Botswana flag

The Botswana flag consists of a light blue cloth with a black horizontal band edged in white. It was adopted on September 30, 1966 to replace the Union Jack and has been the flag of the Republic of Botswana since it gained independence that same year. It is one of the few flags in Africa that does not use the colors of the Pan-African movement or a political party.

Historical flags

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  Bechuanaland flag (1885-1966)

Symbolism

The flag is light blue with a black horizontal band edged in white. The bands have a ratio of 9:1:4:1:9. The color blue represents water, specifically rain (pula in the Setswana language), as it is a scarce resource in the country. The black and white bands in the center represent racial harmony and also refer to the zebras that support the national emblem.

Construction of the flag