The national flag of the Republic of Botswana was first raised in September 1966, when the country's independence was proclaimed.
Description and proportions of the flag of Botswana
The flag of Botswana has a rectangular shape typical for all independent states. The length and width of the panel also correlate with each other in the classic proportion of 3: 2. The flag can be used, according to the law of the state, for all purposes on land. It is allowed to be raised by civilians, private companies and official bodies. The Botswana flag is also used by the country's armed forces.
The Botswana flag field is divided into several horizontal stripes of unequal width. In the middle there is a black stripe dividing the panel equally. There are thin white stripes below and above it. The top and bottom of the Botswana flag are light blue and are the widest. The black field symbolizes the indigenous people of the state. White stripes represent national minorities, and blue fields represent the sky over the African continent. The blue stripes of the Botswana flag also remind of the importance and value of fresh water, which is always in short supply in the country. The republic's motto sounds like "Let it rain!", And it is inscribed even on the country's coat of arms.
The coat of arms of Botswana contains symbols and colors of the national flag that are important for the inhabitants of the country. The heraldic shield on the coat of arms is supported by two zebras standing on either side of it on their hind legs. They rest on a blue ribbon with the motto of Botswana inscribed on it. The animals hold an elephant tusk and a branch of the sorghum plant, which are symbols of the country's main export products in the past and present.
The shield depicts cogwheels, symbols of the industrialization of Botswana's economy, and three blue wavy lines that remind us of the importance of conserving water resources. The bull's head on the shield is a symbolic image of another important branch of the country's economy - cattle breeding.
History of the flag of Botswana
In 1885, the state of Botswana fell under the protectorate of Great Britain in order to protect it from the expansion of the German Empire on the African continent. The flag of Botswana throughout the colonial period was the flag of Great Britain, and then a blue cloth, on which the British state symbol was presented in a canopy in the upper quarter of the field at the pole. The right side contained the emblem of Botswana. Each of Her Majesty's colonial possessions had similar flags.
The proclamation of an independent state in 1966, which was named the Republic of Botswana, became the reason for the development and approval of a new flag, coat of arms and anthem of the country.
