Lesoto bayrağı]]
[[uk:Прапор Лесото]]
[[yo:Àsìá ilẹ̀ Lèsóthò]]
[[zh:莱索托国旗]]