Bay of Setubal

Setúbal Bay belongs to the Atlantic-facing maritime reach of the Iberian Peninsula. That peninsula occupies southwestern Europe and is largely separated from the rest of the continent by the Pyrenees. Peninsular Spain and continental Portugal make up nearly all of the land, while Andorra, Gibraltar and a small part of France lie within the same peninsula. Its area is about 583,254 square kilometres, making it the second-largest peninsula in Europe.

The name Iberia has deep geographical roots. Ancient Greek and Latin writers associated it with the Ebro River, and the Greek use of Iberia referred to the country “this side of the Iberus.” Strabo repeated the association, while Pliny claimed that the whole peninsula had been called Hiberia after the river. The Ebro also marked a political boundary in the 226 BCE treaty between Rome and Carthage.

Setúbal’s western position places it at the Atlantic edge of this large peninsula. Inland routes, coastal waters and the broad ocean beyond meet along such shores. The bay is therefore best understood within a peninsula whose mountain barrier, Atlantic coast and old river-based ideas of territory give it a distinct place in Europe.