Geography of Portugal

Portugal on a geographical map-only the narrow stria on jugo - the West of Iberian peninsula which in the north and the east bounds with Spain, and from the West and the south is flowed about by Atlantic ocean. It also posesses islands Azorsky and Madiera in Atlantic ocean. Distance from the basic, continental part of the country to the Azores - 1500  km, to Madiera - 650  km. The country square - 92  thousand sq. km, from them 3,4 thousand both  sq. km is necessary on islands.

the Basic rivers of Portugal Tagus, Douro, Mino and Guadiana, proceed on its terrain only in lower reaches, and the bulk of their overhead and average flow belongs to Spain. Douro - the most abounding in water and protjazhennaja the country river.

Portugal can be divided on two natural ranges - northern, gornolesnuju and southern (mainly flat, with predominance of the Mediterranean evergreen bushes).

Shores of Portugal differ weak raschlenennostju, linearity which infringe only an estuary firth of the rivers Mino, Tagus, the Garden and having filled in Setubal. The vile sandy shores fixed by plantations dlinnohvojnoj of a maritime pine (length of needles - to 20  predominate; sm) along which on many kilometres dunes are drawn through, only in the north of the country close to coast rise mounts. For a short strip of southern coast lagoons are characteristic.

Mounts of northern part of the country are decomposed by river valleys on assemblage of ridges and a plateau. The highest ridges with the acute serrated heckles, so-called serry (in transfer from the Portuguese drank), usually do not exceed 1400  the m. Only a block Serra-yes-eshtrela (in transfer with Portuguese the stellar mounts) attains 1991  the m. the Mountainous landscape is very picturesque. Mountain rows alternate with fertile wide valleys or deep gorges.

To the south from the river Tagus the surface is more uniform. Here the extensive Portuguese lowland to which from the east border on platoobraznye elevations (300-500  is spread;. In the south of the country the surface raises again. Mounts the vulcanic parentage, the highest apex - mount Foja (902  here have; m.).

Portugal is had in active seismic region. Earthquakes by force eight points also are more noted on the average time in two years.

In a country plant cover the Mediterranean ever-green forests and bushes predominate. In the north to them are added listopadnye broad-leaved forests. Now woods hardly are exterminated, that was contributed to no small degree by fires. They are sad feature of a summer season in Portugal. Among the South European states the country keeps the first place on loss of woods per unit of the occupied square.

For mounts it is characteristic high-rise pojasnost. To altitude 1000-1200  m on slopes are lifted hvojno-shirokolistvennye woods, mainly from an oak, a beech, an Italian stone pine ordinary and a maritime pine. Above wood becomes oppressed, undersized, there is a croocked forest and bushes. At altitudes 1500-1600  m begin pratums the Alpine phylum.

In Southern Portugal woods from evergreen stone and a cork tree are passed round. The cork tree represents the basic worth of woods of the country. This arbour can attain altitude 20  the m, a cork overlying strata protects it from excessive transpiration. There are also evergreen kermes oaks and makvis - assemblage of evergreen sclerophyllous prickly bushes and low (to 4-6  arbours. Typical representatives Portuguese makvisa - a feral olive tree, a tree heath, a tree strawberry, a rock rose, a myrtle, a pistachio. For southern coast the carob tree, a genista and a heather are characteristic. On valleys of the rivers bottomland meadows turn green. On all country there are plantations of olive arbours.

The same aspects of animals dwell In northern part of Portugal, as well as in all Central Europe (the wolf, a fox, a marten, a lynx, etc.), and for southern regions are characteristic representatives of a fauna of the North Africa (for example, a civet cat). Snakes dwell In dry regions of the south and lizards. At coasts it is a lot of waterfowl. Near shores live sardines and anchovies, and in ustjah the rivers Taguss and the Garden and at southern coast hunt oysters.

As a part of the Azores there are 9 islands (the biggest - the Dignity-Migel) and some reefs. Islands are drawn down from the northwest on the southeast approximately on 500 km, and their square - 2,3 thousand sq. km. Islands have a vulcanic parentage. Their landform mountainous, but mounts are not lifted above 1000-1100  the m, only a lost volcano to Peak on the island with the same name attains 2320  m. are peculiar to Many islands of developing process of vulcanic activity - here knap mineral thermal sources, often there are earthquakes. The inferior sections of slopes of mounts to altitude 500  m are mostly cultivated. Further on slopes subtropical woods and bushes with predominance of a laurus, a chestnut, a juniper are passed round. Above 900  wood m are replaced by a bush and vysokotravem. The Azores in transfer from the Portuguese mean islands of goshawks. These auks also are now rather characteristic for an aboriginal fauna.

Islands Madieras, as well as Azorsky archipelago, have a vulcanic parentage, representing apexes of lost volcanoes. Largest of islands - Madiera along which lasts high (1861 mountain ridge. To altitude 300-600  m landscapes of islands are covered by cultural vegetation. Above it is replaced by groves of a laurus, an oak, a pine, a chestnut. Above 1100-1200  m and places along coasts it is passed round travjano-kustarnikovaja vegetation of phylum of savannahs.