 portugal is a coastal nation in southwestern europe, located at the western end of the iberian peninsula, bordering spain (on its northern and eastern frontiers: a total of ). portuguese territory also includes a series of archipelagoes in the atlantic ocean (the azores and madeira), which are strategic islands along western sea approaches to the strait of gibraltar and the mediterranean sea. in total, the country occupies an area of  of which  is land and  water. despite these definitions, portugal's border with spain remains an unresolved territorial dispute between the two countries. portugal does not recognise the border between caia and cuncos river deltas, since the beginning of the 1801 occupation of olivenza by spain. this territory, though under de facto spanish occupation, remains a de jure part of portugal, consequently no border is henceforth recognised in this area. ==physical== portugal is located on the western coast of the iberian peninsula and plateau, that divides the inland mediterranean sea from the atlantic ocean. it is located on the atlantic coast of this plateau, and crossed by several rivers which have their origin in spain. most of these rivers flow from east to west disgorging in the atlantic; from north to south, the primary rivers are the minho, douro, mondego, tagus and the guadiana.eldridge m. moores and rhodes whitmore fairbridge (1997), p.612 ===coastline=== thumb|left|portuguese exclusive economic zone the continental shelf has an area of , although its width is variable from  in the north to  in the south. its strong relief is marked by deep submarine canyons and the continuation of the main rivers. the estremadura spur separates the iberian abyssal and tagus abyssal plains, while the continental slope is flanked by sea-mounts and abuts against the prominent goringe bank in the south. currently, the portuguese government cl
Geography_of_Portugal