Flag of Brazil – Colors, Meaning, History ??

The flag of Brazil is also known as the Green Yellow, or Bandeira do Brasil in Portuguese as well as the Gold-Green (Auriverde). Irrespective of how you choose to call it, this flag is a symbol of the unity and aspirations of the Brazilian people. This flag was adopted on 15th November 1889 when the country gained independence from the Portuguese, they declared their state as the empire of Brazil. The flag was hoisted when Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca was the acting president. It is a symbol of hope for many Brazilians and evokes the history and struggles of the Brazilian people.

History of the Flag of Brazil

Brazil has a unique flag. It consists of the colors blue, green, and yellow. The background is green with a yellow rhombus located at the center. Within the rhombus is a blue globe. The globe has 27 five-pointed stars, all colored white. Each star represents the country’s state and its federal districts. The stars are arranged to mimic the night sky in the country. The globe has a white band with the motto ‘Order and progress’ (Portuguese: Ordem e Progresso). This unique design can be traced back to 1822 when Brazil declared itself an independent state.

In 1775, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Colónia do Sacramento, and Guanare came under the rule of Portugal. At the time, Brazil did not have a flag. The flag of the Kingdom of Portugal was hoisted. This flag had a white background with the royal crown insignia at the center. There were also maritime flags that the Portuguese used in ship expeditions, for instance, the 1692 green and white striped flag. This flag symbolized the House of Braganza in Portugal. From 1816 to 1822, there was the Armorial flag for the Kingdom of Brazil. This flag consists of a dark blue background with a golden yellow globe insignia.

In 1822, Brazil gained independence and immediately declared itself as the Kingdom of Brazil. The country’s first flag had a green background and a yellow rhombus. The colors were adopted from the royal colors of Emperor Pedro I and Empress Maria Leopoldina. At the center of the flag was the royal crest of the empire. This coat of arms resembled the Portuguese one. It has 20 stars located within a blue circular band. Inside the band is the earth’s globe with a cross of the order of Christ over it. Above the coat of arms is the crown of the empire. Coffee and tobacco branches are also located within the insignia.

In 1889, Brazil abandoned the flag of the Kingdom and declared itself as a Republic. Emperor Pedro II was overthrown, and the country took on a new path. Several ideas for a flag were presented, for instance, a banner with alternating stripes of green and golden was proposed. At the top, left corner of the flag were twenty-one stars existing on a black background. The design of the flag was inspired by the United States flag. At the time, the U.S. was viewed as the leader of the republic ideology. This flag was nicknamed, ‘Barbosa flag,’ after its designer Ru Barbosa. It was used from November 15th to 19th November 1889. It was around this time that Marshall Deodoro da Fonseca vetoed a new design that was unique to the country. Marshall, who was revered as the father of the country, complained that the flag was too similar to the flag of another country. He commented that the new flag should have a similarity to the imperial flag as proof that the state had shifted from an imperial to a republic.

The new flag was created by Raimundo Teixeira Mendes with the assistance of Manuel Pereira Reis, Miguel Lemos, and Décio Villares. This new flag had a map of the night sky located within the globe. This was a map of the night sky in Rio de Janeiro when the country became a Republic. Since then, the flag has been modified three times to include new states. In 1960, for instance, the flag had 22 stars. However, in 1992, the flag had 27 stars. The most recent modification was carried out on May 11th, 1992. There was an addition of four stars to the globe, as well as a change in the star’s coordinates based on the astronomical calculations.

What is the meaning behind the colors of the flag of Brazil?

Colors
The national flag of Brazil consists of three primary colors. They are blue, green, and yellow.

Green: Represents lush forests of Brazil. The country boasts of a tropical rainforest, the Mata Atlantica forest, along with a diversity of fauna.
Yellow: A central feature of the flag is the yellow rhombus. This design represents the rich gold mines of Brazil, along with the fertile soils and other natural resources.
Blue: The night sky on the day of independence.

The flag is a symbol of the country’s rich history, natural diversity, and rich culture.

Emblem
The emblem is a blue globe with a sky chart and a white band. The table consists of 21 stars that represent the country’s 20 states. The Southern Pole star represents the Federal District of the nation’s Capital. The stars were calculated following the astronomical units. Each of the stars represents the approximate size and geographical location of each of the country’s states.

The white band that cuts across the globe contains a positivist and rationalist phrase. The Portuguese phrase ‘Ordem e Progresso,’ means ‘order and progress.’ The phrase was inspired by Augustine Comte. He stated that order is a basis; love is a principle and progress is the result.

Shape
The flag of Brazil is one of the most challenging flags to construct. This is because of the 27 stars within the globe that are an exact representation of the night sky. The length of the flag is 20 modules whereas the width is 14. There is a 1.7m distance from the vertices of the rhombus to the outer frame of the flag. The diameter of the blue circle is 7 modules whereas the arcs of the white band have a distance of 2 modules. The lower arch of the white band is 8 modules, the upper arc has a radius of 8.5, and the width of the band is 0.5 modules.

The design of the phrase ‘order and progress’ also adheres to a specific construction. Letter P, for example, is located on the vertical diameter of the globe. The letters have a width of 0.3 modules. Lastly, each of the stars has its size.

Interesting Facts about the Flag of Brazil

The stars on the flag represent the position of the stars over Rio De Janeiro on November 15th, 1889, at 8:30 AM. At that time the Southern Cross was over the Meridian. Some of the constellations presented on the flag include Hydra, Spica, Canis Major, Sigma Octantis, and Scorpius.
There are strict rules that govern the use of the flag. First, the flag has to be hoisted at Praça dos Três Poderes, a plaza. When a banner becomes worn out or is no longer in use, the owner should take it to a military facility. At the facility, the flag is burnt on flag day which is on 19th November.
Most of the rules that govern the flag etiquette were adopted from the American etiquette for their flag.
The flag of Brazil is hoisted at half-staff during times of mourning or grief.
Flying the flag upside down is a sign of distress.

Do you know any other interesting facts about the flag of Brazil? Share your thoughts below.

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