Portuguese navigator. He commanded an expedition in 1497 to discover the route to India around the Cape of Good Hope (in modern South Africa). On Christmas Day 1497 he reached land, which he named Natal. He then crossed the Indian Ocean, arriving at Calicut (now Kozhikode in Kerala) in May 1498, and returned to Portugal in September 1499.
Green stands for agriculture. Red recalls the struggle for independence. White denotes peace. Yellow symbolizes mineral wealth. Effective date: April 1983.