Coat of arms of Nauru
Encyclopedia
The design of the coat of arms
of the Republic of Nauru originated in 1968 following the declaration of independence, and it began to be used officially in the early 1970s.
of phosphorus
is shown over a golden woven background.
The lower silver section depicts a black frigatebird
, which sits on a perch over blue ocean waves. The lower right section is blue and contains a branch of calophyllum
flowers. The shield is surrounded by images of tribal chief
gear, which was worn to ceremonies - ropes from palm leaves
, feather
s of the frigatebird and shark teeth
. The star centered above the shield is taken from the flag
. The ribbon above it bears the name of the island in Micronesian Nauruan
: Naoero.
there; the chemical symbol for phosphorus the mining of phosphate
s.
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the Republic of Nauru originated in 1968 following the declaration of independence, and it began to be used officially in the early 1970s.
Features
Its shield is divided and separated in the middle. In the upper section the alchemical symbolAlchemical symbol
Alchemical symbols, originally devised as part of alchemy, were used to denote some elements and some compounds until the 18th century. Note that while notation like this was mostly standardized, style and symbol varied between alchemists, so this page lists the most common.-Three primes:According...
of phosphorus
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P and atomic number 15. A multivalent nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus as a mineral is almost always present in its maximally oxidized state, as inorganic phosphate rocks...
is shown over a golden woven background.
The lower silver section depicts a black frigatebird
Frigatebird
The frigatebirds are a family, Fregatidae, of seabirds. There are five species in the single genus Fregata. They are also sometimes called Man of War birds or Pirate birds. Since they are related to the pelicans, the term "frigate pelican" is also a name applied to them...
, which sits on a perch over blue ocean waves. The lower right section is blue and contains a branch of calophyllum
Calophyllum
Calophyllum is a flowering plant genus of around 180-200 species of tropical evergreen trees in the family Calophyllaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek words καλος , meaning "beautiful", and φυλλον , meaning "leaf." Its members are native to Australasia, Madagascar, Eastern Africa,...
flowers. The shield is surrounded by images of tribal chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
gear, which was worn to ceremonies - ropes from palm leaves
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
, feather
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s of the frigatebird and shark teeth
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
. The star centered above the shield is taken from the flag
Flag of Nauru
Following the indepencence of Nauru, the flag of Nauru was raised for the first time.The flag, chosen in a local design competition, was adopted on independence day, January 31, 1968. It depicts Nauru's geographical position, one degree below the Equator. A gold horizontal stripe representing the...
. The ribbon above it bears the name of the island in Micronesian Nauruan
Nauruan language
The Nauruan language is an Austronesian language spoken in Nauru. It is estimated that it has 7,000 speakers. Almost all speakers are bilingual in English....
: Naoero.
National motto
The ribbon under the shield bears the national motto of the Republic of Nauru: God's Will First.Symbolism
The woven background symbolizes the people of Nauru; the frigatebird the faunaFauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
there; the chemical symbol for phosphorus the mining of phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
s.