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Gambia

The Gambia, The Republic of The Gambia

image by Željko Heimer, 06 Oct 2001

Description of the flag
Meanings of the flag
President flag
Ambassador flag
Coat of arms

See also:

Gambian political flags
Gambia (British rule)
Senegambia, loose federation of Senegal and Gambia around 1980.

Description of the flag

Horizontally divided flag with stripes top to bottom red, white, blue, white, green in ratio 6:1:4:1:6.
Željko Heimer, 06 Oct 2001

Dorling-Kindersley [udk97] says this was adopted on 18 February 1965 and Smith [smi76] is more precise, saying that it was «officially hoisted on 18 February 1965», which may (or not) mean that the flag had been use before.
Ivan Sache, 06 Oct 2001

These symbols [flag and arms] were not modified during the short-lived Senegambian Federation (1981-1989). Remember that Gambia is enclaved within Senegal. The distance between both north and south borders never exceeds 25 km.
Ivan Sache, 06 Oct 2001

Construction details

image by Željko Heimer, 06 Oct 2001

Meanings of the flag

Symbolism: light blue, the Gambia river that flows through the land; red, the sun overhead; green, the land.
David Kendall, 01 Oct 1996

Note that a possible source for the symbolism given above is Smith (1976) [smi76].
Ivan Sache, 06 Oct 2001

Dorling-Kindersley Pocket Book (1998) [udk97] gives as symbolism of the colours: Green is said to represent forest and red savannah.
Ivan Sache, 06 Oct 2001

Politikens Flagbook, 2000 [udk98a], has for the colours (translated):

Red symbolizes the savannah’s grass plains and the sun; the blue stripe stands for the river Gambia; green symbolizes the forests as well as agriculture.

But in the text it says (translated):

The blue stripe symbolizes the river Gambia, which flows between the green forest and the red savannah. White stands for unity and peace.

Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 07 Oct 2001

According to M. Tallocci [tal93], the white fimbriations represent peace and purity.
Ivan Sache, 04 Oct 1996

In some sources, the interpretation of the colours is slightly different for the coat of arms.
Ivan Sache, 06 Oct 2001

President flag

image by Željko Heimer and Mario Fabretto, 07 Oct 2001

Blue flag with the coat of arms in the middle and golden fringe along three edges. [smi82] does not mention this flag, but [cra90k] already describes it. Possibly it was not adopted yet in 1970 when the republic was proclaimed, but latter on.
Željko Heimer, 06 Oct 2001

At http://www.statehouse.gm/president.html, you can se parts of this flag.
Christian Berghänel, 18 Dec 2002

Ambassador flag

image by Željko Heimer and Mario Fabretto, 06 Oct 2001

The national flag defaced with the coat of arms (approximately) of 2/3 height of the hoist.
Željko Heimer, 06 Oct 2001

Coat of arms

Adopted in 18 November 1964.
Nozomi Kariyasu

Znamierowski [zna99] says that the original idea of design came from Gambia and was forwarded to the College of Arms.
Ivan Sache, 06 Oct 2001

In some sources, the interpretation of the colours is slightly different for the coat of arms: According to Smith [smi76],

blue: love and loyalty
white: law-abiding nature of the Gambians and friendliness
green: hope and broadmindedness.

The agricultural implements depicted in the shield are an axe and hoe and indicate that future prosperity of Gambia depends upon agriculture. The lions as supporters represent stateliness and dignity and may also recall the former colonial power. Dorling-Kindersley [udk97] differs on the interpretation of axe and hoe, which are said to represent the Mandinka and Fulani, the two more important ethnic groups of Gambia. Was this interpreation proposed later than independence in order to stabilize the relations between both groups? The crest above the helmet is a local oil palm.
Ivan Sache, 06 Oct 2001