What Are The Main Contrasts To Be Found In Portugal? :: essays research papers fc

What Are The Main Contrasts To Be Found in Portugal?When answering a question such as this, one moldiness primarily begin bypointing out that not only does Portugal turn out a great many contrasts within itsland, but also that it contrasts greatly with the separate Mediterranean countries.Portugal is not to be considered by any means as Spains poor neighbour, norshould a shadow be cast over it by such a formidable nation. Portugal has agreat deal to offer any visitor, it is not merely a tourists paradise, yet thisis regrettably how it is viewed by a big flake of individuals. One must alsonot forget Portugals history of being, in days gone by, one of the greatermaritime nations, one of the more(prenominal) advanced exploring countries of Europe. WhilstSpain was occupied with discovering the Indias and consequently the Americas,Portugal was itself busy exploring Africa and making its own invaluablediscoveries, although these are for the most part overlooked.Being situated on the westernmost brink of Europe and the IberianPeninsula, Portugal enjoys a relative privacy and independence from the rest ofMediterranean countries. Bordering on Spain on two sides and the sea on theothers, the nation as naturally turned towards the sea, from which it draws bothits strength and wealth and turned its back on its greatest rival, Spain. Due toits constant waves of invasion throughout the ages, Portugal is a immensely diverseland, not only in geographical terms but also in terms of heritage. It is trueto say that Portugal does share a number of similarities with Spain, but it isby no means identical. Rather it is a nation which blends Moorish influences,British tradition and Mediterranean culture to form a rattling unique land ofpeoples.When considering the diversity of a country such as Portugal, themention of which immediately conjures up a melange of images from North Africanto westward European, from hot and balmy weather to snow capped mountains, onemust really b egin by describing the two principle factors, those of climate andgeography, which themselves are interwoven. These in turn have a great effecton and to a certain extent bring about other differences which can be illustriouswithin the narrow confines of this nation, such as those of vegetation, economyand landscape.On examining Portugal in terms of contrasting regions or areas, one mustobviously have a starting point and that is generally considered to be acomparison between north and south, the River Tagus (Tejo) being the dividingline. However, Portugal can naturally be divided into triplet great natural