Colors and the Meaning of the Portugal Flag
The Portuguese flag consists of two vertical strips and the left stripe is green and the right stripe is red. The green ribbon covers two-fifths of the flag, while the rest of it creates a red ribbon. At the intersection of the two lanes, there are the traditional shield of the country and the coat of arms of the dynasty.
The red color represents the Portuguese revolution of 1910. The green color represents hope. The white shield consists of five separate small blue arms with five white dots. The blue shields represent the victory of Alfonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, against the five Moroccan kings with divine help from Jesus. The five points symbolize the five wounds of Jesus.
The cross settlement in the coat represents Christianity. The symbol of the seven castles on the red border of the coat of arms shows the extension of the Portuguese territory, including the Algarve. In the background, there is the armillary symbol, the primitive navigation device of the time. This symbol is on behalf of Prince Henry Navigator, who initiated the exploration of the sea, which led to Portugal becoming a colonial empire.
History of the Portugal Flag
The history of the Portuguese flag dates back to 1143 when they gained their independence. Since 1143, fourteen different flags and five different patterns have been used. Portugal flag can be divided into four periods. The first of these periods is from 1143 to 1495. Five different dynasty flags, usually portrayed as squares, were used.
It is not known exactly whether the first three flags were used as flags. In the second period, from 1495 to 1830, the flags were used with white flooring. In the third period, in Portugal, flags that could literally be called flag were used. During this period, the flags on the white and blue ground were used. The fourth period is the period of the flag still used today.
First Period
The flag used in 1143 was a fairly simple flag. The flag with the blue cross on the white floor was used by King D. Afonso Henriques. In 1185, King Sancho I changed the design of the flag. On this flag, five blue small shields arranged diagonally with 11 silver circles were used. These five shields are said to represent the wounds of Jesus. After King Sancho I, this flag was introduced by King Afonso II and King Sancho II.
By 1248, King Afonso III added a red border filled with golden castles to mark his marriage to Queen Beatriz, daughter of Alfonso IX, King of Castille. This flag continued to be used until 1385. After the dynastic crisis in 1383-1385, the newly-emerging King João I added the green fleur-de-lys cross, the Lord of the Order of Avis, to the 100-year-old flag. This is the first approved flag for Portugal. Previous flags were used as coat of arms. Red and green colors in this flag have influenced the Portuguese flag used today.
In 1485, King João II removed the Avis Cross from the flag and designed the five small shields with their direction facing down. The number of castles was reduced to seven. The life of this flag was short-lived and only used for 10 years.
Modern Period
In 1495 a new era began in the Portuguese Flag. From 1485 to 1830, there were at least eight different royal flags, although most small details changed. The coat of arms, which was previously used in 1495, was used for the first time on a rectangle with a white background. Coat of arms on the crown was added. This flag was designed in 1495 and minor changes were made in the following years. In 1578 the number of castles decreased and was replaced by a modern version of the crown symbol.
In 1677 the crown was updated again. In 1706 the crown was updated again and the coat of arms evolved from its oval shape to its rectangular shape. In 1830, the flag was redesigned in a similar way to its current state. Considering today’s flag, this flag is used in white instead of blue and red instead of green. Coat of arms was used in the middle of two colors like the flag of today.
By 1911, today’s flag was designed and fluctuated in Portuguese territory for more than 100 years.
Neighboring Countries of Portugal
Portugal is located on the European continent. Portugal, located on the Iberian Peninsula, is the most western country in the European continent. The number of countries in which Portugal is a neighbor is one. Portugal borders the north and east from Spain. The country is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean from the south and west.
Main Characteristics of Portugal
Portugal is a country developed in terms of tourism with its turquoise sea, beaches, nature, historical places, and monasteries. Many historical sites have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Lisbon, which is the capital of the country, is also the center of culture and economy. The official language is Portuguese. Euro is used as currency.
It is temperate in the north and a warm climate in the south. Cold winds bringing rain from the west during the winter. However, when the summer approaches, there is a hot dry wave from the south and precipitation decreases.
They were influenced by the Mediterranean cuisine. Seafood, pork, chicken meat, potatoes, cabbage, rice, garlic, onions, and spices form the basis of country cuisine. Olive oil has an important place.
| Country | Portugal |
| Code | PT (PRT) |
| Calling Code | 351 |
| Capital City | Lisbon |
| Currency | euro (EUR) |
| Emoji Symbol | 🇵🇹 |
| Highest Point | Ponta do Pico on Pico Island in the Azores (2,351 m) |
| Internet TLD | .pt |
| Population(2017) |
10,290,917 (2018) |
| Total Area | 91,982 km2 |