Brazil Flag Meaning
Green field with yellow diamond containing a blue celestial globe with the motto 'Ordem e Progresso'.
- Continent
- South America
- Adopted
- 1992
- Ratio
- 7:10
- Colors
- green, yellow, blue, white
- Designer
- Raimundo Teixeira Mendes, Miguel Lemos, Manuel Pereira Reis, and Décio Vilares
Symbolism
Green Field: Represents Brazil's vast forests, particularly the Amazon rainforest, and the lush vegetation of the country.
Yellow Diamond: Symbolizes Brazil's mineral wealth, especially gold, and the rich natural resources of the nation.
Blue Circle: Represents the night sky over Rio de Janeiro on November 15, 1889, the day the Republic of Brazil was proclaimed.
Stars: The 27 stars represent Brazil's 26 states and the Federal District, positioned as they appeared in the sky on the founding date.
Banner with Motto: 'Ordem e Progresso' (Order and Progress) reflects the positivist philosophy that influenced Brazil's founders and their vision for the nation.
History
- 1822-1889: Imperial Brazil used a flag with green and yellow colors representing the House of Braganza (Pedro I) and House of Habsburg (Maria Leopoldina).
- November 15, 1889: Current design adopted four days after the proclamation of the Republic, replacing the imperial coat of arms with the celestial globe.
- 1960: New star added to represent the newly created state of Guanabara (later merged with Rio de Janeiro state).
- 1968: Another star added for the creation of Acre state, bringing the total to 23 stars.
- 1992: Current version established with 27 stars representing all states and the Federal District, including stars for Amapá, Roraima, Rondônia, and Tocantins.
Trivia
- Brazil's flag is the only national flag to contain an astronomical map accurate to a specific time and place.
- The constellation Southern Cross (Crux) is prominently featured and appears on several South American flags.
- The motto 'Ordem e Progresso' comes from Auguste Comte's positivist motto: 'Love as a principle and order as the basis; progress as the goal.'
- Each star corresponds to a specific Brazilian state, with the North Star (Polaris) representing the Federal District.
- The flag must be replaced whenever it becomes damaged or faded - there are specific protocols for its respectful disposal.
- The star Spica represents the state of Pará and is positioned above the banner, symbolizing the northern territories.
- Brazil's flag influenced the design of several other South American nations' flags through its use of celestial imagery.
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