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Geography of Portugal
Portugal
Continent Europe
Region Southern Europe
Iberian Peninsula
Coordinates 38°43'N 8°5'W
Area Ranked 110th
92,391 km² (35,672. The term Southern Europe can have four definitions geographical political climatic phytogeographic The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. 4 sq mi)
99. 52% land
0. 48 % water
Borders Total land borders: Spain (1214 km)
Highest point Mount Pico
2351 m
Lowest point Atlantic Ocean
0 m (0 ft)
(sea level)
Longest river Tagus (275 km in Portugal proper), 47 km as border with Spain)

Portugal is a coastal nation in southwestern Europe. This is a list of land borders between countries 'Note: Entries which are not sovereign states are italicized. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Mount Pico ( Ponta do Pico, in Portuguese) is a Stratovolcano and the highest point on Pico Island in the Azores. Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface The Tagus ( Latin Tagus, Spanish Tajo, Portuguese Tejo, pron. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Its mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula and borders only one nation — Spain, to the east and north — with a total of 1,214km of borders. Mainland is usually the Continental part of a region as opposed to the Islands nearby The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Despite this total of km for the border with Spain, Portugal does not recognise the border from the delta of the River Caia to the delta of the River Cuncos since 1801's occupation of the Olivença territory by the Spanish Kingdom. This territory, though under Spanish occupation remains part of Portugal and no border is henceforth recognised in this area. It is bordered on the west with a 1,793km coastline along the North Atlantic Ocean. The coast is defined as the part of the land adjoining or near the Ocean. Portugal also controls the Atlantic islands of Azores and Madeira Islands, which are strategic locations along western sea approaches to the Strait of Gibraltar between the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. The Azores ( Açores ɐˈsoɾɨʃ or) is a Portuguese Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1500 km (950  mi) from History See also History of Madeira Pre-Portuguese times Pliny mentions certain Purple Islands the position of which with reference to the The Strait of Gibraltar ( Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the Strait that connects the Atlantic In total, the country has an area of 92,391 km² of which 91,951 km² is land and 440 km² water.

Geographic coordinates: 38°43′N, 8°5′W

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles (370 km)
territorial sea: 12 nautical miles (22 km)

Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes, as also is the continental coast. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A nautical mile or sea mile is a unit of Length. It corresponds approximately to one minute of Latitude along any meridian. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer Wild fires and extreme weather are also common.

Contents

The continent

Continental Portugal is split in two by its main river, the Tagus (Tejo). The Tagus ( Latin Tagus, Spanish Tajo, Portuguese Tejo, pron. To the north the landscape is mountainous in the interior areas with plateaus, cut by four breakings lines that allow the development of more fertile agricultural areas.

The south down as far as the Algarve features mostly rolling plains with a climate somewhat warmer and drier than the cooler and rainier north. The Algarve ( pron aɫ'gaɾv(ɨ is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal. Other major rivers include the Douro, the Minho and the Guadiana, similar to the Tagus in that all originate in Spain. The Douro or Duero ( Latin: Durius, Spanish: Duero, Portuguese: Douro, pron. Rio Minho redirects here For the river of that name in Jamaica see Rio Minho (Jamaica The Minho ( pron. Guadiana (Wadi Ana Anas Guadiana Guadiana pron. gwɐdi'ɐnɐ or Odiana) is one of the major Rivers of Spain and Portugal Another important river, the Mondego, originates in the Serra da Estrela (the highest mountains in mainland Portugal - 1,993 m). The Rio Mondego ( pron mõ'ðeɣu English language: Mondego River is the longest river located exclusively in Portuguese territory. Serra da Estrela (English Mountain Range of the Star) is the highest Mountain range in Portugal and includes Mainland Portugal 's highest

The Islands

The islands of the Azores and Madeira are located in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, some of the islands had recent volcanic activity. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR is a Mid-ocean ridge, a Divergent tectonic plate boundary located along the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the Originally two islands, São Miguel Island was joined by a volcanic eruption in 1563. São Miguel Island ( pron sɐ̃ũ mi'gɛɫ Portuguese for Saint Michael nicknamed "The Green Island", is the largest and most populous The last volcano to erupt was the Vulcão dos Capelinhos (Capelinhos Volcano) in 1957, in western part of Faial Island, increasing the size of that island. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Faial Island ( pron fɐi'aɫ also known in English as Fayal, is a Portuguese Island of the Central group ( Grupo Central) of Dom João de Castro Bank is a large submarine volcano that lies midway between the islands of Terceira and São Miguel and rises 14 m below the sea surface. Dom João de Castro Bank (also known as Don João de Castro Bank is a large Submarine volcano in the Azores in the central Atlantic Ocean. Terceira Island ( pron tɨɾ'sɐiɾɐ Portuguese: Ilha Terceira) is an Island in the Azores, in the middle of the North Atlantic It last erupted in 1720 and formed an island of 1. 5 km in length and 250 metres in altitude, it remained above the water for several years. Scientists predict a new island can be formed in a not so distant future. Portugal's highest point is Mount Pico, an ancient volcano, with 2,351 metres. Mount Pico ( Ponta do Pico, in Portuguese) is a Stratovolcano and the highest point on Pico Island in the Azores.

