Ask the Scholar
Page 39 of 52
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
OCR
ECRET
APPENDIX B
TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Portugal is one of the smaller countries of
rivers. In reality, Portugal and Spain form
Western Europe, having an area approxi-
distinct geographical units, separated by a
mately that of the state of Maine. It forms
wide belt of rugged and thinly populated
part of the Iberian peninsula, the chief physi-
country.
cal feature of which is the arid central plain
The Tagus River divides Portugal roughly
known as Meseta. Portugal occupies the
in half, the two parts being very different from
western slope of the Meseta and the coastal
one another. The land north of the river is
plain which lies at its base. It is bounded on
high and in places mountainous, while the
the north and east by Spain and on the south
country to the south consists for the most part
and west by the Atlantic Ocean. In its shape
of rolling plains. The contrasts between
the country forms a rough parallelogram about
north and south Portugal are marked in land-
300 miles long from north to south and 100
scape, climate, and vegetation, and in the life
miles wide from east to west. The coastline
and character of the population as well.
of 520 miles is marked by two large harbors, at
The north has a relatively mild climate,
Lisbon and Oporto, and by a number of small
with much rainfall. In this area the yearly
fishing ports. The boundary between Portu-
mean maximum temperature (over a 20-year
gal and Spain is defined partly by mountain
period) is 64 degrees and the mean minimum
ranges and partly by the courses of the four
51 degrees. Its average yearly precipitation
major rivers, the Minho and Douro in the
is about 48 inches in the coastal plain and
north and the Tagus and Guadiana in the
as much as 110 inches in the mountains. This
south. The mountains of northern Portugal,
area is thickly populated, and the land divi-
the great central ridge of the Estrela, and the
sions are very small.
mountains of the Algarve in the south are all
continuations of the Spanish sierras. Neither
At Lisbon, the mean maximum temperature
of the two large rivers, the Douro and the
is 67 degrees, minimum 55 degrees. Here the
Tagus, which flow from Spain through Portu-
average annual precipitation is about 29
inches.
gal to the ocean, becomes navigable until be-
yond the gorges and rapids on the Portuguese
In the south, temperatures range from a
frontier, where they make their sudden de-
mean maximum of about 76 degrees to a mean
scents from the Meseta.
minimum of 50-54 degrees, and average an-
The physical features of the country reveal
nual precipitation is from 20 to 25 inches. The
some natural defensive qualities. The valleys
extreme hot, dry summers with a high rate of
of the Douro and the Tagus, which figure so
evaporation make irrigation necessary. In
prominently on the map, are of no real value
this part of the country, land holdings are
for communication between Spain and Portu-
more extensive and population is relatively
gal because of their narrow, deeply incised
sparse.
gorges and numerous rapids. The frontier
Fog is to be expected in winter at the sum-
with Spain is crossed by only two important
mits of roads traversing the central Estrela
natural routeways; one follows the Mondego
mountains. It is practically unknown at any
river valley from Coimbra to Guarda and
season in the south. In the north, fog is re-
thence to Ciudad Rodrigo in Spain, while the
corded about 27 days a year, 14 of which are
other crosses the northern Alentejo plains to
in winter. At Lisbon, the average number of
Badajoz. The main highways and railways
days with fog is 23, with practically no fog
utilize these gaps, avoiding the courses of the
from February through October.
