As a colony of France, Gabon and its sister colonies were not permitted to fly a local flag. Paris believed that local symbols could motivate separatist sentiments and such banned their existence. This changed in 1958 when a new French constitution was adopted. Gabon was one of the first colonies to take advantage of new rules adopting a local flag on June 29, 1959.

Gabon chose a flag consisting of three horizontal stripes. The three stripes were not of equal width. The central yellow stripe was narrower than the green stripe above and the blue stripe below. In the canton was a red white and blue French Tricolore. Green symbolised the equatorial forest constituting most of Gabon, yellow, the equator and the sun immediately above it and blue, the Atlantic Ocean touching its coastline. Gabon resisted the call of its neighbours to adopt pan-African colours.

On August 9, 1960, shortly before proclaiming independence from France, Gabon modified its national flag removing the French Tricolore and widened the central yellow stripe making it equal to the other stripes.

Flag Measures 36 in x 60 in and is 100% polyester with grommets for easy flying.

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