The flag of Sri Lanka is also called the Lion Flag. It consists of a gold lion holding a sword in its right fore-paw and four leaves of a fig tree on a reddish background. This is bordered by gold, and to its left there are two vertical stripes of equal size in green and saffron, with the saffron stripe closest to the lion.

The flag reflects the population of Sri Lanka in its totality, which is composed of Buddhists in its great majority, Hindus, Muslims and Christians:

1. Yellow, the medium color of the rainbow spectrum, tempers the perception of the other colors. It emphasizes the common features rather than the differences.

2. The four leaves in the corners refer to the four spiritual or religious branches within the country gathered around the single Axis symbolized by the Tree. The Bodhi Tree for Buddhists, the Banian for Hindu, the Universal Tree for Muslims and the Tree of Life for Christians. As for the lion holding a sword, it takes on symbolic meanings common to diverse traditions.

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