Presentation

The Portuguese occupy the ancient homeland of the Lusitanians (named after the Lusi), which became a Roman and later a Visigothic province, shaped by both a deep attachment to the land and an openness to the Atlantic.
The new state flag dates from 1910. The armillary sphere, emblem of Henry the Navigator (1394–1460), was added in 1815 and evokes Portugal’s maritime history. The national arms appear at the intersection of the two bands.
The Portuguese colors are white and blue (from the five shields, each bearing five silver bezants on an azure field) or the green and red of the modern flag. A medieval cross with flared ends characterizes Portugal.