Flag of Niger

The Flag of Niger (French: drapeau du Niger) has been the national symbol of the Republic of the Niger since 1959, a year prior to its formal independence from French West Africa. It uses the national colors of orange, white and green, in equal horizontal bands, with an orange roundel in the center. The flag forms one of the official national symbols of the Republic of Niger, with the coat of arms of Niger, the National Anthem ("la Nigérienne"), the coat of arms, and the motto: "Fraternité, Travail, Progrès". These form Article 1 of the first part of the 1999 Constitution of Niger.

Flags of Niger
Republic of the Niger
UseNational flag
Proportion6:7 (see below)
Adopted23 November 1959
DesignA horizontal triband of orange, white and green; charged with an orange circle in the centre

Prior to independence from French West Africa, the flag of Niger was adopted by the Territorial Assembly of the Niger Colony on 23 November 1959, shortly before proclamation of the Republic within the French Community on 18 December 1959. The flag was designed in 1958. It was retained upon independence in 1960 and has remained unchanged through the 1999 Fifth Constitution.

Symbolism

A number of sources have described the symbolic intent of the flag, although official sources have yet to confirm. Common interpretations are that the upper orange band represents the northern regions of the Sahara Desert, or the Sahel, the center white band represents purity, or the Niger River, and the lower green band represents both hope and the fertile regions of southern Niger. The orange disc in the center band is thought to stand for the sun or independence.[1]

Niger's flag is a tricolour, in common with other former dependencies and colonies of France.

It is also similar to the flag of India, except for the orange disc in the middle.

Ratio

The flag's traditional portrayal with an unusual 6:7 ratio is of unknown significance and is not used consistently in print applications of the Nigerien government.[2]

  • Ratio 2:3
  • Ratio 3:5
  • Ratio 1:2

References
  1. see Flags of the World, which cites published (foreign) sources for this. Other examples include Flags of the World 101
    Susan Rasmussen Moving beyond Protest in Tuareg Ichumar Musical Performance. Ethnohistory 2006 53(4):633-655 describes Tuareg performers in orange, saying "orange symbolizes the Sahara desert" and relating it to the colors of the Nigerien flag.
  2. The FOTW for a discussion of this, and the following government websites for examples of various ratios being used official capacity:
  • Portions of this article were translated from the German language Wikipedia article de:Flagge Nigers, (consulted 2008-07-25).
  • W. Smith, O. Neubecker: Die Zeichen der Menschen und Völker: Unsere Welt in Fahnen und Flaggen. Reich Verlag Luzern, 1975, ISBN 3-7243-0115-4
  • Flag of Niger at FOTW, (consulted 2008-07-25).

Further reading
  • Chaïbou, Maman (2009). "Le drapeau national". Les attributs de la République. Collection Éducation à la citoyenneté (in French). Vol. v.3. Niamey, Niger. OCLC 656089538.
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