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Portugal is a coastal nation in western Europe, located at the western end of the Iberian Peninsula, bordering Spain (on its northern and eastern frontiers: a total of ). The Portuguese territory also includes a series of archipelagos in the Atlantic Ocean (the Azores and Madeira), which are strategic islands along the North Atlantic. The extreme south is not too far from the Strait of Gibraltar, leading to the Mediterranean Sea. In total, the country occupies an area of of which is land and water.
Despite these definitions, the Portugal-Spain border remains an unresolved territorial dispute between the two countries. Portugal does not recognise the border between Caia and Ribeira de Cuncos River deltas, since the beginning of the 1801 occupation of Olivenza by Spain. This territory, though under de facto Spanish occupation, remains a de jure part of Portugal, consequently no border is henceforth recognised in this area.
Physical
thumb|235px|[[Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in continental Portugal and popular tourist winter destination]]
thumb|235px|The volcanic lake of Lagoa das Furnas, on the island of [[São Miguel Island|São Miguel]]
Portugal is located on the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula and plateau, that divides the inland Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. It is located on the Atlantic coast of this plateau and crossed by several rivers which have their origin in Spain. Most of these rivers flow from east to west disgorging in the Atlantic; from north to south, the primary rivers are the Minho, Douro, Mondego, Tagus and the Guadiana.
Coastline
thumb|left|Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone
The Portuguese continental shelf has an area of , although its width is variable from in the north to in the south.
The Iberian peninsula, defined by its coastline, is due to a fragment of the Variscan tectonic fracture zone, the Iberian-Hesperian Massif, which occupies the west-central part of the plateau. However, there are several small freshwater lakes in Portugal, the most notable of which are located in Serra da Estrela, Lake Comprida (Lagoa Comprida) and Lake Escura (Lagoa Escura), which were formed from ancient glaciers. Pateira de Fermentelos is a small natural lake near Aveiro, it is one of the largest natural lakes in the Iberian Peninsula and is rich in wildlife. In the Azores archipelago lakes were formed in the caldera of extinct volcanoes. Lagoa do Fogo and Lagoa das Sete Cidades (two small lakes connected by a narrow way) are among the site lakes in São Miguel Island.
Lagoons in the shores of the Atlantic exist. For instance, the Albufeira Lagoon and Óbidos Lagoon (near Foz do Arelho, Óbidos).
Archipelagos
In addition to continental Europe, Portugal consists of two Autonomous Regions in the Atlantic Ocean, consisting of the archipelagos of Madeira and Azores. Madeira is located on the African Tectonic Plate, and comprises the main island of Madeira, Porto Santo and the smaller Savage Islands. The Azores, which are located between the junction of the African, European and North American Plates, straddle the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. There are nine islands in this archipelago, usually divided into three groups (Western, Central and Eastern) and several smaller Formigas (rock outcroppings) located between São Miguel and Santa Maria Islands. Both island groups are volcanic in nature, with historic volcanology and seismic activity persisting to the present time. In addition, there are several submarine volcanos in the Azores (such as Dom João de Castro Bank), that have erupted historically (such as the Serrata eruption off the coast of Terceira Island). The last major volcanic event occurred in 1957-58 along the western coast of Faial Island, which formed the Capelinhos Volcano. Seismic events are common in the Azores.
The Azores are occasionally subject to very strong earthquakes, as is the continental coast. Wildfires occur mostly in the summer in mainland Portugal and extreme weather in the form of strong winds and floods also occurs mainly in winter. The Azores are occasionally stricken by tropical cyclones such as Hurricane Jeanne (1998) and Hurricane Gordon (2006).
Climate
thumb|Köppen climate classification map of Portugal.
Most of Portugal has a Mediterranean climate according to the Köppen climate classification: "Csa" (or hot-summer Mediterranean climate) in most of the lands south of the Tagus River, inland Douro Valley in the Norte Region, eastern Azores and the Madeira archipelago. The "Csb" warm-summer Mediterranean pattern can be found north of that same river and in Costa Vicentina in coastal Southern Portugal. Most of the Azores have a humid subtropical climate or "Cfa", while a small region in inland Alentejo has BSk or semi-arid climate. The Savage Islands are the only region to have an arid climate or "BWh". The sea surface temperatures in these islands vary from in winter to in the summer, occasionally reaching .
