Gabon - Fact Sheet (original) (raw)


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[[Flag of Gabon]](../images/g/ga.gif)

See also:

Description:

The flag of Gabon is a horizontal tricolor of green, yellow and blue. The proportions are 3:4.

According to Devereux (1994), the colours mean respectively the forest, the Equator line (which crosses the country) and the sea.1

State arms

[[state arms].gif)](../misc/ga%29.gif)

The shield is supported by two black panthers and an okoum� tree symbolizing the timber trade. The ship represents Gabon moving towards a brighter future. The coat of arms is unusual in having two ribbons with mottos in two different languages. The ribbon below the shield has the motto in French 'UNION, TRAVAIL, JUSTICE' ('Union, Work, Justice'). The second ribbon is placed beneath the branches of the okoum� tree and has the motto in Latin 'UNITI PROGREDIEMUR' ('Let us go forward united').

The coat of arms was designed by the Swiss heraldist and vexillologist Louis M�hlemann, one of the founding members of the FIAV and also designer of the former coat of arms of Congo. The panthers symbolize the vigilance and courage of the president who protects the nation. The bezants (golden discs) in chief of the shield symbolize the mineral wealth of the country.2

Flag Laws

Title 1

The Republic and Sovereignty

Article 2

(...)

The national emblem is the tricolor flag, green, yellow, blue in three horizontal bands of equal dimension.

(...)

The motto of the Republic is "Union - Work - Justice".

The seal of the Republic is a "Nursing Maternity".3

Footnotes

1 Ant�nio Martins-Tuv�lkin, E-mail dated 30 May 1997
2Ivan Sache, E-mail dated 4 October 2001 citing Smith (1975) and Dorling-Kindersley Flag Pocket Book
3 Ivan Sache, E-mail dated 21 January 2003 citing Constitutions - What they tell us about national flags and coats of arms

Artistic credits:

Flag of Gabon: Željko Heimer
Coat of Arms: unknown, located by Dov Gutterman

Flags of the World
March, 2005