Gabon

According to Devereux (1994), the colours mean respectively the forest, the Equator line (which crosses the country) and the sea.
António Martins, 30 May 1997

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Concerning the colours - the green and yellow seems to be rather straightforward, but the blue is problematic, as usual. Pantone approximation given in Album 2000 is 285c (CMYK 90,45,0,0). The colours used on two pages in the Album are quite different (certainly an effect of printing process), but it seems that a light grayish blue is appropriate (I used RGB 51-102-204). However, most of other sources that I quickly referred to show the blue rather dark - almost like navy blue.
Željko Heimer, 2 October 2001

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Article One of Law No.54/60 dated 9 August 1960 which established the flag gives the colours as: 'light Irish green', 'golden yellow' and 'royal blue'
Christopher Southworth, 21 January 2003

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The Constitution of the Republic of Gabon was adopted on 14 March 1991 (law 3/91, 26 MArch 1991) and amended on 22 April 1997.

Title 1

The Republic and Sovereignty

Article 2

(...)

The national emblem is the tricolor flag, green, yellow, blue in three horizontal bands of equal dimension.

(...)

The motto of the Republic is "Union - Work - Justice".

The seal of the Republic is a "Nursing Maternity".

Source: Constitutions - What they tell us about national flags and coats of arms
Ivan Sache, 21 January 2003

The shield is supported by two black panthers and an okoumé tree symbolizing the timber trade. The ship represents Gabon moving towards a brighter future. The coat of arms is unusual in having two ribbons with mottos in two different languages. The ribbon below the shield has the motto in French 'UNION, TRAVAIL, JUSTICE' ('Union, Work, Justice'). The second ribbon is placed beneath the branches of the okoumé tree and has the motto in Latin 'UNITI PROGREDIEMUR' ('Let us go forward united').
Source: Dorling-Kindersley Flag Pocket Book (note this source incorrectly states the motto as UNITE PROGREDIAMUR - " We go forward united").

The coat of arms was designed by the Swiss heraldist and vexillologist Louis Mühlemann, one of the founding members of the FIAV and also designer of the former coat of arms of Congo. The panthers symbolize the vigilance and courage of the president who protects the nation. The bezants (golden discs) in chief of the shield symbolize the mineral wealth of the country.
Source: Smith (1975)
Ivan Sache, 4 October 2001

Ratio: 1:1. Source: Smith (1982)

Do we know why Gabon changed the presidential flag? I believe the president has been the same person since 1967: Omar Bongo!
Marcus Schmöger, 4 October 2001

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Since its independence, Gabon has had only two presidents, Le'on M'ba (1961-1967) and Omar Bongo (1967-). 
Ivan Sache, 4 October 2001

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It was asked why the President's standard changed in the 1990's in spite of no change in the President. A possible answer is political. In June 1990, the 16th French-African summit took place in La Baule. F. Mitterrand, then French president, gave a famous speech in which he urgently asked for more democracy in the African countries. It was not only a call but also a threat, which can be summed up as: "There cannot be democracy without development, but there cannot be development without democracy" (i.e. no more funds and military help from France if there is no progress towards democracy). In Gabon, a National Conference gathered from 27 March to 19 April 1990 and imposed multipartism to president Bongo, who had to abandon a few of his personal powers. It is possible that this modification of the president's status was reflected by a modification of his standard.

Ivan Sache, 6 October 2001