Types of flags in Portugal

In Portugal the best-known flag is the green and red national flag, but it is not the only one with official status. The autonomous regions have their own flags, municipalities and parishes use heraldic flags, and the Armed Forces and security forces have standards and unit flags. This guide presents the most common types and the rules for each.

The national flag

Under article 11 of the Constitution, the national flag is the one adopted by the Republic established by the Revolution of 5 October 1910. The 1911 decree describes it as divided vertically into dark green and scarlet, with the green at the hoist, and with the shield of the national arms, edged in white, on the Manueline armillary sphere in yellow, in the centre over the join between the two colours.

The length is one and a half times the height of the hoist, green takes two fifths of the length and red three fifths, and the central emblem is half the height. The measurements are in the guide to flag sizes, and the meaning of the elements in the guide to flag symbolism.

Military and naval flags

The decree of 30 June 1911 also set the flags of military units, in silk, in which the gold armillary sphere is surrounded by two laurel branches and a scroll with the line from Camões "Esta é a ditosa pátria minha amada". For ships it set the jack, with a green border and a scarlet centre, and the pennants, in green and red. Decreto-Lei n.º 150/87 keeps the specific rules for the use of the flag in military and maritime settings.

The security forces have their own heraldry regulations. The GNR Heraldry Regulations (Portaria n.º 1194/2009), for example, provide for square flags for flying, standards, guidons, pennants and small pennants.

Flag of the Azores

According to the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the first autonomy flag was raised in November 1897 at Lomba dos Gagos, in the municipality of Ponta Delgada. It had the colours of the national flag of the time, blue and white, with a flying goshawk under nine stars in the centre, and served as the model for today’s flag, approved in 1979. The official version is in Decreto Regulamentar Regional n.º 13/79/A, which also governs its use:

• On public buildings and at official ceremonies, the Azorean flag is always flown with the national flag.
• It is flown on Sundays and holidays, from morning to sunset.
• The flag is no more than half and no less than a quarter of the height of the pole.

Flag of Madeira

Decreto Regional n.º 30/78/M defines the flag of Madeira as rectangular, its height two thirds of its width, and divided into three equal rectangles: blue at the hoist and at the far end and gold in the middle, with the cross of the Order of Christ. According to the preamble, blue reflects the environment that makes up the islands’ insularity and gold the mild climate, and the cross recalls that the archipelago belonged to the Order of Christ from its discovery.

Unlike the national flag, the flag of Madeira may be used as a decorative element in the street, in public venues, homes and private establishments, as long as this is not disrespectful.

Flags of municipalities and parishes

Lei n.º 53/91 governs the heraldry of local authorities. Administrative regions, municipalities, parishes, cities, towns and public-interest legal persons are entitled to heraldic symbols, and the national shield may not be included in them. The law distinguishes two types of flag:

Under the law, the standards of cities are gyronny of eight and those of towns and parishes quarterly, or of a single colour, with the coat of arms in the centre. The flag for flying follows the design of the standard.

The European Union flag

The blue flag with twelve gold stars is seen on many Portuguese public buildings, beside the national flag. Decreto-Lei n.º 150/87 does not mention it, but according to the memorandum on flags of the Câmara Municipal do Sabugal it normally comes right after the national flag. The subject is covered in the guide to flag protocol.

Advertising flags

Many companies fly flags with their logo. These are not official symbols but advertising messages, and their display is governed by Lei n.º 97/88. The rules are in the guide to flagpoles for businesses, and the choice of fabric and finish in the guide to buying a flag.