Third epoch of the Tertiary period of geological time, 35.53.25 million years ago. The name, from Greek, means a little recent, referring to the presence of the remains of some modern types of animals existing at that time.
Red, white, and blue recall the French tricolour. Red, yellow, and green are the pan-African colours. Red represents the common blood of mankind which links African and European nations. Effective date: 1 December 1958.