Order of the Baobab

The Order of the Baobab is a South African civilian national honour, awarded to those for service in business and the economy; science, medicine, and for technological innovation; and community service. It was instituted on 6 December 2002, and is awarded annually by the President of South Africa. The order is named after the baobab tree, which was chosen as a symbol because of its endurance and tolerance, its vitality, its importance in agro-forestry systems, and its use as a meeting place in traditional African societies.

Until the Order of Luthuli and the Order of Ikhamanga were established in 2004, the Order of the Baobab also covered service in the fields now covered by those orders.