This map illustrates the rise and global reach of the Portuguese Empire, the first and longest-lived of Europe’s overseas empires. Initiated in the 15th century, Portugal's expansion was driven by a desire to control trade routes to the East Indies. The empire began with military ventures beyond the Iberian Peninsula and evolved into a vast maritime network stretching across Africa, Asia, and South America.
The conquest of Ceuta in 1415 marked the symbolic beginning of Portugal’s empire-building, extending the Reconquista spirit into North Africa. Portuguese navigators, aided by advances in cartography and seamanship, explored the Atlantic islands and coast of West Africa. By 1488, they had rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and in 1498 Vasco da Gama reached India, establishing a sea route to the lucrative spice markets. Though Brazil declared independence in 1822, Portugal maintained overseas holdings—including Angola, Mozambique, Goa, and Macau—well into the 20th century. The empire formally ended with the handover of Macau to China in 1999, capping nearly 600 years of maritime empire.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Netchev, S. (2021, May 29). Map of the Portuguese Colonial Empire. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14123/map-of-the-portuguese-colonial-empire/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Portuguese Colonial Empire." World History Encyclopedia, May 29, 2021. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14123/map-of-the-portuguese-colonial-empire/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Portuguese Colonial Empire." World History Encyclopedia, 29 May 2021, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14123/map-of-the-portuguese-colonial-empire/.
