The bishop of Rome, head of the Roman Catholic Church, which claims that he is the spiritual descendant of St Peter. Elected by the Sacred College of Cardinals, a pope dates his pontificate from his coronation with the tiara, or triple crown, at St Peter's Basilica, Rome. The pope had great political power in Europe from the early Middle Ages until the Reformation.
Orange symbolizes the Sahara Desert. The orange disc represents the sun. Green recalls the country's forests. White stands for the River Niger. Effective date: 23 November 1959.