Our Flags make a Statement

The national flag of Lesotho is composed of three horizontal bands, in the colours of blue, white and green, from top to bottom. In the centre of the flag is a black ‘mokorotlo’, which is a traditional hat and symbol of Basotho culture. The top blue band is symbolistic of both the sky and rain. The central white band, which is slightly larger than the other two stripes, are representative of the peace within the nation and with its only neighbour South Africa. The nation's prosperity is referenced through the green band at the bottom of the flag. This flag was adopted as the national flag of Lesotho on the 4^th of October 2006, which was 40 years after the nation gained its independence. Prior to this national flag, Lesotho utilised the same colours but with diagonal bands and white at the top, as well as a symbol featuring a spear and a shield, which was used from 1987 to 2006.

Lesotho is a nation in southern Africa surrounded entirely by South Africa. It is around 30,355km² and is commonly referred to as “The Kingdom in the Sky”, with it being the only nation in the world entirely over 1,000m above sea level. The country also has the highest lowest point of any country at an elevation of 1,400m. Around 2.39 million people live in Lesotho, with around 90% speaking Sesotho, which alongside English are the official languages. The people of Lesotho are known as Basotho, while an individual is referred to as a Mosotho. The nation has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa, with a literacy rate of around 70% for men and 85% for women. The capital city is Maseru.