The flag of Brazil or “The Bandeira do Brasil” in Portuguese, was designed by Raimundo Teixeira Mendes, assisted by Miguel Lemos, Manuel Pereira Reis and Decio Villares. The current design of the flag was adopted on November 19, 1889. The main difference between the modern flag of today and the design in 1889, is the number of stars. The flag was modified to have 21 stars in having a star that represents each of its states. Over the years, large states were divided to create smaller states and, as a result, the flag has added stars to keep it up to date. The most recent modification was on May 11, 1992, when an extra four stars were added. As of today, the Brazilian flag has a total of 27 stars, 26 for the states in Brazil and 1 for the Federal District which holds the national capital, Brasilia.
Brazil’s national flag features a green field on which lies a yellow rhombus. Lying on the center of the rhombus is a blue globe featuring 27 five-pointed white stars. A white band lies across the center of the globe with the nation’s motto “Ordem e Progresso” (Order and Progress) written in green letters. This flag is truly unique in that the globe in the center of the flag displays the night sky exactly as it could be seen early morning on November 15, 1889 from Rio de Janeiro (the day the Brazilian monarchy was overthrown). The green field is said to represent the House of Braganza of Pedro I, the first emperor of the nation, and the yellow reflects the House of Habsburg. Some say the colors are also powerful symbols of the natural beauty of Brazil. The dark green represents the lush Amazon rainforest and jungle forests of Brazil and the yellow symbolizes the gold reserves of Brazil and its natural riches and minerals.