^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Altamira, Pará (Brazil)

by Blas Delgado Ortiz

About the Flag
About the Coat of Arms

About the Flag

The flag and coat of arms of Altamira were designed by the heraldist and vexillologist Arcinóe Antônio Peixoto de Faria and approved by law no. 051/78 of 2 December 1978. The flag measures 14 by 20 units and is green with a white- bordered black saltire. The black stripes of the saltire are 1 unit wide with the white border 1/2 unit wide. On the center is a white circle 8 units in diameter [source erroneously says "circumference"] with the municipal coat of arms on it. The design symbolizes Altamira's status as the hub of the transportation routes from Amazônia throughout Brazil. In addition, the stripes are intended to indicate the force of municipal authority (the coat of arms) extending from the city where it has its seat (the circle) throughout all parts of the municipal territory. In addition, the colors are accorded the usual conventional symbolism: green for agriculture, honor, civility, courtesy, joy, abundance, and hope; white for peace, prosperity, religious purity; black for austerity, prudence, wisdom, moderation, and character.
Source: Altimira city website page on municipal symbols
Reported by Dov Gutterman, 4 March 2002
Summarized by Joseph McMillan, 15 March 2002

About the Coat of Arms

The same law describes the coat of arms as a Samnitic shield ensigned with a mural crown of eight towers argent lighted gules; the shield vert, a pall sable cotised argent, accompanied in chief by a ball of [raw] rubber and in the flanks by fishes palewise, all argent; as supporters on either side a chestnut three proper growing from a scroll gules, inscribed in silver with the place-name Altamira and the motto Capital da Transamazônica, flanked by the date 01/01/1912.

According to the municipal website, the Samnitic shield, introduced into Portugal by French influence, is used in Brazilian heraldry to evoke the race of the Portuguese colonists. The mural crown with four visible towers signifies a city of the second grade, the seat of a judicial circuit, or comarca. The red illumination, by the heraldic significance of this color, is consistent with the traits of the colonizing pioneers and the leaders of the community. The color green is the symbol of honor, civility, courtesy, joy, and abundance; it is also the symbolic color of hope because it recalls the verdant fields in the spring, giving hope of a plentiful harvest. The black pall cotised silver connotes the Transamazônia Highway of which Altamira is the principal hub. Black is the symbol of austerity, prudence, wisdom, moderation, firmness, religiosity. The latex ball and the fishes recall the principal economic activities of the municipality. The chestnut trees show the natural richness of the Amazonian forest, which made possible the occupation of the vast territory and the formation of cities.
Reported by Dov Gutterman, 4 March 2002
Summarized by Joseph McMillan, corrected by Jorge Candeias, 15 March 2002