The emblem of Mali is a

national emblem A national emblem is an emblem or seal that is reserved for use by a nation state or multi-national state as a symbol of that nation. Many nations have a seal or emblem in addition to a national flag. Other national symbols, such as national ...

consisting of a circle charged with a bird at the top, a mosque in the centre flanked by two

bows and arrows The bow and arrow is a ranged weapon system consisting of an elastic launching device (bow) and long-shafted projectiles (arrows). Humans used bows and arrows for hunting and aggression long before recorded history, and the practice was common t ...

, and the rising sun at the bottom. Adopted thirteen years after the country gained independence, it has been the

seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal ( ...

of the Republic of

Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...

since 1973. It is utilized on official documents as a

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

History

gained independence in August 1960, when it separated from

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

and became an independent country on its own, thus dissolving the short-lived

Mali Federation The Mali Federation () was a federation in West Africa linking the French colonies of Senegal and the Sudanese Republic (or French Sudan) for two months in 1960. It was founded on 4 April 1959 as a territory with self-rule within the French Co ...

that had unified the two nations. A seal for Mali was designed soon afterwards, which is almost identical to the current seal save for the colour scheme. It featured a red circle surrounded by a green border. The current seal was officially adopted 20 October 1973, under Ordinance no. 56 of the CMLN (Military Committee for National Liberation). It is utilized on official documents in place of a

, a heraldic device that the country has never adopted.

Design

Symbolism

The colours and objects on the seal carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The mosque depicted at the centre of the seal is the

Great Mosque of Djenné The Great Mosque of Djenné in the Sudano-Sahelian architecture, Sudano-Sahelian architectural style is the largest adobe brick building in the world. The mosque is located in the city of Djenné, Mali, on the flood plain of the Bani River. The ...

. It represents

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

, the country's majority religion— practised by 94.8% of the population. Featured above the structure is a bird – the species it belongs to is disputed. Although the 1973 ordinance gives the description that it is a "legendary

vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...

" originating from Malian folklore, other sources claim it is actually a

dove Columbidae is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with small heads, relatively short necks and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. ...

that symbolizes peace. The Djenné mosque is flanked by two

, with the rising sun pictured at the very bottom.

Similarities

The country's

motto A motto (derived from the Latin language, Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian language, Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a Sentence (linguistics), sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of a ...

—"One People, One Goal, One Faith" ()—is exactly the same as

's. It is featured on that country's coat of arms as well.

Gallery

File:Coat of arms of the Mali Federation.svg, alt=, File:Emblème des Forces Armées Maliennes (FAMa).svg, alt=,

References

;Footnotes ;Bibliography * {{DEFAULTSORT:Coat Of Arms Of Mali