The Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 divided newly discovered lands outside of Europe between Spain and Portugal. It established a line of demarcation running north to south through the Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between the Cape Verde islands and Brazil. Lands to the west of the line would belong to Spain, while lands to the east would belong to Portugal. The treaty did not consider the rights of indigenous peoples and was intended to resolve disputes between the two countries over territories being explored and claimed in the New World.