#28. Gabonese Republic

Welcome to "Africa's" last Eden!

Been inhabitted for over 2 centuries by the famous Pygmy and Bantus, yet the tropical rainforest still covers close to 90% of its land and 13 national parks with a rich diversity of flora and fauna! There is a very strong aspect of environmental stewardship that the rest of the world should learn from the people of Gabon. I would so much love to visit the Loango National Park. It is not a surprise that 80% of Africa's gorillas are found in Gabon! This must be heavenly to see!

Led by recently elected President Brice Oligui, the country's capital is Libreville. Gabon is bordered by Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west; the islands of Sao Tome and Principe are situated off the coast.

With curiosity at peak, let us look at the brief history of the national flag of Gabon.

Brief History of Gabon's National Flag

Gabon was once a French colony, and the flag of Gabon has its roots in the French tricolor. During the French colonial period, Gabon used the French tricolor as its official flag. The French tricolor of red, white, and blue has been the official flag of France since 1794, (shown below).

In 1960, Gabon gained independence from France, and the French tricolor was replaced by the flag of Gabon. The new flag was designed in 1959 to reflect the country’s culture and history. The original flag that was designed directly after their bid for independence was slightly different that the one today. Originally the yellow stripe in the middle of the blue and green stripes was slightly thinner. Additionally, the French flag was situated in the top left corner of the flag in a position known as its canton. The canton of a flag is often used to fly an emblem and occasionally represents another country’s flag if it had a large impact on it, (shown below)

In 1960, however, the adjustments to the current flag of Gabon included removing the canton and making the yellow stripe equal in size to the other two stripes. Currently, these adjustments are still in place, and Gabon hasn’t had any other changes to its national flag in the years since, (shown below).

Meaning of the flag parameters

The flag of Gabon consists of three equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, and blue.

The green band symbolizes the country’s natural resources and forests.

The yellow band represents the equatorial placement and the importance of the sun.

The blue band represents the Atlantic Ocean, an essential element for the country’s prosperity.

These various colors and their representations all go to show just how naturally rich the country of Gabon is. The natural resources of Gabon include petroleum, minerals (mostly manganese), and timber. In fact, timber is one of the most important elements for Gabon’s economy, with over 85% of its entire territory currently covered in forests.

The National Anthem of Gabon

The Concorde

United in the concord and the brotherhood,

Awaken thee, Gabon, dawn is at hand.

Stir up the spirit that thrills and inspires us!

At last we rise up to attain happiness.

At last we rise up to attain happiness.

Dazzling and proud, the sublime day dawns,

Dispelling for ever injustice and shame.

May it rise, rise again and calm our fears,

May it promote virtue and banish warfare.

Yes, may the happy days dreamed by our ancestors,

Come for us at last, rejoice our hearts,

And banish the sorcerers, those perfidious deceivers

Who sow poison and spread fear.

So that, in the eyes of the world and of friendly nations,

The immortal Gabon may maintain her good repute,

Let us forget our quarrels, let us build together,

The new structure of which we are all dreaming of.

From the shores of the Ocean to the heart of the forest,

Let us remain vigilant, without weakness and without hatred!

Around this flag which leads us to honour,

Let us salute the Fatherland and ever sing!

______________________________________

National Motto: Union, Travail, Justice (French) - ("Union, Work, Justice" - English)

The national anthem of Gabon was adopted in 1960. It was written and composed by Georges Aleka Damas.

"Awaken thee, Gabon, dawn is at hand. Stir up the spirit that thrills and inspires us!". I can hear this statement calling me up especially of late when so much is happening in my life and dreams. A nation that repeats these power words cannot normally lazy around. The power of identity in this dynamic world wins!

Endowed with a rich unique resource bank and a committed people to make the difference they would want to see regardless of drawbacks, Gabon is an inspiration not only to other nations and its people but also to someone at a personal level if they take a look from an optimistc perspective. The happy days dreamt by they that went ahead of us are still alive. Our loyalty will keep us still dreaming in the course until we get there.

Dear Africa,

O how I love you!

"At last we rise up to attain happiness!"

________________________

Dear Esteemed Reader,

See you in the next country!

Main Refs: Britannica.com, Enjoytravel.com, Alijazeera.com, a-z-animals.com, hymne-national.com

©Girl of the African Soil