The peninsular war is the name in english 1807 1814 for the military conflict fought by spain and portugal assisted by great britain against the invading and occupying forces of the first french empire for control of the iberian peninsula during the napoleonic wars the peninsular war overlaps with what the spanish speaking world calls the guerra de la independencia española spanish war. As a result there s no better way to discover the region s natural historic and cultural diversity than an expedition cruise of the iberian peninsula. Spain and portugal were thought to be the western border of the world for centuries and became the departure point of seafaring voyages for hundreds of years thereafter.
The iberian union was the dynastic union of the kingdom of portugal and the spanish crown that existed between 1580 and 1640 and which brought the entire iberian peninsula as well as portuguese overseas possessions under the spanish habsburg kings philip ii philip iii and philip iv the union began following the portuguese crisis of succession and the ensuing war of the portuguese. See more ideas about spain and portugal europe travel europe travel tips. Jan 25 2020 articles about spain and portugal.
Since the beginning of human migration the iberian peninsula home of modern day spain and portugal has been a place where the cultures of africa europe and the mediterranean have mingled. The pyrenees mountain range forms an effective. Its name derives from its ancient inhabitants whom the greeks called iberians probably for the ebro iberus the peninsula s second longest river after the tagus.
Iberian peninsula peninsula in southwestern europe occupied by spain and portugal. Prince henry the navigator third son of portugal s king john i established trading posts up and down the coast of west africa. From the earliest stages of the age of exploration the people of the iberian peninsula gained acclaim as navigation and sailing experts while expanding the stature of spain and portugal worldwide.
The peninsula also known as iberia is home to the mainlands of spain and portugal a small area of southern france the tiny autonomous principality of andorra and the british overseas territory of gibraltar. The shaded relief map shows the iberian peninsula an almost continent like peninsula at the southwestern tip of europe. At the nearest point it is only 5 miles 8km from the continent of africa.
Located on the southwestern tip of the european continent the iberian peninsula includes the countries of andorra portugal and spain and the british crown colony of gibraltar. Iberian peninsula map and information page. The iberian peninsula aɪ ˈ b ɪər i ə n also known as iberia is located in the southwest corner of europe defining the westernmost edge of eurasia the peninsula is principally divided between spain and portugal comprising most of their territory as well as a small area of southern france andorra and gibraltar with an area of approximately 583 254 square kilometres 225 196 sq mi.
