Flag of Sri Lanka
Flag NameFlag of Sri Lanka
Country NameSri Lanka
ISO 3166-1 alpha-2LK
Date Adopted1948-02-04
Adoption Statusofficial
Flag Typenational
Aspect Ratio1:2
Primary ColorsMaroon, Gold, Green, Orange
Symbolism DescriptionThe golden lion represents the Sinhalese ethnicity and the strength of the nation. The sword signifies the sovereignty of the country. The four golden bo leaves at the corners symbolize the four virtues of Mettā (loving-kindness), Karuṇā (compassion), Muditā (sympathetic joy), and Upekkhā (equanimity), and also represent Buddhism. The maroon background represents the majority Sinhalese people. The green stripe represents the Sri Lankan Moors (Muslims), and the orange stripe represents the Sri Lankan Tamils. The golden border surrounding the flag signifies the unity of all communities in Sri Lanka.
Symbolism Categoriespeople
DesignerA committee led by D. S. Senanayake, with contributions from S. Nadesan and John H. L. Cooray for the initial design.
Related FlagsFlag of Ceylon (historical), Provincial flags of Sri Lanka
Legal DescriptionThe design of the national flag is enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka, specifically in Article 6 of the 1978 Constitution.
Description
The national flag of Sri Lanka features a golden lion holding a kastane sword on a maroon background, bordered by four golden bo leaves at each corner. To the hoist side, there are two vertical stripes of green and orange, separated by a golden border from the maroon field and from each other.
