Brazil Flag - 5 Facts You Didn't Know
When you think of the Brazil flag the colors of green and yellow come to mind, but there are a few facts you might not have known about it.
The Brazilian flag has had many face lifts and many rejected designs, but we can all agree that it is one of the most recognizable flags to date. There might not have been much order in finding the perfect flag, but it has definitely progressed.
The Dates - The current Brazilian flag was first flown for all to see on 19 November 1889, which has been known as Flag Day ever since. This design was adjusted when six stars were added on 12 May 1992, but other than that the current design has been the same for over 120 years.
The Designers - The design for the Brazilian flag was constructed by Raimundo Teixeira Mendes with the assistance of Decio Villares, Miguel Lemos and Manuel Pereira Reis. Together, they preserved the green and yellow design to respect the Braganza-Hansberg Dynasty. The previous coat of arms was replaced with the star splattered blue orb. Each of the 27 stars was placed to represent a specific state.
The Design - The flag of Brazil consists of the main green back drop with a yellow diamond on its side in the center with a star speckled blue globe in the center of that. The arc shaped banner over the globe has the inscription "Ordem e Progresso" which translates to Order and Progress and is meant to be a depiction of the Equator.
The Stars of the Flag - On the blue globe there are geographically placed stars, indicating the celestial positioning of the sky on the morning of November 15th 1889. The 27 stars in the blue globe were placed as an acknowledgment of the one Federal District and 26 states of Brazil. During the design of the flag ‘The Southern Cross' constellation was situated over the Meridian of Rio de Janeiro. Along with a number of other constellations including Canis Major, Hydra, Triangulum Australe, Scopius and 3 singular stars of Procyon, Canopus, Spica and Sigma Octangtis (South Pole Star), these stars solidified and completed the design.
Some Former Flags - The Colonial Brazilian flag (1500 - 1816) was a white flag with a gold armillary (gyroscope) globe, the signet of King Manuel I. The Kingdom of Brazil flag (1816 - 1822) was a blue flag with a gold armillary globe. The Empire of Brazil flag (1822 - 1889) has the green back ground and yellow horizontal diamond but with the Portuguese coat of arms in the center instead of the blue ball. The yellow and green was a representation of the union between King Pedro I of Portugal and the Empress Marie Leopoldina of Austria. There were 19 previous flags but the one preceding the current design was only flown for 4 days, 15th November 1889 - 19th November 1889, with a green, yellow and blue star spangled banner design with 17 stars.