The annual average temperature in mainland Portugal varies from in the mountainous interior north to in the south (in general the south is warmer and drier than the north). The Madeira and Azores archipelagos have a narrower temperature range. Funchal is the warmest city in Portugal, with an average annual temperature of . Extreme temperatures occur in the mountains in the interior North and Centre of the country in winter, where they may fall below or in rare occasions below , particularly in the higher peaks of Serra da Estrela, and in southeastern parts in the summer, sometimes exceeding . <br>The official absolute extreme temperatures are in Penhas da Saúde on 4 February 1954 and Miranda do Douro, and in Amareleja in the Alentejo region, on 1 August 2003. There are, however, unofficial records of on 4 August 1881 in Riodades, São João da Pesqueira and on 6 July 1949 in Figueira da Foz in an apparent heat burst (see the Highest temperature recorded on Earth). Such temperatures are not validated since these were measured in enclosures that were much more susceptible to solar radiation and/or in enclosed gardens which tend to heat up a lot more than in the open where temperatures should be measured. There are also records of from a Polytechnic Institute in Bragança, and below in Serra da Estrela, which have no official value since they were not recorded by IPMA. <br>The annual average rainfall in continental Portugal varies from around in a few mountain tops in the north at Peneda-Gerês National Park to around in inland parts of Alentejo. In Macaronesia however, Pico Island holds the record with upwards of in the higher altitudes and the Savage Islands around . Portugal as a whole is amongst the sunniest areas in Europe, with around 2300–3200 hours of sunshine a year, an average of 4-6h in winter and 10-12h in the summer. The sea surface temperature is higher in the south coast where it varies from in January to in August, occasionally reaching ; on the west coast the sea surface temperature is around in winter and in the summer.
Climate change
Climate change in Portugal is causing rising temperatures and longer-lasting heat waves, decreases in average rainfall and increases in the number of extremely rainy days (causing droughts and floods), and rising sea levels which will threaten the country's many coastal populations. Portugal is among the countries worst affected by wild fires. As a EU member state, Portugal is part of their joint plan to reduce emissions by a minimum of 55% by 2030, compared to the level of emissions in 1990. Portugal has committed to carbon neutrality and net zero by 2050. As of 2023, oil made up 44% of Portugal's total energy supply. However the country phased out coal-fired generation in 2021 and has been developing renewable energies such as hydopower and wind power and investing in public transport and electric vehicles.
Seasons
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Seasons
!Meteorological
!Astronomical
!real feel
|-
!spring
|1 March to 31 May
|20 March to 19 or 20 June
|March to May
|-
!summer
|1 June to 31 August
|20 or 21 June to 21 or 22 September
|June to September
|-
!autumn
|1 September to 30 November
|22 or 23 September to 20 or 21 December
|October to November
|-
!winter
|1 December to 28/29 February
|21 or 22 December to 20 March
|December to February
|}
Whole year UV Index table
Source:
Forest
thumb|300px|[[Forest in Sintra]]
In 2017, the area occupied by forest in mainland Portugal was 39.0% (3,472,459 hectares).
Portugal has one of the largest forested areas in Europe (35.8%).
About 85% of Portugal's forest is privately owned, only 3% belongs to the Portuguese state, and the remaining 12% are communal lands belonging to local communities.
Species distribution
thumb|300px|[[Cork oak in the Algarve]]
thumb|Species of [[Quercus in Portugal]]
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|+ Forest in mainland Portugal (2001)
! Forest species
! % forest area
! Area (ha)
|-----
| Maritime pine
| 29.1
| 976,069
|-
| Stone pine
| 2.3
| 77,650
|-----
| Other conifers
| 0.8
| 27,358
|-
| Holm oak
| 13.8
| 461,577
|-----
| Oaks
| 3.9
| 130,899
|-
| Sweet chestnut
| 1.2
| 40,579
|-----
| Eucalyptuss
| 20.1
| 672,149
|-
| Cork oak
| 21.3
| 712,813
|-----
| Other broadleaves
| 3.0
| 102,037
|-
| Total
| 100.0
| 3,349,327
|}
Other species are being introduced such as Gaillardia aristata in the Azores and Madeira archipelagos; Jacobaea minuta in southern Portugal; Rhaponticum longifolium in the surroundings of Leiria; the French marigold (Tagetes patula) on the border of the Province of Salamanca; Zinnia elegans in the Beira Alta region; Salvia viridis in Estremadura; pink crownvetch (Securigera varia) in Coimbra; or Claytonia perfoliata in northern Portugal.
