The flag of Gabon has three horizontal divisions painted green, yellow, and blue. The proportions of the flag are 3:4. The government adopted the use of the current flag on August 9, 1960. The design contradicts flags of other former French colonies which have vertical tricolors instead of the horizontal one.
The yellow strip on the flag denotes the country’s position near the Equator. Yellow also points towards the sun which shines on Gabon and its people during the year. Blue is symbolic of the state’s water bodies; more specifically the South Atlantic Ocean. It is also an allusion of the extensive coast which exists along the ocean. Green portrays the natural outlook of Gabon including the large area covered by forests. The extensive forest area largely contributes to the economy of the nation. Rainforests cover 85% of Gabon.
It is not clear who the designer of the Gabon flag was. The available information indicates that the flag was an improvement of the flag used just before independence.
The flag that was used between 1959 and 1960 had the French Tricolor at the top left corner. The tricolor consisted of the vertical strips painted blue, white, and red. Next to it was a portion painted green. Underneath this region of the flag was a yellow horizontal band. Below the yellow strip was a blue horizontal region. After independence, the French Tricolor was excluded from the new flag.
This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018
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