After independence, the Ivory Coast formed a loose alliance of West African states. The flags of these states were influenced both by the Pan-African colors first used by Ghana, and also by the model of the French Tricolor, the flag of the former colonial power. The colors chosen for the Ivory Coast's flag were also used by Niger, with which the Ivory Coast had an alliance. They were intended to symbolize the following: the orange color stands for the land, the savannah found in the northern part and its fertility, the white represents peace, and the green represents hope and also the forest of the southern part of the country. The flag was adopted in 1959, just prior to independence.