History of the Brazil Flag: 1889 Republic, Ordem e Progresso & Modern Design
Brazil’s republican flag kept the imperial green and yellow but replaced the old central arms with a star-filled celestial sphere and the motto “Ordem e Progresso.”
1889: a new flag for the Republic
Brazil proclaimed a republic on November 15, 1889. A new national flag was created soon afterward and approved by Decree No. 4 in November of that year.
Who designed the republican flag?
The design is associated with Raimundo Teixeira Mendes and Miguel Lemos, with the artwork executed by Décio Vilares. It deliberately retained the established green field and yellow diamond.
Why keep green and yellow?
The republic replaced the imperial coat of arms but kept green and yellow as long-standing national colors. This linked the new republic visually with Brazil’s earlier national identity.
Where did “Ordem e Progresso” come from?
The motto Ordem e Progresso—“Order and Progress”—reflects the influence of positivist thought on the flag’s republican designers. It appears on the white band crossing the blue celestial sphere.
Why is the sky dated November 15, 1889?
The stars are arranged to evoke the sky over Rio de Janeiro around the proclamation of the Republic. Each star represents a federal unit.
How did the star count change?
As Brazil’s internal political map changed, the flag was updated. The current version has 27 stars for the 26 states and Federal District.
Modern legal basis
Brazilian national-symbol law regulates the design and allows the star pattern to be updated if federal units are created or extinguished.
