Coat of arms of Namibia
The coat of arms of Namibia is the country’s official heraldic symbol, introduced in 1990 when Namibia gained independence. It replaced the arms used during South African administration. A National Symbols Sub-Committee, with help from the South African Bureau of Heraldry, designed it. The new arms mirror the flag’s layout but add a crest and supporters.
Crest: An African fish eagle rising with wings spread.
Shield: A shield painted blue and green with a red diagonal bend edged in white, and a gold sun with twelve rays in the upper-right.
Supporters: Two oryx (gemsbok) standing on either side.
Compartment: A Namib sand dune with a Welwitschia plant in the foreground.
Motto: Unity, Liberty, Justice.
A brief history: Before independence, various emblems were used during German colonial rule and the South African administration. A coat of arms for South-West Africa was designed in the 1960s and used from 1963 (registered in 1964) until changes in 1980. The current Namibian arms incorporate elements from the earlier South-West Africa emblem, including the Welwitschia plant.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:16 (CET).