SECRET
39
Page data
- Page
- 39
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 53cd313bbedf38de
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 486500738
- Core
- doc
- Type
- document
DTO data
{
"id": "486500738",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500738",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, Portugal, Situation Report 31",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500738",
"collections": [
"President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
"Intelligence Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875512/875512-02-001.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875512/875512-02-001.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875512/875512-02-001.tif",
"imageCount": 52,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "486500738",
"label": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, Portugal, Situation Report 31",
"core": "doc",
"dtoType": "document",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500738"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "486500738",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500738",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Report, Central Intelligence Agency, Portugal, Situation Report 31",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500738",
"collections": [
"President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)",
"Intelligence Files"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875512/875512-02-001.tif",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875512/875512-02-001.tif",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875512/875512-02-001.tif",
"imageCount": 52,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
"url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/486500738",
"naId": 486500738,
"levelOfDescription": "item",
"productionDates": [
{
"day": 13,
"logicalDate": "1949-10-13",
"month": 10,
"year": 1949
}
],
"recordType": "description",
"ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
"seq": 39,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602196/875512/875512-02-039.tif",
"mediaId": "53cd313bbedf38de",
"ocrText": "ECRET\nAPPENDIX B\nTOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE\nPortugal is one of the smaller countries of\nrivers. In reality, Portugal and Spain form\nWestern Europe, having an area approxi-\ndistinct geographical units, separated by a\nmately that of the state of Maine. It forms\nwide belt of rugged and thinly populated\npart of the Iberian peninsula, the chief physi-\ncountry.\ncal feature of which is the arid central plain\nThe Tagus River divides Portugal roughly\nknown as Meseta. Portugal occupies the\nin half, the two parts being very different from\nwestern slope of the Meseta and the coastal\none another. The land north of the river is\nplain which lies at its base. It is bounded on\nhigh and in places mountainous, while the\nthe north and east by Spain and on the south\ncountry to the south consists for the most part\nand west by the Atlantic Ocean. In its shape\nof rolling plains. The contrasts between\nthe country forms a rough parallelogram about\nnorth and south Portugal are marked in land-\n300 miles long from north to south and 100\nscape, climate, and vegetation, and in the life\nmiles wide from east to west. The coastline\nand character of the population as well.\nof 520 miles is marked by two large harbors, at\nThe north has a relatively mild climate,\nLisbon and Oporto, and by a number of small\nwith much rainfall. In this area the yearly\nfishing ports. The boundary between Portu-\nmean maximum temperature (over a 20-year\ngal and Spain is defined partly by mountain\nperiod) is 64 degrees and the mean minimum\nranges and partly by the courses of the four\n51 degrees. Its average yearly precipitation\nmajor rivers, the Minho and Douro in the\nis about 48 inches in the coastal plain and\nnorth and the Tagus and Guadiana in the\nas much as 110 inches in the mountains. This\nsouth. The mountains of northern Portugal,\narea is thickly populated, and the land divi-\nthe great central ridge of the Estrela, and the\nsions are very small.\nmountains of the Algarve in the south are all\ncontinuations of the Spanish sierras. Neither\nAt Lisbon, the mean maximum temperature\nof the two large rivers, the Douro and the\nis 67 degrees, minimum 55 degrees. Here the\nTagus, which flow from Spain through Portu-\naverage annual precipitation is about 29\ninches.\ngal to the ocean, becomes navigable until be-\nyond the gorges and rapids on the Portuguese\nIn the south, temperatures range from a\nfrontier, where they make their sudden de-\nmean maximum of about 76 degrees to a mean\nscents from the Meseta.\nminimum of 50-54 degrees, and average an-\nThe physical features of the country reveal\nnual precipitation is from 20 to 25 inches. The\nsome natural defensive qualities. The valleys\nextreme hot, dry summers with a high rate of\nof the Douro and the Tagus, which figure so\nevaporation make irrigation necessary. In\nprominently on the map, are of no real value\nthis part of the country, land holdings are\nfor communication between Spain and Portu-\nmore extensive and population is relatively\ngal because of their narrow, deeply incised\nsparse.\ngorges and numerous rapids. The frontier\nFog is to be expected in winter at the sum-\nwith Spain is crossed by only two important\nmits of roads traversing the central Estrela\nnatural routeways; one follows the Mondego\nmountains. It is practically unknown at any\nriver valley from Coimbra to Guarda and\nseason in the south. In the north, fog is re-\nthence to Ciudad Rodrigo in Spain, while the\ncorded about 27 days a year, 14 of which are\nother crosses the northern Alentejo plains to\nin winter. At Lisbon, the average number of\nBadajoz. The main highways and railways\ndays with fog is 23, with practically no fog\nutilize these gaps, avoiding the courses of the\nfrom February through October.\nSECRET\n39"
}