How did Portugal and Spain come to be?

-They seem so very different in culture compared to the rest of Europe and yet there they are. Any explanation for how they came to be and why they are so different from the rest of Europe?They were both part of ancient Iberia. During the Ice age most people who survived in western Europe lived in the mountains of Spain. Afterwards,when the ice retreated, they spread out all along the western seaboard, right up, in small amounts, to the tip of Norway and populated most of the British Isles and Ireland. Later neolithic farmers brought their culture of great stones up the same route from Iberia, again settling in large amounts in the British Isles. The bronze age was similar again, with metals reaching northwestern Europe from Iberia and also France.

Later on celts from central Europe took over large portionsof Spain (Galicia in particular--mainly Spanish place names actually have celtic roots, and indeed a pre or proto celtic language was probably spoken in Iberia since at least 2500 BC alongside Basque, the now vanished Iberian and others.This is now also believed to be the source of celtic languages in Britain and Ireland.

Later peoples who came to Spain included Phoenicians, Goths and others, but it was the Romans who brought a Latin language which became Spanish. So Spanish is actually fairly modern in Spain. There is some much later Moorish influence in the south in buildings and dance but not genes (only a few %.)

Far from being different from other Europeans, the Spanish in particular are very western European genetically, sharing much ancient ancestry with the British and Irish.Spain became a separate nation due to its geography. It is a peninsula, separated from the rest of Europe by the Pyrnees mountains.



Spain and Portugal became separate nations during the Middle Ages. After the roman empire fell, the peninsula was divided between two major groups--the Suevi, and the Visigoths. The Suevi occupied the part that is now Portugal.



The Moors conquered Spain in 711. The Reconquista - from 711 to 1492 - was led by two nations; Portocale in the west, and Asturias in the east. Portocale became Portugal; Asturias became Spain.
Portugal is a country more than 300 years older than Spain, so who said Portugal used to be part of Spain: try to read a book, or even wikipedia



Portugal and Spain are as much european as any other european countries....and Portugal is one of the oldest nations in europe. The european culture is a mixture of the european countrie's cultures so isn't impossible what you're saying.



Portugal is Spanish influenced? That's just ridiculous. We (Iberians) have been influenced by peoples who lived here since always...(celts, romans, etc.)
All southern european countries, also called Mediterranean (although Portugal is not in the Mediterranean) share many cultural aspects, food culture, strong family ties, more connected to old traditions, more connected to the land: Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, all share this common heritage.



So what you really mean is the contrast between North and Southern Europe because as I said Portugal and Spain are very similar to the other mediterranean european nations.





This said, even in Pre-Historic times the south of Europe was always much more important, culturally richer and commercially significant than any other nation from the north of Europe.



In what today is Portugal was born the Megalithic Civilization, the most advanced neolithic civilization responsible for the standing stones and stone circles, the most famous of which is Stonehenge although the oldest monuments are portuguese.



In Historical times there came the greeks, founders of philosophy, art, science, literature.



Then the Romans, whose strongest presence was in Southern Europe.



In the Age of Discoveries, 15-17 centuries were again southern-european nations the pioneers, first Portugal then Spain, who actually divided the whole planet between the two for 250 years...







So as you can see, the "odd men" are the northern-european countries...
well... they really arent that different, and Portugal is quite similar to Spain. Spain had many different sections before it was united by Nationalism. Portugal was one of those sections that became filled with nationalism as well. I generally is part of Spain though. Spain was also divers with Islam, thats the only way i think they are so different to Europe, but thats due to the Moorish Empire.
Have you ever been to Portugal and/or Spain? I don't really know why I'm asking this, I can see the answer is no. By the way, "Portugal and Spain are so Spanish influenced"? Portuguese people are... Portuguese, not Spanish. And Portugal and Spain are in Europe, it doesn't make any sense to say they are "less European" than any other European country. You know nothing about Europe or Europeans. You and those who claim we were very influenced by Muslims. How ridiculous.
Do you like to be compared to mexican people? Because you're all american... And you don't talk the same language. I've been in Mexico and saw many USA people saying "ow I'm american" and a mexican man said : "And I'm what?"

I don't think we (portuguese) are supposed to be compared with Spain. And even read that we're different from the rest of Europe.

"So" European?! What does that even mean?! I'm European, yes! 'cause Portugal is in Europe. Came here and than go to Paris and tell me the difference ok?!

Don't paint something if you never seen. I can tell that a friend of mine was already in Paris and still loves Portugal. I've heard that Florence smell's awfull and so what? I'm gona tell them "ow you're sooo not european"

Like... I just can't laugh with that.
Have you been to other parts of Europe?



Russia and Ukraine and Belarus are so russian influenced, the rest of Europe is so European



Serbia and Croatia are so balcanic... the rest of Europe is so European.



England and Ireland and Scottis are so british... the rest of Europe is so European



Italy is so italian... the rest of Europe is so European
Spain and Portugal (the Iberian Peninsula) was inhabited by Muslims from 711 CE - 1492. They held a pretty prominent stronghold in the south of Spain (Andalusia) for centuries. So a lot of Muslim culture and influence can be seen in Spain and Portugal. Architecture, flamenco, cuisine, music...all influence by Muslims.



Portugal used to be a part of Spain until a king gave it to his new son-in-law as a wedding present and then the son-in-law formed his own kingdom.



However, much of Iberia is like the rest of Europe. Spanish and Portuguese are both Romance languages (originating from Latin), and they were both part of the Roman Empire. In fact, the largest amphitheater and theatre complex intact found outside of Italy is in Merida, Spain.
From what I read when Moors took Iberian peninsula the Kingdom of West Goths was destroyed.



Only handful of Christian counties of that Goth kingdom had survived in the mountains of the very North of peninsula. Centuries later all of those counties had started re-conqista (re-conquest) slowly pushing Muslim states to the south.

Portugalia and Spain had started from those slowly growing counties. The most western of those counts or barons in his expansion south riches the ocean first. He couldnot expand his domain go the East because that was the land of his ally (Castilia?). So, the Barron had considered his job done, borders finalized and he became the King of Portugalia. Meanwhile 3 other allied kingdoms (Aragon, Castilia and Leon) had continued re-conquista gradually united into one Kingdom of Spain.

Final unification had occurred at the same time the last Moorish state was conquered and reconqhista had finished for the whole peninsula. It was also a time when Columbus had discovered America.



Technically speaking Columbus expedition was sent not by Spain, but by the United Kingdoms of Aragon and Castilia. Only kids of Isabella of Castilia and Ferdinand of Aragon became kings of Spain.