Flag Of Brazil

The flag of the Republic of Brazil is green with a large yellow rhombus in the center. Within the rhombus is a blue circle, with white stars of five different sizes and a white band running through it. The motto Ordem e Progresso ("Order and Progress") is inscribed in the band. The modern flag was officially adopted on November 19, 1889. The concept was the work of Raimundo Teixeira Mendes, with the collaboration of Miguel Lemos and Manuel Pereira Reis. The design was executed by Dcio Vilares. The current Brazilian flag is this same November 19, 1889, flag with some minor changes. A previous flag designed by the Republicans was inspired by the flag of the United States of America. This flag was almost never used except in November 15-19 1889, but it did form the basis for the state flag of Gois.

Symbology

It is often said that Brazil's national colors, green and yellow, represent the country's natural richness. Green represents the exuberant forests of the Amazon Rainforest, the Atlantic Jungle, and the Pantanal, while the yellow rhombus represents the country's gold reserves: Brazil once had the largest gold mines in the world and between 1500 to 1900, more gold was extracted from Brazilian territory than had previously existed in the whole world. Brazil's current flag was inspired by the flag of the former Brazilian Empire: On the imperial flag, the green represented the Bragana Royal Family of Pedro I, the first Emperor of Brazil, and the yellow represents the Castela e Lorena Royal Family of Leopoldina, Pedro's wife. The centre the old imperial flag bore the Royal Coat of Arms. On the modern republican flag, the coat of arms has been replaced by the blue circle, which depicts the sky over Rio de Janeiro on the morning of November 15, 1889 –, the day the Republic of Brazil was declared. It is shown as seen from outside of the celestial sphere (i.e. the view is mirrored). Each of the 27 stars represents a different state and the Federal District (the last star also stands for the Brazilian territories). The number of stars changes with the creation of new states and, since the founding of the republic, has risen from an original 21 stars. The star that represents the Federal District is Sigma Octantis, a star whose position near the south celestial pole makes it visible across almost the whole country, all year round. In addition, given its polar position, all the other stars depicted on the flag trace appear to rotate around Sigma Octantis. Choosing this star to represent Brazil's capital is therefore particularly apt (although it is a much fainter star than any of the others). The motto Ordem e Progresso ("Order and Progress") is inspired by Auguste Comte's motto of positivism: "L'amour pour principe et l'ordre pour base; le progrs pour but" ("Love the Principle and Order the Basis; Progress the Aim"). The current national flag and ensign of Brazil, with 27 stars, was adopted on May 12, 1992 (Law number 8.421, May 11, 1992).

The Stars

The constellation of the Southern Cross is on the meridian (indicated by the number 6 in the diagram). To the south of it is Polaris Australis (Sigma Octantis, numbered 7), representing the Federal District. The Star of Par stays on top as Par is the only state on the north of the equator. A list of constellations and stars on the map:
  1. ProcyonCanis Minoris),
  2. Canis Major, with the largest star depicting Sirius,
  3. CanopusCarinae),
  4. SpicaVirginis)
  5. Hydra
  6. Crux
  7. Sigma Octantis (σ Octantis; south pole star)
  8. Triangulum Australe
  9. Scorpius, with the largest star depicting Antares
The stars representing the Brazilian states (except Sigma Octantis which represents the capital or Federal District): center
TATE STAR CONSTELLATION SIZE
a href="/encyclopedia/Amazonas" title="Amazonas">Amazonas Alpha Canis Minoris (Procyon) Canis Minor, the Little Dog 1
a href="/encyclopedia/Mato-Grosso" title="Mato Grosso">Mato Grosso Alpha Canis Majoris (Sirius) Canis Major, the Great Dog 1
a href="/encyclopedia/Amap" title="Amap">Amap Beta Canis Majoris (Mirzam) Canis Major, the Great Dog 3
a href="/encyclopedia/Rondnia" title="Rondnia">Rondnia Gamma Canis Majoris (Muliphen) Canis Major, the Great Dog  
a href="/encyclopedia/Roraima" title="Roraima">Roraima Delta Canis Majoris (Wezen) Canis Major, the Great Dog 2
a href="/encyclopedia/Tocantins" title="Tocantins">Tocantins Epsilon Canis Majoris (Adhara) Canis Major, the Great Dog 2
a href="/encyclopedia/Par" title="Par">Par Alpha Virginis (Spica) Virgo, the Virgin 1
a href="/encyclopedia/Piau" title="Piau">Piau Alpha Scorpii (Antares) Scorpius, the Scorpion 1
a href="/encyclopedia/Maranho" title="Maranho">Maranho Beta Scorpii (Graffias) Scorpius, the Scorpion 3
a href="/encyclopedia/Cear" title="Cear">Cear Epsilon Scorpii Scorpius, the Scorpion 2
a href="/encyclopedia/Alagoas" title="Alagoas">Alagoas Theta Scorpii (Sargas) Scorpius, the Scorpion 2
a href="/encyclopedia/Sergipe" title="Sergipe">Sergipe Iota Scorpii Scorpius, the Scorpion 3
a href="/encyclopedia/Paraba" title="Paraba">Paraba Kappa Scorpii Scorpius, the Scorpion 3
a href="/encyclopedia/Rio-Grande-do-Norte" title="Rio Grande do Norte">Rio Grande do Norte Lambda Scorpii (Shaula) Scorpius, the Scorpion 2
a href="/encyclopedia/Pernambuco" title="Pernambuco">Pernambuco Mu Scorpii Scorpius, the Scorpion 3
a href="/encyclopedia/Mato-Grosso-do-Sul" title="Mato Grosso do Sul">Mato Grosso do Sul Alpha Hydrae (Alphard) Hydra, the Water Serpent 2
a href="/encyclopedia/Acre" title="Acre">Acre Gamma Hydrae Hydra, the Water Serpent 3
a href="/encyclopedia/So-Paulo-(state)" title="So Paulo (state)">So Paulo Alpha Crucis (Acrux) Crux, the Southern Cross 1
a href="/encyclopedia/Rio-de-Janeiro" title="Rio de Janeiro">Rio de Janeiro Beta Crucis (Becrux) Crux, the Southern Cross 2
a href="/encyclopedia/Bahia" title="Bahia">Bahia Gamma Crucis (Gacrux) Crux, the Southern Cross 2
a href="/encyclopedia/Minas-Gerais" title="Minas Gerais">Minas Gerais Delta Crucis Crux, the Southern Cross 3
a href="/encyclopedia/Esprito-Santo" title="Esprito Santo">Esprito Santo Epsilon Crucis Crux, the Southern Cross 4
a href="/encyclopedia/Rio-Grande-do-Sul" title="Rio Grande do Sul">Rio Grande do Sul Alpha Trianguli Australe Triangulum Australe, the Southern Triangle 2
a href="/encyclopedia/Santa-Catarina" title="Santa Catarina">Santa Catarina Beta Trianguli Australe Triangulum Australe, the Southern Triangle 3
a href="/encyclopedia/Paran" title="Paran">Paran Gamma Trianguli Australe Triangulum Australe, the Southern Triangle 3
a href="/encyclopedia/Gois" title="Gois">Gois Alpha Carinae (Canopus) Carina, the Keel of Argo  
APITAL STAR CONSTELLATION SIZE
a href="/encyclopedia/Braslia" title="Braslia">Braslia, DF (Federal District) Sigma Octantis (Polaris Australis) Octans, the Octant 5

Other Brazilian Flags

The list below identifies other flags also used in Brazil prior to the foundation of the Republic:

External links

Brazil

 

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