Vasco da Gama was a famous explorer belonging to which country?

Introduction / Context:
Vasco da Gama is an important figure in world history because his voyage opened a direct sea route from Europe to India around the Cape of Good Hope. Knowledge of his nationality is essential for understanding how European maritime powers expanded during the age of exploration. This question checks whether the learner can correctly identify the country to which this navigator and explorer belonged.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The explorer in question is Vasco da Gama.
• He sailed from Europe to India by sea.
• The options describe explorers or navigators from several European and other nations.
• The task is to choose the correct country associated with him.

Concept / Approach:
The central concept is geographical and historical association between specific explorers and their sponsoring kingdoms. Vasco da Gama sailed under the flag of Portugal and established direct maritime contact between Portugal and the western coast of India. His success strengthened Portuguese presence in the Indian Ocean. Remembering that he was Portuguese is a standard fact in both world and Indian history and often appears in school textbooks and examinations.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise Vasco da Gama as the first European to reach India by rounding the Cape of Good Hope. Step 2: Recall that the early voyages to India by this route were sponsored by the Portuguese crown. Step 3: Match this information with the option Portuguese explorer. Step 4: Note that he was neither British, French, Australian, nor Spanish in nationality. Step 5: Select Portuguese explorer as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
A simple verification method is to think of the sequence of European arrivals in India. The Portuguese arrived first, followed by the Dutch, English, and French. Vasco da Gama arrival at Calicut in fourteen ninety eight is always mentioned as the beginning of Portuguese influence. Almost every school history chapter on European penetration into India starts by stating that he was a Portuguese navigator. No textbook describes him as British, French, Australian, or Spanish, which confirms the answer for exams.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Australian navigator is incorrect because Australia as a modern nation did not exist in the period of Vasco da Gama explorations, and he had no connection with that region. British explorer and French explorer do not fit because those nations sent different navigators such as James Cook or Cartier at later periods. Spanish navigator is also wrong because leading Spanish explorers included Columbus and Magellan, not Vasco da Gama. Therefore only Portuguese explorer correctly reflects his nationality and historical role.

Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes students mix up explorers and sponsor nations, especially between Spain and Portugal because both were active in early ocean voyages. A good way to remember is to link Vasco da Gama and Albuquerque with Portugal and Columbus and Magellan with Spain. Writing these pairs down during revision clarifies these associations and prevents confusion in objective type questions.

Final Answer:
Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer.