Flag of the Gambia

History

The British first arrived in what is now modern-day Gambia in 1661, when they conquered James Island. They proceeded to construct forts around the confluence of the Gambia River with the Atlantic Ocean, and gradually expanded their control upstream. This area became a protectorate in the 1820s under the jurisdiction of Sierra Leone, and eventually emerged as a separate crown colony of the United Kingdom within its colonial empire in 1888. This newfound status gave the Gambia its own "distinctive" colonial flag. This is because colonies were permitted to utilize the British Blue Ensign and deface it with the arms of the territory under the Colonial Naval Defence Act 1865. The arms of the Gambia at the time consisted of a circle depicting an elephant, a palm tree and hills, along with the letter "G" standing for the first letter of the territory's name.

The Gambia was granted self-governance in 1963. It is one of the few African flags that does not utilize the colors of the country's leading political party, since its design "has no political basis". It was first hoisted at midnight on February 18, 1965, the day the Gambia became an independent country. In 1982, the Gambia formed a confederation with Senegal, which lasted for seven years before its dissolution in 1989. However, this closer union did not result in change of national symbols, and the Gambian flag continued to be flown during this time.

Design

Symbolism

The colors of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The blue alludes to the Gambia River, which is the nation's key geographical feature and from which the country derives its name. while the thin white stripes represent "unity and peace". The green symbolizes the forest and the agricultural goods that the Gambian people are heavily dependent on, both for exports and their personal use.

Similarities

The flag's colors scheme of red, blue, green and white is the same as the one featured on the coat of arms of the Gambia.

Construction sheet

|File:Flag of the Gambia (construction sheet).svg|flag construction sheet

Governmental flags

Other uses

Following the 2013 general election in Luxembourg, a three-party coalition between the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), the Democratic Party (DP) and The Greens was formed. It was labelled a "Gambia coalition", because the colors of the three political parties are identical to the ones on the flag of the Gambia – red (LSAP), blue (DP) and Green (The Greens).

Military flags and ensigns

Military flags and ensigns of the Gambia are following British practice but different from British military flags and ensigns.

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

References

1. "Flag of the Gambia | Meaning, Colors & History | Britannica".
2. "History of The Gambia". Lonely Planet.
3. Smith, Whitney. "Gambia, flag of The". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc..
4. Dabo, Bakary. (1992). "The voice of the people: the story of the PPP, 1959–1989". Baroueli.
5. "1965: Countdown to Gambian independence". BBC.
6. (February 18, 1965). "Gambia Flag Takes Place of Union Jack". The Milwaukee Journal.
7. "Gambia, The". CIA.
8. Norman, Laurence. (December 2, 2013). "Luxembourg Parties Strike Deal Paving Way for New Government". The Wall Street Journal.
9. Taylor, Simon. (December 4, 2013). "Bettel to lead three-party 'Gambia' coalition in Luxembourg". European Voice.
10. (October 22, 2013). "Three-way "Gambia Coalition": a first for Luxembourg". Luxemburger Wort.
11. "Gambia - Military flags".