Eucalyptus forest
Eucalyptus is mainly found:
- in the Beira region (Baixo Vouga and Beira Interior Sul).
- other important regions: Tâmega, Médio Tejo, Oeste and Alto Alentejo.
Decline of the elm
Since 1920, Dutch elm disease has caused a general decline of the species throughout Europe. The disease is caused by a fungus (Ophiostoma ulmi) that blocks the water-conducting vessels of the elm. External symptoms include wilting and the loss of branches and parts of the crown until the entire tree dies. The fungus spreads through the elm bark beetle and is considered one of the worst invasive species worldwide, affecting Europe, North America, and all elms planted in gardens of former European colonies. Also an ornamental tree, initially used to line Avenida da Liberdade, it is now rare in Portuguese streets and uncommon as an adult tree in the countryside, where it was known as negrilho. The last survivors have been left to die without treatment, contaminating any others that may exist healthy.
Natural heritage
Notable in its natural heritage is a site declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999 for the size and quality of the laurisilva, a type of laurel forest: the Laurisilva of Madeira. It has seven biosphere reserves: Paúl do Boquilobo (1981), Corvo Island (2007), Graciosa Island (2007), Flores Island (2009), Gerês–Xurés, transboundary with Spain, the Berlengas Archipelago (2011) and Santana (2011). A total of 86,581 hectares are protected as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, with a total of 28 Ramsar sites.
Fauna
The fauna of mammals is very diverse and includes the fox, the badger, the Iberian lynx, the Iberian wolf, the Iberian ibex, the European wildcat, the European hare, the weasel, the Egyptian mongoose, the genet and, occasionally, the Brown bear (near the Minho River and Peneda-Gerês National Park), among others. Portugal is an important stopover for bird migrations between Europe and Africa, especially in places such as Cape St. Vincent or the Serra de Monchique. The country has about 600 species of birds, of which 235 are breeding, and new records are reported almost every year.
thumb|[[Montesinho Natural Park, in northeastern Portugal.]]
Portugal has a large number of freshwater fish species ranging from the giant catfish in the International Tagus Natural Park, to small endemic species that live only in small lakes. Some of these rare species are seriously threatened due to habitat destruction, pollution and droughts.
Environment
thumb|upright|Mineral resources of Portugal. Fe — [[iron ore, PY — pyrite, Sn — tin, W — tungsten, U — uranium, C — coal, L — lignite.]]
In Portugal, the phenomenon of upwelling can be observed, especially on the west coast, which makes the sea extremely rich in nutrients and biodiversity. The Protected areas of Portugal include one national park, thirteen natural parks, nine nature reserves, five natural monuments and six protected landscapes. In 2005, the protected landscape area of the Litoral de Esposende was classified as natural park for the "conservation of the coastal cordon and its physical, aesthetic and landscape elements."
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas
Environment - international agreements:
<br>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
<br>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:
<br>lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
<br>highest point:
Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m
(Mainland: Torre (Serra da Estrela) 1,993m)
Natural resources:
fish, forests (cork), tungsten, iron ore, uranium ore, marble, arable land, hydroelectric power
Land use:
<br>arable land:
26%
<br>permanent crops:
9%
<br>permanent pastures:
9%
<br>forests and woodland:
36%
<br>other:
20% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land:
6,300 km<sup>2</sup> (1993 est.)
See also
- Cabo da Roca
- Forests of the Iberian Peninsula
References
Sources
External links
- Visible Earth. NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. <small>[https://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=69860]</small>. A collection of satellite images of Portugal and the surrounding region.