Flag Of Niger

Republic of the Niger
Use	National flag
Proportion	6:7 (by convention; see below.)
Adopted	23 November 1959; 64 years ago
Design	A horizontal triband of orange, white and green; charged with an orange circle in the centre.

It uses the national colors of orange, white and green, in equal horizontal bands, with an orange circle in the center. The flag forms one of the official national symbols of the Republic of the Niger, along with the coat of arms, the National Anthem ("The Honor of the Fatherland"), and the national motto: "Fraternité, Travail, Progrès".

Legal definition

Prior to the independence of Niger from French West Africa, the flag of Niger was adopted by the Territorial Assembly of the Niger Colony on 23 November 1959, shortly before the 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 to the 2010 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 as well as the country's Muslim majority. The orange disc in the center band is thought to stand for the sun or independence.

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. The ratio is not explicitly specified in the Constitution of Niger.

Other ratios seen
Ratio 2:3
Ratio 3:5
Ratio 1:2

Historical flags

Years of use	Ratio	Government	Description
1902–1904	2:3	As part of Senegambia and Niger	The French tricolor was used as the official flag of Niger for most of its history as a colony.
1904–1922		As part of Upper Senegal and Niger
1922–1959		Colony of Niger
1959–present	6:7	Colony of Niger	The current flag, consisting of a horizontal triband of orange, white and green; charged with an orange circle in the center, was adopted as the official flag of the Colony of Niger on 23 November 1959. It has remained the national flag of the Republic of the Niger since its independence in 1960.
1959–present	6:7	Republic of the Niger