The flag of Sri Lanka consists of a gold lion representing the Sinhalese ethnicity, holding a sword in its right forepaw, in front of a maroon background with four leaves, one in each corner. The lion symbolizes bravery, while the sword represents the sovereignty of the nation. The maroon background represents the other major ethnic group in the country, the Tamil people, as well as the Buddhist religion. The four leaves represent the four noble truths in Buddhism. There is also a yellow border around the flag.