Maps of Europe

The Republic of Portugal is a European country situated in the western portion of the Iberian peninsula, bordered on the north and east by Spain and on the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean. The islands of Azores and Madeira are considered integral parts of the geography of this beautiful country. Ponta do Pico, found in one of the island in Azores, is the country's highest peak. It has a total area of 92,391 sq km including the two islands. It is slightly smaller than the state of Indiana. Lisbon or Lisboa is the country's capital.

The land of the Portuguese has a long and rich history dating back to the early civilizations that once survived in its vast plains. Among which are the Iberian civilization, Tartessian, Phoenician and Carthaginian, and even the Greek and Roman all of which contributed to the culture, language and history of the people of the country. The name Portugal itself tells an interesting history. Portugal was said to have originated from the Roman Names Portus Cale which means "beautiful port." Very apt indeed because Portugal has some of the most breathtaking ports and alluring beaches in the continent, making a favorite destination for honeymooners and people who want no less than the ordinary.

A lot of people would wonder what part of the world is Turkey geographically located. Some would say it's part of Asia while others claim it's part of Europe, while many other say it's part of both continents. Let's remove the misconception once and for all.

The Republic of Turkey is a Eurasian country found in the Anatolian Peninsula in Southwestern Asia. A relatively small portion of the country is located in the Balkan region of Southeastern Europe. Bordering Bulgaria to the northwest; Georgia, Armenia and the Nakhichevan exclave of Azerbaijan to the northeast; Greece to the west; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast, this country has a total land area of 2770,760 sq km, 29.81% of which is arable land. It is slightly larger than Texas. The highest point is Mount Ararat while the Mediterranean Sea is its lowest point. It enjoys temperate weather; hot during the summer months with wet winters.

Because it is strategically located between Europe and Asia, it has become the favorite spot for a number of historical civilizations. Some of which come from the Neolithic era like the Catalhoyuk, Cayonu, Nevali Cori, Hacilar, Gobekli Tepe and the Mersin. Battles have also transpired in the country. It's a region where east meets west.

The continent of Europe is considered the 6th largest continent with a total land area of 9,938,000 sq km. It covers about 6.7% of the total landmass of the Earth. It is geographically a division of a larger land mass called Eurasia. Although logically, Europe is not a continent but a subcontinent. Europe is composed 46 countries and dependencies. It has a total population of 727 million as of 2005.

Europe and Asia can be separated by the Ural Mountains, a long system of mountain ranges that run from north to south of the western part of Russia. Another boundary that separates Asia from Europe is the Emba River that flows down to the Caspian Sea, and also the mountains of Caucasus. The boundary also goes through the Black Sea, Bosporus, Marmara Sea and Dardanelles. The Europe-African Boundary is separated by the Mediterranean Sea.

As much as Europe is a peninsula of Eurasia, there are smaller peninsulas that are integrated into Europe. The larger ones are the "mainland Europe" and Scandinavian peninsula (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) . The Smaller ones are Iberia (Spain and Portugal), Italy, and the Balkans.