Equatorial Guinea

Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Ecuatorial

Last modified: 2011-10-14 by bruce berry
Keywords: equatorial guinea | guinea ecuatorial | silk | unitad | pax | justicia |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors

2:3~  Image by Željko Heimer, 23 Oct 2001
Flag adopted 21 August 1979, coat of arms adopted 21 August 1979.

• Description of the flag

• Coat of arms

• Presidential standard proposal

See also:

• Equatorial Guinea Air Force
• Bubi (Bioko Island)
• Political Parties of Equatorial Guinea
• Historical flags:
  • Spanish possession, 1778 - 1781
  • British administration, 1827 - 1858
  • Spanish Guinea (1858 - 1959) (Spanish colony) and the Spanish overseas provinces of Fernando Pó and Río Muni (1959 - 1963)
  • Equatorial Guinea, 1963 - 1968
  • Republic of Equatorial Guinea, 1968 -
    • Equatorial Guinea, 1973 - 1979 (Nguema regime)

The flag of Equatorial Guinea is a horizontal tricolor of green over white over red, with a blue triangle at the hoist.  The coat of arms are to be found in the centre of the white stripe.  The arms are gray with silk cotton tree. Above are six yellow six pointed stars representing the mainland and islands which make up the country. Under shield is a motto: UNIDAD - PAZ - JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice). The flag was adopted at independence on 12 October 1968. During the dictatorship of Francisco Nguema (1972-79) the emblem on flag was changed, but the original 1968 coat of arms was restored after Nguema was deposed in August 1979.

The symbolism of the colours is as follows:

• Green symbolises the natural resources and the flora and fauna of the country;

• Blue symbolises the sea, which connects the mainland with the islands, which together form the country;

• White symbolises peace; and

• Red symbolises the struggle for independence.

Željko Heimer 14 Dec 1995

The construction details of the flag are given in Album des pavillons nationaux et des marques distinctives (National flags and distinctive markings) 2000 edition [pay00] as (2+2+2):9~ but I think this merely notes that the three stripes are of the same width and that:

• shade of blue triangle approximates to Pantone 312c which is rather light. [vdv00] and [smi82] indicate a darker shade (navy blue);
• The size ("height") of the triangle is given as being equal to a stripe height (1/3 of hoist). [vdv00] is quite similar while [smi82] and some other sources make the triangle much bigger (isosceles?); and
• Position of the coat of arms is shown as being in the middle of flag and sometimes in the middle from the triangle to the fly edge.

2:3~  Image by Željko Heimer, 23 Oct 2001

Album  [pay00] gives the flag without the coat of arms as being the "Unofficial Variant" for a civil flag and ensign.
Željko Heimer, 23 Oct 2001

Coat of Arms

Image by Željko Heimer, 23 Oct 2001

The coat of arms of Equatorial Guinea were adopted on 21 August 1979 and feature a silk cotton tree (the so called "God Tree") on a gray background.  The tree is where the first treaty was signed between Spain and a local ruler signifying the beginning of the colonial period.  Above the shield are six yellow six-pointed stars representing mainland and the five main islands which together comprises the country. Under shield is the national motto: UNIDAD - PAZ - JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice).  The Arms were originally at independence but were changed during the dictatorship of Francisco Nguema (1972-79) and were restored in 1979.

The coat of arms are found in the centre of the white stripe of the national flag.

The coat of arms in the above image is adapted from Corel Clipart collection.
Željko Heimer, 14 Dec1995

Presidential Flag proposal

There is currently no Presidential standard in Equatorial Guinea.

        Images by Jaume Ollé, 01 July 1997

However, in 1986 the Presidency of the Equatorial Guinea requested the design for a presidential standard.  Tomas Rodriguez and Antonio Manzano make three proposals that were presented to the then President, Teorodo Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

The proposals all featured the silk cotton tree (Ceiba in Spanish) from the national Arms with three yellow "colonel" stars to signify the rank of President Obiang in the army (in the Spanish army I suppose, since he obtained his title in Spain).  The six stars are not explained, but they could correspond to the country's districts or the pieces of territory which together make up the country.  
Source: Moharra number 2, September 1986.
Jaume Ollé, 01 July 1997