Amapá (Brazil)

Last modified: 2002-10-12 by joe mcmillan
Keywords: amapa | fortress | brazil |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors

7:10 by António Martins
Adopted 23 April 1984

• Flag of Amapá
• Territorial Flag, pre-1984

• Counani
• Index of Brazil Pages
• Brazilian Subnational Flags

Flag of Amapá

The flag of Amapá contains a large area of green that forms a triangle together to the hoist and is extended as a horizontal band in the center, representing the jungle of the state. Within the triangle is located what I believe is the indigenous symbol of four arrows that represent the four cardinal points; the green part is fimbriated in white, representing hope in the future. The blue represents the sky and the rivers of the state, and the yellow, as in the national flag, symbolizes gold. The flag was adopted shortly before the territory was converted into a state.
Jaume Ollé, 28 June 1996

Carlos Noronha sent me a scan of the correct flag and I put it into FOTW standard. The shape at the fly is a stylized map of the fortress of Saint Joseph of Macapá (built by the Portuguese in the 17th century to repeal French attacks. Carlos was not sure if the inside of the fortress should be "hollow" (green) or "filled" (white).
António Martins, 11 February 1998

According to the official state website, the flag should have black stripes. Here is what is said:

The flag represents a symbolism that tries to identify, in a figurative manner, the past of the people of Amapá, represented by the geometric figure of the Fortress of São José, the basis on which the capital city of the state developed. Chosen by a commission named by Governor Anníbal Barcellos (Decree No. 4, of 30 January 1984), the flag has a rectangular form and is divided into the colors blue, green, yellow, and white (the same as the national flag), and black.

• The blue field symbolizes justice and the Amapaense sky.
• The green represents the 90% of the area of the state made up of native forest, still preserved. It also symbolizes hope, the future, love, liberty, and abundance.
• The yellow symbolizes union and underground riches.
• The white purity and peace and the will of the State of Amapá to live in security and community with all who live in it, also signifying that discord will not find refuge between public authority and the population.
• The black symbolizes permanent respect to those who fell in the past, in combat or not, who in their lifetimes sought something good for the improvement of this region.

The manufacture of the flag obeys the following basic standards:

• The breadth will be of 14 equal parts, each of which will be considered a measure or a module. The length will be of 20 modules.
• Lines will part the vertices at an angle of 45 degrees. Parallel to each line will be a black stripe 0.5 centimeters wide on either side, leaving a 1 centimeter wide stripe between them. them.

The state flag was approved by Decree 8 of 23 April 1984.
Joseph McMillan, 19 August 2002

Reported Territorial Flag, pre-1984

by Jaume Ollé

Amapá was reported to have a flag like that of Peru. I read in the Flag Bulletin that the flag of Amapá was changed in 1993. In the article there is a description of the supposed new flag. I have confirmation from Brazil that the flag described in the Flag Bulletin is the old flag of Amapá and that the current state flag is the flag shown above.
Jaume Ollé, 11 September 1996

On 16 April 1997, Pedro Aguiar enlighted us all about the Amapá state flag mystery. The Peruvian look-alike is a former flag, probably from the territory time, before the mid-eighties, and the South African-like flag is the new and current one.
António Martins, 10 September 1997

I believe that no changes in the Amapá flag were made after 1984 and that the confusion is because one or more Brazilian atlases and books showed the red-white-red flag later than 1984. According to my notes, the red-white-red flag was in use in 1983 before the upgrading of Amapá to statehood and was apparently unofficial. The motto on the ribbon has been reported as O Oiapoce o amazonas (The Oiapoque, the Amazon) and Aquí começa o Brasil (here Brazil begins).
Jaume Ollé, 13 April 2001