Information about effigy: Coat of Arms of Senegal

The Coat of Arms of Senegal is a heraldic device consisting of a shield charged with a lion on the left half and a baobab tree on the right, flanked by palm branches and topped with a five-pointed green star at the top.

Adopted five years after Senegal gained independence, it has been the coat of arms of the Republic of Senegal since 1965. Both symbols on the shield had featured previously on earlier Senegalese emblems.

The colours and objects on the coat of arms carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The green star at the crest is identical to the one on Senegal's flag. It alludes to Islam, the religion practised by the majority of Senegal's population. It is also possible that it might have derived from the Serer religious symbol "Yoonir" which has been used as a religious and cultural symbol by the Serer people of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania long before Islam penetrated the Senegambia region, and long before it became an Islamic symbol - with roots to the Ottoman Empire flag.

The dexter (i.e. proper right) of the escutcheon features a lion. A national symbol of Senegal, it stands for strength and represents the northern Senegalese ethnic group, which forms the majority of the population. Historically it was a symbol of power for kings, before the French colonised Senegal.

On the arms' sinister, a baobab tree is depicted, which is native to Senegal. Located just beneath it is a green wavy line that epitomises the Senegal River. The order underneath the escutcheon is that of the National Order of the Lion. Both the lion and the baobab tree, which featured previously on earlier Senegalese emblems, are now utilised on the country's two seals. The seal with the baobab tree is used to stamp any acts relating to public administration, while the lion seal is used exclusively by the President for significant acts of state, such as international agreements.

The country's motto "Un Peuple, Un But, Une Foi" (from French: "One People, One Goal, One Faith") is exactly the same as Mali's; it is depicted on a ribbon around the shield of the Coat of Arms.