Article presenting one (or several) map(s) of Portugal. The country’s territory, not counting the Azores and Madeira, is located at the far south-west of the European continent. Its hills and mountains form the western edge of the Iberian Plateau. Its narrow coastal plain faces the Atlantic Ocean.
Portugal map – Credit Nations Online
This maritime position is one of the defining factors in the country’s history. As you can see on the map of Portugal, the area of the coastal region is twice the European average. Portugal has an almost rectangular shape.
Here are several maps of Portugal:
Where is Portugal located? Image credit: NuclearVacuum
Map of Portugal’s major cities
Article outline
Map of Portugal: relief
As you can see on the map of Portugal, eastern Portugal is the continuation of the Spanish Meseta. The region is rugged, arid and very sparsely populated. Hills and plateaus extend almost to the coastline north of the Tagus River. They form an east–west barrier in the Algarve region in the south of the country.
The highest point in mainland Portugal is Torre, at 1,993 meters, located in the Serra da Estrela. Nevertheless, western Portugal is a country of low hills and plains. By contrast, the north of the country is rather mountainous. Between the Tagus and the Douro, there is a coastal plain.
South of the Tagus, which practically divides the country in two, summits rarely exceed 160 m. The landscape is made up of a succession of gentle rises. The other rivers that flow into the ocean are the Mondego and the Sado. The mouth of the Douro is at Porto, and that of the Tagus is at Lisbon. These are Portugal’s main cities.
Map of Portugal: climate
Portugal has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Temperatures and rainfall reflect oceanic influence. Northern Portugal experiences winter temperatures between 4° and 9°C and summer temperatures between 21 and 26°C. Rainfall is about 89 cm per year.
By contrast, the climate in the south resembles that of Spain’s Costa del Sol. Winter temperatures range between 10 and 15°C and the summer temperature is around 27°C. Rainfall is lower, about 51 cm per year, and summers are very dry. Portugal’s natural vegetation resembles that of Spain, but because of its wetter climate, forests are especially common in the north of the country.
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