Flag of Portugal

Meaning and history of the flag of Portugal

Portugal's flag is divided vertically and asymmetrically: the hoist side occupies two-fifths of the field and is green, while the remaining three-fifths are red. Straddling the dividing line is the national coat of arms, made up of a yellow armillary sphere framing a shield with five small blue shields arranged in a cross, each bearing five white roundels, all surrounded by seven gold castles on a red border.

The armillary sphere is a navigational instrument that pays tribute to the Age of Discoveries, when Portugal was a leading maritime power. The five small blue shields are said, by tradition, to represent the five Moorish kings defeated by Portugal's first king, Afonso I, at the Battle of Ourique in 1139. The seven castles symbolize fortresses conquered from the Moors during the Reconquista. Green and red replaced the earlier monarchist colors of blue and white in 1911, following the republican revolution of 1910, and represent, respectively, hope and the blood shed for the homeland.

You can view the flag of Portugal in high resolution above and download it in several sizes for personal, educational or reference use. To explore more, visit the full Portugal profile, its map, or the current local time in Lisbon.