The national flag of The Gambia consists of three horizontal red, blue and green bands separated by two thin white stripes. Adopted in 1965 to replace the British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of the Gambia Colony and Protectorate, it has been the flag of the Republic of the Gambia since the country gained independence that year. The red evokes the sun – given the Gambia's close proximity to the Equator – as well as the savanna, while the thin white stripes represent "unity and peace".