The Coast

The Portuguese coast is extensive, it has 943 km in continental Portugal, 667 km in the Azores, 250 km in Madeira and in the Savage Islands. Savage Islands, also referred to as the Selvagens Islands, ( Portuguese: Ilhas Selvagens, pron The Portuguese coast developed fine beaches, the Algarve ones are worldwide famous. In Porto Santo Island, a dune formation is appealing to many tourists. Porto Santo Island ( pron 'poɾtu 'sɐ̃tu is a Portuguese island 50 km northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean An important feature in its coast is the Ria de Aveiro (near Aveiro, a town called "The Portuguese Venice"), a delta with 45 km in length and a maximum of 11 km width, rich in fish and sea birds. Aveiro (aˈvɐjɾu is a city of some 57000 people and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 199 A delta is a Landform where the mouth of a River flows into an Ocean, Sea, Estuary, Lake or another river There are four main channels, between them several islands and islets, and it is where Vouga, Antuã, Boco, and Fontão rivers meet the ocean. For human anatomy see Islets of Langerhans An islet is a small Island. Antuã is a Portuguese river located on the Aveiro region. It is the most important tributary of the Ria de Aveiro after the Vouga river Since the 16th century, the formation of a sort of narrow headlands formed a lagoon, seen as one of the most remarkable hydrographic features of the Portuguese coast. Due to these characteristics, the region is an ancient producer of a famous salt, and during the Roman Empire it exported its salt to Rome, seen as a precious product. Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Another interesting feature of the Portuguese coast is Ria Formosa, with some sandy islands and a very good climate all the year- summers are not very hot and winters are generally mild. The Ria Formosa lagoon located in Algarve, in southern Portugal, is a system of barrier islands that communicates with the sea through 6 inlets

Hot, dry conditions sparked dozens of devastating wildfires in southern and central Portugal and central Spain in the summer of 2003. By the time this image was taken on January 19, 2004, the scars had begun to fade in areas, though the scars in Central Portugal and across the border in Spain are still dark red in the false-color image.
Hot, dry conditions sparked dozens of devastating wildfires in southern and central Portugal and central Spain in the summer of 2003. By the time this image was taken on January 19, 2004, the scars had begun to fade in areas, though the scars in Central Portugal and across the border in Spain are still dark red in the false-color image.

Exclusive Economic Zone

Main article: Portugal Exclusive Economic Zone
Portugal Exclusive Economic Zone
Portugal Exclusive Economic Zone

Portugal has the 3rd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of the EU and the 11th in the world. Portugal has the 3rd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of the EU and the 11th in the world Portugal has the 3rd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of the EU and the 11th in the world The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

Lakes

No large natural lakes exist in Continental Portugal, where the largest inland water surfaces are dam-originated reservoirs, (such as the Alqueva reservoir with 250 km2, the largest in Europe). A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the A reservoir is most broadly a place or hollow vessel where Fluid is kept in Reserve, for later use The Alqueva dam is a Dam located at the Guadiana river in the Alentejo region However, there are several lagoons in Portugal with a river as origin:

Some lagoons are near the Atlantic Ocean. Aveiro (aˈvɐjɾu is a city of some 57000 people and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 199 For instance, the Albufeira Lagoon (in the Setúbal Peninsula) and Óbidos Lagoon (near Foz do Arelho, Óbidos). The Península de Setúbal is a NUTS III subdivision of Lisbon Region (NUTS II in Portugal. Foz do Arelho is one of the sixteen civil parishes ( Freguesias ' that make up the Municipality ( município or Concelho In the Azores archipelago lagoons were formed in extinct volcanos. The Azores ( Açores ɐˈsoɾɨʃ or) is a Portuguese Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1500 km (950  mi) from Lagoa do Fogo and Lagoa das Sete Cidades (two small lakes connected by a narrow passage) are the most famous lakes in São Miguel Island. Lagoa do Fogo (Lagoon of Fire is a Crater lake within the Agua de Pau stratovolcano in the center of the island of São Miguel Island in the Azores Lagoa das Sete Cidade which stands for the Seven Cities Lagoon is a small Lake in the Portuguese Archipelago of the Azores. São Miguel Island ( pron sɐ̃ũ mi'gɛɫ Portuguese for Saint Michael nicknamed "The Green Island", is the largest and most populous

