Last modified: 2012-03-23 by ian macdonald
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![[Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco - Brazil)]](../images/b/br-pe-fn.gif)
by André Pires Godinho
On the scroll on the central device are the letters "1809-BRASIL-1942," [see correction below--ed.] and
on the rim of the circle "FERNANDO DE NORONHA."
Dirk Schönberger, 14 August 1999
The year in the motto is 1503 and not 1809.
André Pires Godinho, 15 February 2003
The flag of Fernando de Noronha was designed in 1982 by Jorge Longuinho,
Military Governor of the Air Force and heraldist of the Brazilian Armed Forces.
The flag is made of a white lozenge placed on a Royal blue rectangle and charged
with the coat of arms. The coat of arms shows the "Big Rock", the emblem of
Fernando de Noronha, represented in silver with shadows, dominating a green
mound, representing natural vegetation. The landscape is surrounded by two
silver dolphins with shadows proper. In the base are three silver waves and
three flag green waves. The shield is surrounded by a cotice or symbolizing
emerging richness, inscribed "FERNANDI NORONHAE". A Portuguese escutcheon is
placed on top. The shield is surrounded by two green branches, representing the
agricultural resources of the archipelago. The whole is surmounted by a mural
crown or, symbolizing strength and resistance.
http://www.mixtecnologia.com.br/noronha/index.php?page=historia&nomeTemplate=noronha_historia_visualizar_noticia.php&codigoNoticia=1896
- Fernando de Noronha official website
The original coat of arms of
Fernan do Loronha, mentioned above, is detailed on the Fernando de Noronha
official website:
http://www.mixtecnologia.com.br/noronha/index.php?page=historia&nomeTemplate=noronha_historia_visualizar_noticia.php&codigoNoticia=1895
Ivan Sache, 4 March 2012
Fernando de Noronha was a separate territory, which included Atol das Rocas,
and the rocks São Pedro and São Paulo,
until it was incorporated into Pernambuco State in 1988.
Herman De Wael, 7 March 1999
These islands were named after their discoverer, Fernão de Loronha (not a typo, see below) in 1500-something. (This was a real "discovery," by the way, since the island was uninhabited and well away from the shore.) The island's name was later modernized to the current form, but the original Loronha guy was really called that. As the story goes, his father was from the Asturian town of Noroña and took its name when he settled in Portugal, changing the initial letter to avoid confusion with the real Noronha family. (A second version says that his godfather was a real Noronha and he took his surname when baptized, having been born a Jew).
What is certain is that Fernão de Loronha, a sailing ship
captain and merchant, was granted arms when in England and in 1506 got permission to use them
in Portugal (confirmed in 1524 and 1532). These were, in the Portuguese version, per pale argent and vert,
two roses dimidiating as many fleurs-de-lis, in dexter canton a dove volant argent. The same dove served as the
crest.
António Martins, 17 August 1999
According to its official website
http://www.noronha.pe.gov.br Fernando de Noronha has a special status -
Distrito Estadual, or State District.
Valentin Poposki, 20 March 2007
The Fernando de Noronha archipelago (26 sq. km), located in the Atlantic
Ocean, 550 km of Recife, is made of 21 islands, the permanent population (3,012
inhabitants in 2008) being located on the main island (17 sq. km) of the same
name. The other islands form a Maritime National Park, where human presence is
banned except for short scientific missions. The archipelago was registered in
2001 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Per Article 96 of the Pernambuco
Constitution, Fernando do Noronha is a "geo-economical, social and cultural"
region of the Pernambuco State, with the status of State District.
Ivan
Sache, 4 March 2012