HistoryData
politics1926

1926 agreement between Portugal and Spain

June 29, 1926

Defined the southern Portugal-Spain border along the Guadiana River, while leaving a northern section undemarcated to this day.

Quick Facts

Year
1926
Category
politics

Key Facts

Date signed
29 June 1926
Signing city
Lisbon, Portugal
Border section demarcated
Ribeira de Cuncos confluence to Guadiana estuary
Undemarcated section
Caia confluence to Ribeira de Cuncos confluence
De facto border in undemarcated area
Guadiana River

Location

Map of Lisbon, PortugalMap of Lisbon, PortugalLisbon, Portugal

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

Portugal and Spain had a long-standing need to formally delimit their shared border along the Guadiana River. The southern stretch, near Olivenza and extending to the river's estuary, lacked a precise legal demarcation, creating ambiguity in the boundary between the two Iberian nations.

Event

On 29 June 1926, Portugal and Spain signed the Convention of Limits in Lisbon, formally demarcating the border from the confluence of the Ribeira de Cuncos with the Guadiana, just south of Olivenza, southward to the Guadiana River estuary.

Consequence

The agreement resolved the legal status of the southern portion of the Guadiana border. However, the section between the Caia River confluence and the Ribeira de Cuncos confluence was not addressed and remains undemarcated, with the Guadiana River serving as the de facto boundary in that stretch.

Political Outcome

Outcome

Southern Guadiana border officially demarcated; northern section remains undemarcated with Guadiana as de facto boundary.

Signatories

Portugal
Signatory state
Spain
Signatory state

Timeline Context

Timeline around 19261926192319241925192719281929Balfour Declaration of 1926 — 1926 documentCristero War — widespread struggle in many central-western Mexican states from 1926 to 19291926 South American Championship — football competition1926 treaty between Turkey, United Kingdom and Iraq1926 European Aquatics Championships — Swimming event of LEN in Budapest (Hungary)1926 League of Nations treaty, amended 1953Giselle — ballet by Adolphe AdamPhysical assault of a child by Ludwig Wittgensteinconvention-of-limits-1926-1926