Portugal Flag

The Portuguese flag is divided vertically: dark green on the hoist (2/5 of the width) and scarlet red on the fly (3/5). Over the colour border sits the national coat of arms, featuring five blue shields arranged in a cross, surrounded by seven castles, encircled by an armillary sphere.

The armillary sphere — a navigation instrument — commemorates Portugal's Age of Discovery, when Portuguese explorers charted the world's oceans in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The current bicolour replaced the Monarchist blue-and-white flag after the 5 October 1910 revolution that established the Portuguese Republic. The Republican colours — green and red — were chosen by the Republican Party, with green representing hope and red the blood of those who fought for the republic.

The coat of arms combines medieval heraldry (the five quinas shields, symbolising victories over the Moors) with the armillary sphere of King Manuel I, linking Portugal's medieval roots with its imperial maritime era.