And now for something completely different

... a little background on the Brazilian flag.

Distinctively green, yellow, and blue, the Brazilian flag is full of symbolism. Adopted over a hundred years ago on November 19, 1889, the flag has undergone only a few changes since then.

The Colours: Although many think that the green background and the yellow rhombus represent Brazil’s wealth of natural resources (green for the Amazon, the Atlantic rainforest, and the Pantanal; and yellow for the country’s large gold deposits), the two colours actually represent the House of Bragança and the House of Hapsburg, the respective families of Pedro I, the first emperor of Brazil (I promise, more on that to come), and his wife, Empress Leopoldina.

The Sky and Stars: The stars depict a mirror-image of the sky as it appeared in Rio de Janeiro, on November 15, 1889 at 8:30, the day that Brazil was declared a republic (as opposed to its independence, which was declared on September 7, 1822). Each star represents a specific state, and stars have been added and removed as new states have been created or amalgamated. The constellations represented on the flag are Canis Minor, Canis Major, Canopus, Virgo, Hydra, the Southern Cross, the Southern Triangle, Scorpius, and Octans. Since not every star seen on the night of November 15, 1889 is on the flag, it is easy enough to fill the constellations in more or less depending on the need to add or remove states.

The Band and Motto: Although there has been speculation that the white band crossing the blue sky represents the ecliptic, the celestial equator, or the zodiak belt, according to the Government of Brazil, the white band was simply needed as a place to put the country’s motto Ordem e Progreso, a motto based on French philosopher Auguste Compte’s theories of positivism.

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