Flag of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's flag features a golden yellow border surrounding a maroon field. Centered is a golden lion holding a kastane sword in its right forepaw. To the hoist side are two vertical stripes of equal size: green and orange, respectively.

The golden lion with the sword represents the Sinhalese people and their bravery. The maroon background symbolizes the blood shed in defense of the nation. The four bo leaves in each corner represent the four noble truths of Buddhism. The green and orange stripes symbolize the Muslim and Tamil communities, respectively, reflecting the country's multicultural nature.

The flag of Sri Lanka was adopted in its current form in 1972, though its core elements date back much further. The lion flag was historically used by Sinhalese monarchs. It was revived as the flag of the Dominion of Ceylon in 1948 after independence from British rule. The green and orange stripes were added to represent the Muslim and Tamil minorities within the country.