Climate

Portugal's climate is classified as Atlantic-Mediterranean, a maritime climate, strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, cool and rainy in north, hot and dry in south (Annual precipitation: Faro- 524 mm; Lisbon- 750 mm; Coimbra- 1000 mm; Porto- 1200 mm; Viana do Castelo- 1400 mm). An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) is the Climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes

Blizzard in Serra da Estrela
Blizzard in Serra da Estrela

In mainland Portugal, average temperatures are 13°C in the North and 18°C in the South. A blizzard is a severe Winter storm condition characterized by low Temperatures strong Winds and heavy blowing Snow Blizzards are formed when Serra da Estrela (English Mountain Range of the Star) is the highest Mountain range in Portugal and includes Mainland Portugal 's highest Madeira and Azores, due to their location in the Atlantic, are rainy and wet, and have a narrower range of temperatures.

Portugal is one of the warmest European countries. Spring and Summer months are usually sunny and the temperatures very high during July and August, with highs between 28°C and 35°C, reaching sometimes highs of 40°C in the southern interior. Autumn and Winter are typically rainy and windy, yet sunny days are not rare either, the temperatures rarely fall below 2°C in the coastal area, usually staying at an average of 8/11°C. Snow is common in the mountainous areas of the north.

As of 2005, the country is facing serious problems due to lack of rain in the winter. A winter with very blue skies with some days of unusual low temperatures and other days with unusual high temperatures.

Environment

Main article: Conservation areas of Portugal

Environment - current issues: soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban

Terrain: mountainous and hilly north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble, arable land, hydroelectric power

Land use:
arable land: 26%
permanent crops: 9%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 36%
other: 20% (1993 est. Portugal's conservation areas are divided into five categories One national park ( Parque Nacional) 12 natural parks ( Parque Natural) 9 natural reserves ( Reserva Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind Air pollution is the human introduction into the atmosphere of Chemicals Particulate matter, or Biological materials that cause harm or discomfort Water pollution is the contamination of Water bodies such as Lakes Rivers Oceans and Groundwater caused by human activities Mount Pico ( Ponta do Pico, in Portuguese) is a Stratovolcano and the highest point on Pico Island in the Azores. Pico Island ( Portuguese: Ilha do Pico, pron 'iʎɐ du 'piku is an island of the Azores noted for its eponymous Volcano, Ponta Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Cork material is a Prime-subset of generic cork tissue, harvested for commercial use primarily from the Cork Oak tree Quercus Tungsten (ˈtʌŋstən also known as wolfram (/ˈwʊlfrəm/ is a Chemical element that has the symbol W and Atomic number 74 Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Uranium (jʊˈreɪniəm is a silvery-gray Metallic Chemical element in the Marble is a nonfoliated Metamorphic rock resulting from the Metamorphism of Limestone, composed mostly of Calcite (a crystalline form of Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water )

Irrigated land: 6,300 km² (1993 est. )

Tourism


Where to go: The Algarve is the main tourist destination promising sunny days, beaches, long nights and stunning natural beauty. The Algarve ( pron aɫ'gaɾv(ɨ is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal. Other popular destinations include Lisbon and Porto, with historical towns such as Conímbriga and Tomar being well worth visiting. Lisbon (Lisboa liʒˈboɐ is the Capital and largest city of Portugal. Conímbriga is one of the largest Roman settlements in Portugal, and is classified as a National Monument. For the Indian surname see Tomara. Tomar ( pron tu'maɾ also known in English as Thomar, is a city of some 20000 and Also, do not forget to visit the towns of Marvão and Castelo de Vide, close to the city of Portalegre (known for cork, wine and tapestry) in the Parque Natural de São Mamede in the region of Alto Alentejo, and about 250 km east of Lisbon. Marvão ( pron mɐɾ'vɐ̃w̃ is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 154 Castelo de Vide ( pron kɐʃ'tɛlu dɨ 'vidɨ is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 264 This article is about Portalegre Alentejo, Portugal. For Porto Alegre in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, see Porto Alegre Marvão is a walled medieval town on top of an imponent granitic hill allowing beautiful 360 degress over lands of both Portugal and Spain. The surrounding vegetation is mostly chestnuts, oaks and cork trees (from which the bark is removed every 9 years). From Marvão one can see Castelo de Vide, which is another medieval town, larger than Marvão. This whole region actually presents itself with a myriad of historical artifacts from dolmens and pre-historical burial sites, to roman ruins, medieval castles, mourish influences and many other interesting pieces of a long human history in this region.

See also

Sources and further reading

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