Portugal Flag

The Portuguese Republic's national flag is the Flag of Portugal. It's a rectangular bicolor with a green field on the hoist and a red field on the fly. The smaller form of Portugal's national coat of arms, which features an armillary sphere and the Portuguese shield, is centered over the color boundary, equal distance from the upper and below sides.

The current flag design was introduced on December 1st, 1910, following the constitutional monarchy's demise on October 5th, 1910. On June 30th, 1911, the official decree establishing this flag as the official flag was published. A special commission comprised of Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, Joo Chagas, and Abel Botelho chose the design.

The use of green in the flag was unusual, and it constituted a dramatic departure influenced by republicanism. This severed ties with the former monarchical flag. Red and green had been established as the colors of the Portuguese Republican Party and its associated movements, and these colors were popularly propagandized as representing the nation's hope (green) and the blood of those who died defending it (red), in order to endow them with a more patriotic and dignified sentiment.

The current flag design marks a significant shift in the evolution of the Portuguese standard, which had previously been identified with the royal arms, blue and white. The national flag has evolved over time, with alterations related with major political events that have led to its current form.