GAMBIA, FLAG OF THE

national flag consisting of horizontal stripes of red, blue, and green separated by two thinner stripes of white. The flag has a width-to-length ratio of 2 to 3. The British Parliament's Colonial Naval Defence Act of 1865 provided that the British Blue Ensign would be defaced by a badge for each government department or colony making use of it. These distinctive ensigns became de facto national flags even before the colonies achieved independence. In the case of The Gambia, the badge in question was a yellow disk bearing an elephant and palm tree in natural colours with hills and the sky in the background and the initial letter of the colonial name ( Gfor Gambia). The Gambia achieved independence on February 18, 1965, under its first real national flag, which is in use today. It was designed by L. Thomasi. The centre stripe is blue to symbolize the river that is the main resource of the country and the basis for its name. The top stripe is red, suggesting the sun and the equatorial position of the country. The green stripe on the bottom symbolizes the agricultural produce (including peanuts [groundnuts], grains, and citrus fruits) on which citizens rely for exports and their own consumption. The white stripes separating the blue from the green and red are said to stand for peace and unity. (White flags as a symbol of peace date back at least to the recommendation made for such use in 1095 by Pope Urban II.) The flag colour combination also appears in the Gambian coat of arms, which was approved by the English College of Arms, the heraldic advisers to Queen Elizabeth. Whitney Smith