Banner o Niger

The Banner o Niger haes been the naitional seembol o the Wast African Republic o Niger syne 1959, a year prior tae its formal unthirldom frae Fraunce. It uises the naitional colors o orange, white an green, in equal horizontal baunds, wi an orange rondel in the center. The banner forms ane o the offeecial naitional seembols o the Republic o Niger, wi the coat o airms o Niger, the Naitional Anthem ("la Nigérienne"), the crest (uised in the centre o the coat o airms), an the devise: "Fraternité, Travail, Progrès". Thir form Article 1 o the first pairt o the 1999 Constitution o Niger.

 Legal definition 
Prior tae unthirldom frae French Wast Africae, the banner o Niger wis adoptit bi the Territorial Assembly o the Niger Colony on 23 November 1959, shortly afore proclamation o the Republic athin the French Community on 18 December 1959. The banner wis designed in 1958.  It wis retained upon unthirldom in 1960 an haes remained unchynged throu the 1999 Fift Constitution

Seembolism
A nummer o soorces hae describit the seembolic intent o the banner, awtho offeecial soorces are silent upon this. A common interpretation is that the upper orange baund represents the northren regions o the Sahara Desert (tho this is whiles said tae be the Sahel), the centre white baund represents purity (tho this is whiles said tae be the River Niger), an the lawer green baund represents baith hope an the fertile regions o soothren Niger. The orange circle in the centre baund is said tae represent the sun or unthirldom.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.

Niger's banner is a tricolour, in common wi ither umwhile dependencies an colonies o Fraunce.

 Ratio 
The banner's traditional portrayal wi an unuisual aff-square ratio is o unkent significance an is no uised consistently in prent applications o the Nigerien govrenment.The FOTW for a discussion o this, an the follaein government wabsteids for examples o various ratios being uised offeecial capacity: 
  http://www.presidence.ne/  President of Niger
 http://www.assemblee.ne/  National Assembly of Niger
 http://www.communication-gouv-niger.ne/   Government communications office of Niger.

 References 

 Portions o this article war translated frae the German leid 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).

Niger
Category:Naitional seembols o Niger