Brazil’s flag (19 November 1889) places a yellow rhombus on green with a blue celestial globe showing 27 stars for the states and Federal District, crossed by the motto “Ordem e Progresso.” The green and yellow echo imperial heraldry; the globe depicts the Rio de Janeiro sky of 15 November 1889. Proportions are 7:10 with construction sheets for the globe, band, and star positions; additions have tracked state changes, most recently in 1992.
When Brazil proclaimed the republic on 15 November 1889, designers adapted the imperial banner’s green and yellow geometry to a new civic emblem. The arms were replaced by a blue celestial sphere, within which stars mark Brazil’s states and the Federal District as seen over Rio de Janeiro on the day of the proclamation.
The green field links to the House of Braganza; the yellow rhombus to the House of Habsburg—reframed as colours of land and resources. The white band across the sphere bears the Positivist motto “Ordem e Progresso,” reflecting currents that shaped republican founders.
Statutes set the flag at 7:10 and prescribe the sphere’s radius, band curvature, letterforms, and exact star placements by constellation. As states were created or reorganised, stars were added or reassigned, with the current total of 27 established in 1992.
Protocol
governs precedence, half‑masting, illumination at night, and dignified retirement. Special variants include the presidential standard and naval ensigns. Schools and public offices conduct regular flag ceremonies, and 19 November is commemorated as Flag Day.
The design’s synthesis of imperial colours with astronomical precision produces a unique national identity: rooted in history, aimed at order and progress. The flag’s visibility in stadiums, missions, and international fora underscores its strong semiotics and careful standardisation.