PORTUGAL 



THE geographical position of Portugal is a great economic 

 asset if it were utilised. , Portugal forms a rectangle on 

 the extreme west of the Iberian Peninsula. Its perimeter 

 measures 2,054 kilometres, 1,209 kilometres being land frontiers, 

 and 845 kilometres being sea coast. Its greatest length from north 

 to south is 561 kilometres and its greatest width is 218 kilo- 

 metres, the total area being 89,106 square kilometres, or 

 3,910,640 hectares. 



Portugal is Spain's natural outlet to the Atlantic Ocean. 

 Lisbon is only 656 kilometres from Madrid, and Oporto< 616 

 kilometres. All the Mediterranean trade with England and 

 America is bound to pass opposite the Portuguese Coast, 

 as well as all South African and South American trade with the 

 Northern European markets. 



This exceptional position is reinforced by the Portuguese 

 Islands of Madeira, the Acores, and Cape Verde, stretched all 

 along the Atlantic and dominating the commercial routes 

 connecting Europe with America and Africa. 



Rivers. 



The country is traversed by twelve rivers which, with their 

 tributaries, cover an area of 77,990 square kilometres. The 

 rivers Douro, Tagus, and Guadiana are navigable to a certain 

 extent. Their flow, however, has not been regularised, and 

 the waterways of Portugal are still to be adapted to a normal 

 traffic. The rainfall being irregular, the rivers' flow is torrential 

 with few exceptions. 



Water-power. 



The waterfalls are very numerous. Some of them are very 

 powerful, and might be harnessed with great economic advantage, 

 both for the country and the capital invested. 



The mountain chains are all situated north of the Tagus 

 the highest point is 1,991 metres, at Serra da Estrella. 



Broadly speaking, Portugal forms an amphitheatre, the 

 open space of which lies south of the Tagus, gradually 

 steepening in the north. The Biver Douro is the most 

 important source of energy in the country. However, the 



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