The
Flag of Portugal - Description of the Portuguese Flag
As the
above picture of the Portuguese Flag indicates the overall
background is Red and green
The description of
the Portuguese Flag is as follows:
Two vertical bands
of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths)
The Portuguese coat
of arms centered on the green and red dividing line
According to
Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated
with colors. The colors on the Portuguese flag represent the
following:
Red -
hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
Green -
hope, joy and love and in many cultures have a sacred
significance
The
basic style shown in the picture of the Portuguese flag is
described as Emblem - reflecting the
central design of the flag pattern
All Flag
pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view,
from left to right
The shape and flag ratio of the Portuguese flag is described as 2:3 ( length 1½ times the
height )
The
emblem on the Portuguese flag pictures the Portuguese Coat of
Arms
A red shield with seven small yellow
castles and surrounded by yellow straps
A
white shield, within the red shield, containing five small blue
shields with white dots
Five blue small shields within the white
shield
The Meaning
& History of the Portuguese Flag and Coat of Arms - The Portuguese emblem depicts
the coat of Arms:
1100's - King
Sancho II adopted a coat of arms consisting of five blue
shield-shaped emblems in the form of a cross each charged with
silver dots1100's
1200's King Alfonso
III added the shield with the red border with the golden castles
1816 The gold
armillary sphere on a blue field was added to the shield and a
royal crown placed overall
The Portuguese Flag
and Coat of Arms were adopted on 30 June 1911
Flag
Terminology - Did you Know ?
The design and description
uses specific flag terminology based on Heraldic principles
Animal blazons should always appear
with the heads facing the flag - staff side
The Study of the Flags is called
Vexillology
Your interest in flags makes you a
Vexillologist!
Increase your knowledge - Play the
Flag Quiz
Flag History &
Evolution:
The idea of
flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and
the battlefield
Shields were
painted with emblems to identify Friend or Foe
Warriors
needed to know where their leaders were - the custom of carrying
a pole was adopted
An emblem
such as a shield, animal or religious device was attached to the
pole for identification
The emblems
were also used for identity and to cover suits of armour - Coats
of Arms were born
These
emblems were the forerunners of modern flags
The Romans
were the first to use a cloth flag - they were square and
fastened to cross bars at the end of spears - the idea of
fastening a flag to the side of a pole soon followed
The strict
rules of Heraldry are still used when designing an emblem and
creating a modern flag
Portuguese
Flag Etiquette
Portuguese Flag etiquette is very strict and is is
essential that Flag protocols and rules are followed correctly
Basic Flag
Etiquette applies to all nations, including Portuguese as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of
precedence for the flag
National Flag of
Portuguese
State Flag of
Portuguese
Military Flag of
Portuguese (in order of creation date)
Other Flag of
Portuguese
The United Nations uses alphabetical order
when presenting a national flag including the Portuguese Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures
that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's
flag
The National flag of
Portuguese should never be flown
above another national flag on the same staff as this would
suggest superiority, or conversely, inferiority of one flag, or
Nation, over another
The Portuguese flag should never be allowed to drag
along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of
Portuguese should be removed
and replaced with a new flag
Due care and
consideration must be taken to ensure that the Portuguese flag is
always
flown the correct way up
A Flag of Portuguese, when in such
condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display,
should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in
private with all due care and respect
Terminology & Etiquette in Portuguese Flag display
Hoist - the
act or function of raising the Portuguese flag, as on a rope
Half Staff
or Half Mast - the Portuguese flag is hoisted to half of the potential
height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed
by first raising the Portuguese flag to the top, then lowering the
Portuguese Flag halfway
Distress -
denoted by flying the Portuguese flag upside-down
Manner of
hoisting - The Portuguese flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered
ceremoniously
No
disrespect should be shown to the Portuguese flag
The Portuguese flag
should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a
manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in
any way
The Portuguese
flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it,
nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure,
design, picture, or drawing on the flag of any nature
The
Portuguese flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to
Portuguese
Flag usage forbids the
display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation
in time of peace
We hope that the presentation of facts and
information regarding Portuguese Flag Etiquette has provided a useful
resource
Portugal
Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North
Atlantic Ocean,
west of Spain
Portuguese Land Size : 91,951 sq km - includes Azores and Madeira Islands
Portuguese Climate / Weather : maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north,
warmer and drier in south
Portuguese
Population : 10,524,145 (July 2004 est.)
