This coat of arms was designed by the Swiss heraldist L. Muehlemmann. He also developed the coat of arms of another country - Congo. The coat of arms of Gabon began to be used in heraldic practice since 1963.
Brief description of the coat of arms
The coat of arms of Gabon is a golden shield with a green head with golden bezants. Above there is an image of a black ship. The flag of the country is located at the stern of the ship. As supporters - black panthers looking straight ahead. They have golden-colored armor and show a scarlet tongue. Behind the shield there is another heraldic symbol - a golden-colored tree with a green crown. On the roots of this tree, panther supporters are supported.
On top of the shield is the coat of arms with the state motto - Uniti Progredimur, which means "Moving forward together." On the motto ribbon there is also another inscription, which translates as “Union, labor, justice”. These are the main pillars of the statehood of Gabon, depicted on the coat of arms.
Description and meaning of symbols
- The black ship is a symbolic image of the country's movement towards a brighter future, prosperity.
- The golden bezants reflect the richness of the country's natural resources. It is the most important source of wealth for Gabon.
- Black panthers are a symbol of the courage and bravery of the president of the country. His vocation is to protect the nation, and the vocation of the panthers is to help him in this. Panthers are also a symbol of the constant readiness of the country's armed forces to defend it from enemies.
- The tree is a symbol of the timber trade, which brings enormous wealth to the country.
- The motto of the coat of arms means the main pillars of statehood.
What does the flag on the coat of arms of the country mean?
The coat of arms of Gabon also uses the image of the flag. The modern flag of the country is a rectangle that is divided into three equal horizontal parts - green, yellow and blue. The symbolism of this flag was chosen due to the geographical location of the country. The coat of arms also emphasizes Gabon's advantageous position. Blue is the sea, green is the forest. And yellow is nothing more than the sun, brightly and generously illuminating the country. It is also a stylized confirmation of Gabon's position at the equator.
The coat of arms of the country is required for use in all government agencies of the country, schools, etc. All citizens are obliged to respect the coat of arms of the country and not allow desecration of it.
