Colors and the Meaning of the Lesotho Flag
The flag of Lesotho was adopted on 4 October 2006. The flag is made up of three stripes, blue, white and green, and a Basotho hat is located in the middle of the flag (in the middle of the middle white strip). This flag was accepted to mark the 40th anniversary of Lesotho’s independence. This new flag is a symbol of peace.
History of the Lesotho Flag
The Sothos (Basutos), who escaped from the attacks of the Zulu tribe, moved to the mountainous region in 1822, under the direction of Moshoeshoe. In 1868 Moshoeshoe I demanded protection from Queen Victoria. Thus, Lesotho, which came under the patronage of Britain under the name of Basutoland, became a region where the Basotho ethnic group took refuge. The flag of Lesotho was the British blue flag, like the other British Colonies, and the Union Jack on the left of the flag. Close to the right side of the flag was the Lesotho coat of arms. Lesotho continued to use the flag of the British Colony until 1966, and Lesotho’s independent flag history began this year.
The British government did not make any changes to the country’s traditional tribal order. The first step towards democratization was laid in the years after the Second World War. The Basutoland National Party, founded by Leabua Jonathan in 1959, led to a majority in the 1965 elections against the Congress Party founded by Natsu Mokhele, and Leabua Jonathan became the first prime minister to be attached to Lesotho’s pre-independence constitution. The Kingdom of Lesotho declared its independence on 4 October 1966.
Independence of Lesotho
The first flag of Lesotho was adopted on 4 October 1966, the day the country was independent. The most prominent figure on the flag is a white Basotho hat. The white color used in this flag symbolizes peace. The dominant color of the flag symbolizes the blue sky and rain, green soil and red faith. After a long period of controversy between prime minister Leabua Jonathan and King Moshoeshoe III, in 1970 the prime minister decided to conquer all powers with a coup.
Leabua Jonathan, who abandoned the kingdom from politics and abandoned the parliamentary regime, took advantage of this in order to prevent the opposition of the Congress, which won the elections legally. The leaders of the Congress Party took refuge in Zambia, Botswana, and continued their struggle for freedom. In 1978, Jonathan refused to recognize Transkei and won the enmity of the Republic of South Africa. Taking advantage of this, the Republic of South Africa took restrictive measures against the government of Lesotho.
Despite having established diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1979, the administration of Lesotho continued to receive funds from the United Nations Organization and the European Economic Community, and in 1980 a national currency was established. Leabua Jonathan’s overthrow in 1986 led to a military coup in which the confusion within the country was increasingly transformed into a state crisis and the South African Republic imposed a blockade on Lesotho, which he accused of harboring guerrillas.
Military Coup
A new flag was adopted in Lesotho on January 20, 1987. This flag was adopted after the collapse of the Basotho National Party, which had been in power for 20 years. Basotho’s traditional white hat figure was replaced by a light brown Basotho shield, “assegai” (spear) and “knobkierie” (stick). The colors and shape of the flag have also changed. The diagonal white ribbon symbolizes peace, the diagonal light blue ribbon, the rain and the diagonal green ribbon represent prosperity.
Although the military administration was replaced by the democratic government in 1993, there were intense discussions on the flag within the country. The second flag of Lesotho, which began to be used in 1987, was identified with the military junta and demanded from the public to be changed. In 2006, today’s flag was adopted.
Neighboring Countries of Lesotho
Lesotho is located in the African Continent. The number of countries that Lesotho is a neighbor is one. The entire territory of the country is surrounded by the territory of the Republic of South Africa. The country does not have a seashore.
Main Characteristics of Lesotho
Lesotho means the land of the speakers of the Sotho language. It is one of the safest countries in Africa. The capital Maseru is the largest and most populous city in the country. It is also an important tourism region. There are two official languages, Sesotho and English. Almost all of the country speaks Sesotho as their native language. Loti is used as currency.
The average temperature on the flat terrain is 32 days in summer and -7 degrees in winter. In mountainous regions, the temperature drops to -16 degrees in winter. The most precipitation period is October-April.
Meat dishes are consumed a lot. There are restaurants with western cuisine in the country. If you want to taste local dishes, you can also choose small restaurants.
| Country | Lesotho |
| Code | LS (LSO) |
| Calling Code | 266 |
| Capital City | Maseru |
| Currency | lesotho loti (LSL) |
| Emoji Symbol | 🇱🇸 |
| Highest Point | Thabana Ntlenyana (3,482 m) |
| Internet TLD | .ls |
| Population(2018) | 2,263,010 |
| Total Area | 30,355 km2 |