Portuguese Capital
City: Lisbon
Portuguese GDP:
$182.3 billion (2003 est.)
Portuguese Main Industries :
textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metalworking;
oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism
Main Colors of the
Portuguese Flag : Red
and green
Commonly mis-spelt
as Portueguese or Portuegese
Concise History of
Portugal & its Flag
10,000BC
Upper Paleolithic (the Old Stone Age) period
5000 -
3000BC Neolithic (New Stone Age) period
3000BC -
1000BC Bronze Age period
1104BC Portugal was ruled by the
Phoenicians
258BC The Carthaginians conquered
Portugal
15 BC The Romans had begun to
extend their empire into Portugal
416AD - Portugal was ruled by the
Visigoths
711AD - Portugal was ruled by the
Arabs (Moors)
739AD - Portugal was ruled by the
Leonese
905 Navarre becomes a kingdom
1035 King Sancho III of Navarre,
Aragon and Castile dies and his lands become separate Kingdoms
1095 The time of the Crusades. The
Crusaders assist the Portuguese in defeating the Moors
1112 Afonso inherits the County of
Portugal, a province of Castile
1139 - 1580 - The Burgundy Dynasty
1272 Afonso III conquers Faro from
the Moors removing all Muslim communities from the country
1297 King Dinis signs a treaty with
Ferdinand IV of Castile to define the borders between Portugal
and Spain
1394 Henry the Navigator is born
1415 Portugal conquers the city of
Ceuta in northern Africa - the exploration of Africa begins
1419 Madeira Islands are discovered
1427 Diogo Silves discovers the
Azores Islands
1469 - Vasco da Gama was born in
Sines, Portugal
1497 July 8 - Vasco da Gama set out
on expedidition to India via Africa stopping at Mombasa,
Mozambique, Malindi, Kenya, and Quilmana trading centres
1498 May 20 - Vasco da Gama arrived
in Calicut, India
1524 December 24 - Vasco da Gama
died
1491 Bartolomeu Dias becomes the
first European captain to cross the Cape of Good Hope
1498 Vasco da Gama reaches India
navigating around Africa
1500 Pedro Alvares Cabral discovers
Brazil
1549 Saint
Francis Xavier, a Portuguese missionary, arrived in Japan. The
Portuguese were the most successful Europeans in initiating
major trade agreements with the Japanese
1580 - 1640 The Habsburg Dynasty
(Spanish rule)
1580 Philip II of Spain becomes
Philip I of Portugal and independence is lost to Spain
1640, December 1 The Duke of
Braganza becomes king ending Spanish control
1807 Napoleon Bonaparte invades
Portugal
1807 Portugal adopts the name of
the Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarve
1822 - Brazil declares independence
1910 Portuguese Revolution ends the
monarchy
1914 - 1918 World
War I
1926, May 28 A Military coup brings
fascist leaders to Portuguese government
1939 - 1945 World
War II
August 1945
The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
1974, April 25 The Carnation
Revolution ends the fascist regime
"Around the World in 80
minutes!"
A combination of information
regarding a Nation's flag, History, Geography and Current Events
provides an accurate snapshot of the evolution of each country
In just a short period of time this
concise information with specific facts will improve your
overall understanding of the great countries of the World
A useful Educational Resource
accessed from the Index
You can go "Around the World in 80
minutes!"
The
Portuguese Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts
and information regarding the Portuguese Flag and Country has
provided a useful educational resource. To improve your
knowledge of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the
Flags and Nations Index and test your knowledge with our
interactive, multi-choice, picture-based Flag Trivia Quiz Game - it's fast and
it's fun! If you answer all questions correctly you will earn the
right to enter the Vexillologist Hall of Fame!
