Africa · BW / BWA
Flag of Botswana
The Botswana flag is light blue with a black horizontal stripe across the middle, edged in white. The blue stands for water and rain, and the black and white stripe for harmony between the people of the country. It was first raised at independence in 1966.
What the flag of Botswana looks like
The flag of Botswana has a width-to-height ratio of 2:3. The field is a pale, sky-like blue. Across the center runs a horizontal black band with a thin white stripe along both its top and bottom edges. The black band is narrow, so most of the flag is blue.
The design has no emblem. That makes it a very simple flag that is easy to recognize from a distance. The black and white stripe is the main feature that sets it apart. A smaller image is on the Botswana flag emoji page.
Botswana flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#6DA9D2RGB
109, 169, 210CMYK
48, 20, 0, 18HEX
#000000RGB
0, 0, 0CMYK
0, 0, 0, 100HEX
#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0Botswana flag meaning and symbolism
Blue stands for water, in particular rain. Water is scarce in a country that is largely semi-desert, which is why rain is so highly valued: the national motto is Pula, a Setswana word meaning rain, and it is also the name of the currency.
The black stripe with its white frame represents racial harmony. The stripe is sometimes compared to the markings of the zebra, which appears on the national coat of arms, though this is an informal reading. The adoption of the flag in 1966 also stood in contrast to the racial hierarchy of South Africa and Rhodesia at the time.
History of the Botswana flag
Before independence the area was the Bechuanaland Protectorate, which Britain took under its protection in 1885. It had no flag of its own and flew the Union Jack during the colonial period. Botswana moved toward self-government in the 1960s.
The national flag was designed by George Winstanley, a British colonial administrator who ran a design competition and, finding all the entries "hopeless", drew up the design himself. It was first raised at midnight on 30 September 1966, the day the country became independent, with Seretse Khama as its first president. It has not been changed since then. The date is celebrated each year as Botswana Day, or Independence Day.
Flags that look like the Botswana flag
No other national flag matches the Botswana flag closely. Estonia uses blue, black and white in horizontal bands of equal width, and Argentina also uses a light blue, but each is a different design. The flag is easy to identify among the flags of Africa because of its single black and white stripe.
Botswana flag facts
| Country | Republic of Botswana |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | September 30, 1966 |
| Proportions | 2:3 |
| Colors | #6DA9D2, #000000, #FFFFFF |
| Flag emoji | 🇧🇼 |
| Country code | BW, BWA (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Gaborone |
| Continent | Africa |
| Population | 2,480,244 |
| Area | 581,737 km² |
| Currency | Botswana pula |
| National anthem | Fatshe leno la rona |
Botswana flag: frequently asked questions
What do the colors of the Botswana flag mean?
Light blue stands for water and rain. The black stripe with its white edges stands for racial harmony among the people of Botswana.
What does the black stripe on Botswana's flag symbolize?
The black stripe, with its white edges, symbolizes racial harmony. It is sometimes compared to the black and white pattern of a zebra.
What is the old name for Botswana?
It was called Bechuanaland, a British protectorate from 1885. The country took the name Botswana at independence on 30 September 1966.
Is Botswana part of South Africa?
No. Botswana is an independent country that borders South Africa to the south and southeast, as well as Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
What is the significance of the Botswana flag?
It marks independence from the United Kingdom on 30 September 1966, when it replaced the Union Jack. Its black stripe with white edges stood for racial equality, in contrast to the apartheid policies of South Africa and Rhodesia at the time, and the blue stands for water and rain.
What was the Botswana flag before independence?
Before 1966 the Bechuanaland Protectorate, formed in 1885, had no unique national emblem and flew the Union Jack. British administrator George Winstanley found the competition entries "hopeless" and designed the present flag himself; it was first raised at midnight on independence day.
