Page 87 - (DK) Complete Flags of the World
P. 87

Africa


          Ivory Coast


          Ratio: 2:3   Adopted: December 3, 1959   Usage: National and Civil

          The design is
          modeled on the                                    Green recalls their
          French Tricolore                                  coastal forests


          Orange represents the
            savannah grasslands


                                           White represents
                                           the country’s rivers

          Africa
               -ALI "URKINAKINA  Ivory Coast was originally part of French
            'UINEA
                ) )6/29
                #/!34 4  West Africa. It became independent in its own
                   'HANA
              ERI
              ERI
              ERIA
             ,IBERIERI
                         right on August 7, 1960.
          After independence, Ivory Coast   interpretation is that they symbolize
          formed a loose alliance of West   progress, hope, and national unity.
          African states. The flags of these   The flag was adopted in 1959, just
          states were influenced both by the  prior to independence.
          pan-African colors first used by
          Ghana, and also by the model of the  THE NATIONAL ARMS
          French Tricolore, the flag of the  The coat of arms, which has a green
          former colonial power.            shield charged with an elephant’s
                                            head, is based on the emblem of the
          ALLIANCE OF WEST AFRICAN STATES   Rassemblement Démocratique Africaine,
                                   T
                                   T
          The colors chosen for Ivory Coast’s   the dominant political party at the
          flag were also used by Niger, with   time of independence. Originally the
          which Ivory Coast had an alliance   elephant’s head was on a blue shield,
          (the resemblance to the colors of   but this was altered in 1964 to green,
          Ireland is coincidental). They were   to match the national flag. The shield
          intended to symbolize the following:  is supported by two palm trees.
          orange represents the savannah    Behind is a rising sun. On a scroll at
          grasslands, white the rivers, and green  the base of the arms is the title of the
          the coastal forests. Another      state, “Republique de Côte d’Ivoire.”



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