Green represents the hope of the nation, and red represents the blood of those who died defending it. The armillary sphere is an astronomical instrument representing Portugal's Age of Discovery. The traditional Portuguese shield sits over it.
History
Adopted on June 30, 1911, following the republican revolution that overthrie the monarchy in 1910. The colors replaced the traditional blue and white of the monarchy.
Construction
A 2:3 ratio. A vertical bicolour of green and red, with the green band on the hoist taking up 2/5ths of the length. The coat of arms is centered over the color boundary.