A complicated territorial division and some border claims
Portugal can be divided into three main regions: the North, the Center and the South, all of which are subdivided into sub-regions. The North corresponds to everything north of the Mondego River, which is completely included in the country, and the South, which is south of the Tagus River. Between the two is defined the Center, which is rather vague. The Portuguese identify themselves more geographically by speaking of districts, of which there are 18: Aveiro, Beja, Braga, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon, Portalegre, Porto, Santaém, Setúbal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu. Sometimes a Portuguese person can explain, if he lives in Aveiro for example, that he is from the Center or the North, and in addition to that from the Coast. If he lived in Castelo Branco, he would say he was from the Interior.
Portugal has 1,215 kilometers of border with Spain. Called "Raya", it begins at the lower part of the Minho River, which separates the north of the country from Spanish Galicia, and ends north of the mouth of the Guadiana River. Despite its almost unchanged course since the Treaty of Alcacines in 1297, one area remains without an officially established border. This is the border between Caia and the deltas of the Ribeira de Cuncos in the center. Portugal does not recognize the border defined since the occupation and cessation to Spain in 1801 of Olivença. The country tried to recover the city during the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and during the Spanish Civil War that took place from 1936 to 1939. Without result. In the Atlantic, Spain claims the Wild Islands, administered from Madeira, but located closer to the Canary Islands (about 140 km). This archipelago was bought by Lisbon from a banker in 1971, although Madrid constantly claimed it. In 1997 Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar recognized the sovereignty to Portugal. However, Spanish military aircraft regularly fly over the skies of the Wild Islands without authorization, which has led Portugal to increase its presence there with the installation of a station of the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere.
The mountain of the star, the roof of Portugal
To make the highest point on the Portuguese mainland 2,000 metres high, the Portuguese had the good idea of building a small 7-metre turret on top of the 1,993-metre-high Torre. The Torre is located in the Serra da Estrela mountain range, which literally goes by the French name "montagne de l'étoile" ("star mountain") It lies in the hinterland of central Portugal. To reach the summit and stroll through the natural park, 375 kilometers of trails have been laid out, with various levels of difficulty. There's something for everyone. You'll pass through a variety of landscapes, from alpine and wooded up to 1,000 metres, to desert and stony. At the summit, a majestic view of Portugal unfolds. The Mondego, Portugal's largest full-flowing river (234 kilometers), although little-known, rises in this mountain near Gouveio, at an altitude of 1,300 meters. It flows through Coimbra and Figueira da Foz. The Zêzere river also rises on the Torre plateau. It criss-crosses and irrigates 214 kilometers of land, passing through Manteigas, Belmonte and Covilha, before joining the Tagus at Constância. How pleasant it is to rest on the banks of a river beach! Its strange name derives from the zenzereiro, a tree with small white flowers and black fruit found on its banks.
From the Atlantic and the rivers
Choose a point on the map and you'll see that whatever it is, the Atlantic Ocean is at most 220 kilometers away. This, of course, is due to its width and the openness of its eastern and western shores to the Atlantic Ocean. The Ria de Aveiro coast near Aveiro is a delta 45 kilometers long and 11 kilometers wide. It is home to many fish and birds. Thanks to its specific characteristics, this is a place where salt is produced. From the 16th century onwards, the Romans exported salt as an important resource.
The central Estremadura coast is rocky. Beiras to the north, the beaches are indented by cliffs and small fishing ports. This geological phenomenon is also prevalent in the Algarve. The 7 valleys hike allows you to walk along the steep coast facing the ocean and admire a wild, unspoilt landscape. It starts in Carvoero and ends just over 5 kilometers further on at Praia da Marinha.
The three main rivers have their source in Spain. The Tagus (Tejo in Portuguese), 1,007 kilometers long, rises in Sierra de Albarracín and flows to its mouth in Lisbon. The Douro (897 kilometers from Picos de Urbión to Porto) is the only navigable river in its entirety. Taking a cruise on the Douro through the vineyards is a magical experience! The Guadiana (742 kilometers), which flows through the Alentejo and Algarve regions, rises at Ojos del Guadiana and flows into the Gulf of Cadiz.
The 100% Portuguese rivers Ave, Mondego (175 kilometers), Vouga (148 kilometers), Zêzere and Sado (175 kilometers) do not flow regularly. In some places, floods of over 20 metres have been recorded. This is why numerous dams help to regulate the flow. The most impressive are the Regua, Carrapatelo and Bemposta dams on the Douro, and the Alqueva hydroelectric dam on the Guadiana.
