Introduction
The flag of Brazil is a distinctive and complex national symbol featuring a green field with a large yellow rhombus at its center. Within the rhombus is a blue celestial globe depicting stars and crossed by a white equatorial band inscribed with the national motto. This design is officially known as A Bandeira do Brasil and is one of the most recognizable flags in the world due to its unique combination of geometric shapes and astronomical elements.
The flag's layout is highly symbolic, with the central globe representing the night sky over Rio de Janeiro at the moment of the Republic's proclamation. The 27 white five-pointed stars on the blue globe are arranged to mirror specific constellations, each representing a federal unit of the country. The overall composition is a vivid representation of Brazil's national identity, blending natural, political, and ideological concepts into a single emblem.
Unlike many national flags that use simple stripes or crosses, the Brazilian flag employs a lozenge (rhombus) on a solid field, a design choice that makes it stand out in vexillological studies. The precise arrangement of its elements is strictly defined by law, ensuring its consistent reproduction for official use across the nation and in international settings.
Meaning & Symbolism
The colors of the flag carry deep historical significance. The green represents the House of Braganza of Emperor Pedro I, while the yellow represents the House of Habsburg of his wife, Empress Leopoldina. An alternative and widely held interpretation views green as symbolizing Brazil's lush forests and yellow its mineral wealth, particularly gold. The blue globe symbolizes the sky, and the stars represent the Brazilian states and the Federal District.
The white equatorial band bears the national motto "Ordem e Progresso" (Order and Progress), inspired by the positivist philosophy of Auguste Comte. The 27 stars on the globe are not randomly placed; they depict specific constellations visible in the Southern Hemisphere, including the Southern Cross (Cruzeiro do Sul), Scorpius, and Canis Major. Each star corresponds to a specific federal unit, with their sizes reflecting the magnitude of the celestial bodies they represent.
History of the Brazil Flag
The current flag was officially adopted on November 19, 1889, just four days after the proclamation of the Republic, replacing the flag of the Empire of Brazil. It was designed by a team led by Raimundo Teixeira Mendes, with contributions from Miguel Lemos, Manuel Pereira Reis, and Décio Villares. The design retained the green and yellow colors of the imperial flag but replaced the imperial coat of arms with the new republican symbols.
The flag's design has undergone modifications primarily to reflect changes in the country's administrative divisions. The original flag of 1889 featured 21 stars. Stars have been added over time, most recently in 1992, to bring the total to 27, representing the current 26 states and the Federal District. The arrangement and addition of stars are formally decreed by law to maintain accuracy with the nation's political geography.
Curiosities
- The flag is one of the few national flags in the world to feature a celestial globe as its central motif.
- The star representing the Federal District is "Sigma Octantis," a star near the south celestial pole, chosen because its fixed position makes all other stars appear to revolve around it, symbolizing the Federal District's role in uniting the states.
- The exact shade of green used is officially defined as "PMS 356" in the Pantone Matching System, and the yellow is "PMS Yellow."
Download Flag
Download the flag of Brazil in high-quality SVG vector format or PNG raster images. SVG files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
Construction Sheet
The flag's construction is precisely defined by Law No. 5,700. The module (M) is the basic measurement unit. The flag has a 7:10 ratio (width to length). The yellow rhombus has a width of 8M and a height of 7M. The blue circle has a radius of 3.5M and is positioned so that its center is at the intersection of the rhombus's diagonals. The white band is 0.5M wide and inscribed with green letters. The stars' positions and sizes are mathematically determined based on their celestial coordinates.
Flags Similar to Brazil Flag
Common Misidentifications
Rarely misidentified due to its highly distinctive design, though its green and yellow colors are sometimes loosely associated with other tropical or South American nations.