A primary result of the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, was the division of the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal. The treaty established an imaginary line in the Atlantic Ocean, granting Spain control over lands to the west and Portugal control of those to the east. This division aimed to resolve conflicts arising from competing claims to territories in the New World. As a result, Portugal gained access to Brazil, while Spain focused on the richer territories in Central and South America. The treaty set the stage for future colonial empires and shaped the geopolitical landscape of the Americas.