The first European nation to launch voyages of exploration was?

the whole question does not make sense... as the question retains 2 key words...european and exploration..... if that is the case..then we have to look at phoneicia in the B.C.period..as they where the first to launch european exploration..other wise if we are talking modern history that is .A.D. period then not even portugal launched exploration but the scandanavians did in the period around 800ad to 900ad..who was ERIC THE RED discovering... greenland and the north eastern part of the usa ..