Portugal is a narrow strip of land on the western edge of Europe. It is about the size of Indiana. Spain borders it to the east and north. The Atlantic Ocean stretches to the west and south. Despite its small size, Portugal built one of the largest empires in history. Its location on the Atlantic coast gave Portuguese sailors a head start in ocean exploration. In the 1400s, Prince Henry the Navigator sent ships south along the African coast. Portuguese explorers eventually sailed around Africa to India. They reached Brazil in 1500. They established trading posts in China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Portugal's geography shaped its empire. The long coastline created a culture of fishing and sailing. Rivers like the Tagus provided harbors for building ships. The warm climate produced wine and olive oil, which sailors traded overseas. On October 5, 1910, Portugal changed its government from a monarchy to a republic. By that time, Portugal still controlled colonies in Africa, Asia, and South America. Its geographic reach once stretched across four continents. Today, Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language in the world because of this history.