The colors of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The light blue represents water—specifically, in its form of rain, as it is a precious resource in Botswana, which relies on agriculture and suffers from frequent droughts due to the dry and arid climate of the Kalahari Desert. The blue also alludes to the motto featured on the coat of arms of Botswana—Pula, which means “Let there be rain” in Setswana – as well as life, which is sustained by water.
The black band with the white frame has two meanings. Firstly, they symbolize the harmony and cooperation between the people of different races who live in Botswana, as well as the racial diversity of the country. Furthermore, they represent the stripes of the zebra, the national animal of Botswana.