Gabon is an African country and a former French colony, for which the Swiss invented the coat of arms. What country is it? What does the emblem and flag of Gabon look like?
A little bit about the state
Gabon is located in western Central Africa on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea. The country is surrounded by the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. Gabon is inhabited by 1.8 million people. Its territory occupies 74th place in the world in area (267,667 sq. Km).
The country is located within the equatorial and subequatorial zones. The west coast is indented by lagoons, river estuaries and bays. Due to these factors, a hot and very humid climate has formed in Gabon. More than 75% of the territory is covered by evergreen forests.
From 1839 to 1960, the state was a colony of France. From here, slaves, cocoa, coffee and wood were exported. Now Gabon is an independent Republic with its capital in Libreville. French is still the official language of the country, and Catholicism is the main religion.
The state has deposits of uranium and manganese ores, oil, gas and gold. Their processing makes up almost 60% of the economy. Thus, Gabon is one of the most stable and resource-rich countries in Africa.
Gabon flag
The modern flag was adopted in 1960 immediately after independence. It is a rectangular panel with a ratio of width to length 3: 4. In its symbolism, the flag of Gabon reflects the geographical features of the country.
The flag cloth is divided into three equal stripes. The uppermost strip is painted green and symbolizes the numerous forests of Gabon. The middle area is yellow. It means the hot sun, as well as the equator line. The blue bar below the flag indicates the waters of the Atlantic Ocean washing the country.
According to the values of classical heraldry: green is a symbol of abundance and hope, long-term prosperity, yellow, of course, means wealth and justice, and blue is a sign of the sky and, according to tradition, means beauty, greatness.
The first ever flag of Gabon was created shortly before its latest version - in 1959. He was not too different from the modern one. The cloth was also divided into three horizontal stripes, only the middle yellow part was two times thinner than the other two. The upper band was divided into two areas. The French tricolor was located on the part closest to the pole, another area was completely green.
Coat of arms of Gabon
The coat of arms of the republic was adopted in 1963. Its primary colors are consonant with the flag. Unlike the flag, its symbolism reflects not only the geographical, but also the economic characteristics of the country. The emblem was developed by the Swiss Louis Mülemmann.
The coat of arms has a triangular shape and belongs to the Varangian or Old French type. It is divided into three horizontal areas. The upper region is represented by a strip of green, on which there are golden circles - bezanty. They denote green forests and an abundance of minerals.
The middle area of the coat of arms is painted yellow. On top of it is a black ship on which the flag of Gabon flutters. The ship symbolizes the state itself, moving forward. The ship is sailing on the blue waves, which, like the flag, indicate the country's water wealth.
The shield is held by two black panthers with released golden claws and a red tongue. These are symbolic defenders of the state, testifying to the courage of the people. Their claws and tongue warn of their readiness to guard the country.
Above the shield is the crown of a tree, on which there is a silver ribbon with the inscription Uniti Progredimur, which means "moving along." Under the emblem are the golden roots of a tree and a blue ribbon with the motto of Gabon: Union, Travail, Justice (“Union, Labor, Justice”).