Why did Portugal end up so much smaller than Spain ? A“Barking at Traffic” investigation”.

Bob Salzman
Nov 6 · 2 min read

Barking at Traffic is sending its senior investigative reporter to Portugal this week to finally get some answers to a question that in the annals of the history of geography has perplexed and sparked the interest of . . . well, actually noone — why is Portugal so small compared to Spain?

Here is our correspondent’s pre-trip e-mail to Prof. Robert D. Kaplan, author of The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate (2012);

Mr. Kaplan — I hope you don’t mind a dummy level question from a retired lawyer about to travel to Portugal. I’m wondering if there is a big picture geography based reason to explain why Portugal ended up with such a slim slice of the Iberian peninsula other than accidents of medieval history, cease fire line borders and ancient treaties. I assume that a complete answer would require that you stop everything you are doing and spend a few years writing a book just for me. That would be thoughtful but not expected. A few good reference tips would be much appreciated. By the way if the answer is in Revenge of Geography and I missed it I apologize. Thank you. Bob Salzman NYC

Our reporter, and our entire staff were deeply moved by this thoughtful response from his assistant.

From Mr. Kaplan: Read “The Portuguese Sea-Borne Empire” by C. R. Boxer

Professor Kaplan’s suggestion that our reporter should read a book, presumably large and unillustrated, by one of the foremost historians of early Portuguese history. appears to have overlooked a key element of the inquiry which was the word “dummy”.

Maybe there will be some clues in the In Flight Magazine or looking out the window on the flight from London to Lisbon this Sunday. Stay tuned for future dispatches from the field.

Bob Salzman

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