A lion is prominently featured on the flag of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s national flag is often called the Lion Flag or Sinha Flag because its largest maroon panel shows a golden lion holding a kastane sword in its right forepaw. Four golden bo-tree leaves appear in the corners of that panel, while a gold border separates it from green and orange vertical bands.
The lion is strongly associated with Sinhalese identity, heritage, strength, and valor. Sri Lankan historical tradition connects the symbol with the island’s early royal standards and with stories recorded in the Mahavamsa, a major chronicle of Sri Lankan history. The sword-bearing lion also appeared on the historic flag of the Kingdom of Kandy.
The modern flag was adopted for independent Ceylon in 1948 and was redesigned when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972. The green and orange stripes represent important minority communities, while the four bo leaves are associated with Buddhist virtues. A common mistake is to focus only on the lion and overlook the sword, leaves, border, and community-representing stripes that complete the design.