In the central part of Africa, just north of the equator, the state of Cameroon is located. The flag and coat of arms of the republic reflect its geographical and historical features. They are official symbols of the country.
Flag of Cameroon: photo, description and meaning
The regulation on the state flag of the country was adopted by the constitution in 1975. The flag of Cameroon is a cloth with an aspect ratio of 2: 3. The composition is divided into three equal vertical stripes, and a golden star is placed in the center.
Flag colors are traditional for Africa. They are present in many heraldic symbols of the countries of the continent. Cameroon became the second state after Ghana, which adopted pan-African colors for the flag.
The strip closest to the shaft is green. It is a symbol of forests and lush vegetation in the southern part of the country. According to the canons of heraldry, it also means hope and freedom. The middle strip is red. It is a symbol of the unification of the south and north of Cameroon, the independence of the republic.
The last bar is yellow. This is a sign of the sun and savannah, which are located in the northern regions of the state. At the same time, yellow symbolizes wealth and strength. The five-pointed star in the center of the flag reflects the unity of the country.
How did the flags of the republic change ?
Cameroon has not always been an independent republic. In the XIX century, the territory of the country was transferred under the protectorate of Germany. The flag of the German West African Company was recognized as official in the colony. The red cross divided its white panel into four equal areas, each of which was lettered from the abbreviation of the company (DWAG). In the middle was a yellow circle with a black eagle.
In 1914, the new emblem and flag of Cameroon were developed. The cloth was divided into three horizontal stripes of black, white and red. In the center was a red coat of arms depicting a silver elephant. Due to the outbreak of the war, Cameroon's Protectorate symbols were never officially approved.
After the war, the country came under the control of France and Britain and did not have its own symbolism. During the struggle for independence in 1948, the Union of Peoples of Cameroon chose a red canvas with the image of a crab on it as its flag.
The republic received independence only in 1960. Then the flag of Cameroon was painted in stripes of pan-African colors. A year later, two gold stars were placed on the green stripe, and in 1975 they were replaced by one star in the center of the banner.
Coat of arms of the republic
Just like the flag of Cameroon, the country's coat of arms is painted in stripes of green, red and yellow. The central red field schematically shows a map of the republic in blue. On top of it are the scales of justice, and above them is a golden five-pointed star.
Together, these figures symbolize the unity of the borders of the state, the fair unification of its lands and the right to independence. The green and yellow field of the stamp are empty. Behind the shield, fascia intersect, at the ends of which axes are placed. They symbolize the strength of the state, the willingness to defend it.
The composition is crowned with a national motto in French: Paix, Travail, Patrie, which means “Peace. Work. Fatherland ". Below, under the shield, in English and French, is the inscription “Republic of Cameroon”.