Tajo

The Tajo, known in Portuguese as Tejo and in English as Tagus, is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It runs about 1,000 kilometers from its source in eastern Spain to the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon, Portugal. Its drainage basin covers roughly 80,000 square kilometers and spans parts of several Spanish autonomous communities and Portugal. The river has shaped Iberian geography and supported agriculture, settlements, commerce, and ecosystems for centuries.

The river rises in the Montes Universales in eastern Spain, near Albarracín in the Aragon region, and generally flows westward across central Spain. It passes the city of Toledo before crossing the border into Portugal, where it continues through the Alentejo region toward the Atlantic, reaching its estuary near the Lisbon metropolitan area.

Hydrology and environment: The Tagus is regulated by numerous reservoirs and hydroelectric facilities in both Spain and Portugal. It supports important habitats, wetlands, and fisheries along its lower courses and estuary. The estuary at Lisbon is a major coastal feature that supports the city’s port and related economic activities.

Etymology and names: The river is Tajo in Spanish, Tejo in Portuguese, and Tagus in English. The name has ancient roots and appears in historical and geographical sources across the Iberian Peninsula.