Flag of Portugal
Officially Portuguese Republic
What the flag looks like
A vertical bicolor of green at the hoist (two-fifths) and red (three-fifths), with the national arms on a yellow armillary sphere centered on the dividing line.
What it means
Green is commonly said to stand for hope and red for the blood of those who died for the nation; the armillary sphere honors the Age of Discovery.
How to remember it
Portugal
splits green and red unevenly and pins a navigator's armillary sphere on the seam, a reminder of its seafaring explorers.
Fun facts
- The flag was adopted in 1911, after the monarchy was overthrown in 1910.
- The shield carries seven castles and five small blue shields called 'quinas'.
Portugal at a glance
- Capital
- Lisbon
- Region
- Southern Europe
- Population
- 11 million
- Area
- 92,090 km²
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Flag adopted
- 1911