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The coat of arms of Gabon was designed by the
Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...
heraldist and
vexillologist Vexillology ( ) is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general.Smith, Whitney. ''Flags Through the Ages and Across the World'' New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975. Print. The word is a synth ...
Louis Mühlemann, one of the founding members of the
FIAV The International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV, French language, French acronym: ''Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques'') is an international federation of 53 regional, national, and multinational assoc ...
and the designer of the coat of arms of the Republic of Congo. It has been in use since 15 July 1963.


Official description

The government of Gabon describes the coat of arms as follows:Symboles nationaux - Presidence de la Republique Gabonaise
''presidence.ga''. ''Or, a ship sable, masts of the same, with the flag of Gabon, tierced in fess vert, or and azure, sailing upon a sea azure; a chief vert charged with three bezants.'' Only the blazon of the escutcheon is mentioned by the government. Other elements are mentioned, but not as a part of the blazon. The supporters are "two black panthers", and the compartment is an ''Aucoumea klaineana''. The motto is "UNION, TRAVAIL, JUSTICE" in capital letters or on a field azure, and the slogan "UNITI PROGREDIEMUR" in capital letters sable.


Symbolism

The supporters of the symbol are panthers which symbolize the vigilance and courage of the president who protects the nation. The bezants (golden discs) in chief of the shield symbolize the mineral wealth of the country. The ship at the lower part represents Gabon moving towards a brighter future. According to Briggs, "green represents the great dense forests; yellow, the sun; blue, the sea; and black, the people of Africa". The
okoumé tree ''Aucoumea klaineana'' (angouma, gaboon, or okoumé) is a tree in the family Burseraceae, native to equatorial west Africa in Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and Río Muni. It is a large hardwood tree growing to tall, rarely larger, with a ...
at the top of the shield symbolizes the timber trade. The coat of arms is unusual in having two ribbons with mottos in two different languages. The ribbon below the shield has a motto in French 'UNION, TRAVAIL, JUSTICE' ('Unity, Work, Justice'). The second ribbon is placed beneath the branches of the
okoumé tree ''Aucoumea klaineana'' (angouma, gaboon, or okoumé) is a tree in the family Burseraceae, native to equatorial west Africa in Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and Río Muni. It is a large hardwood tree growing to tall, rarely larger, with a ...
and has a motto in Latin 'UNITI PROGREDIEMUR' ('We shall go forward united').


See also

* Flag of Gabon


References


External links

Gabon National symbols of Gabon Gabon Gabon Gabon Gabon Gabon {{Heraldry-stub