The island of Cape Verde, off the coast of Western Africa. Goa, in Western India. Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. Brazil. Mozambique. Macau.

Portugal focused its territorial expansion on the Atlantic by the thirteenth century; they were one of the earliest masters of the high seas, and used it to their benefit. From Vasco de Gama to Magellan and beyond, Portuguese sailors literally connected the world by sea.

Over time, modern politics and economic realities shrunk Portugal's overseas colonies. In 1999, Portugal turned over its last far-flung colony, Macau, to China.