STIELERS HAND-ATLAS
Hand-Atlas über alle Theile der Erde und über das Weltgebäude
Erstausgabe Mai 1817, Ullsteiner Buchdruck
Edition 1822, Translation: Andrew Morris
Excerpt: Nueva Granada
NUEVA GRANADA
The Magdalena RiverThe agriculture of Nueva Granada is confined by its landscape and manifests in
scattered tropical to semi-tropical plantations, and some plains in Casanare. A substantial
agricultural nucleus is located in the central region near Bogotá where the elevation due
to the Andes mountain range limits farmers to temperate-zone crops like wheat.
Nueva Granada is comparably industrialised, it has a small urban industry scattered
throughout the country. The textile industry with its centre in Socorro is deserving of
mention. Agriculture and manufacturing are for local consumption. Coastal regions
obtain goods from abroad because of the poor local infrastructure. Instead, trade is
practiced over water. The most lucrative part of the economy are the gold mines. They
compose a majority of exports as well as a majority of taxes. Nueva Granada was home
to the chief gold-mining territory of the Spanish Empire. This industry is very dependent
on slavery and does not employ many paid workers. Profits from mining finance Nueva
Granada’s imports.
Due to poor infrastructure, the interior of the country is poorly connected. Methods of
production are very rudimentary and inefficient, in particular when compared to the
plantations in Venezuela. In most areas the plow is not known to exist, and in Bogotá the
wheelbarrow is hardly in use.
Yet in important respects, Nueva Granada has high intellectual development. Santa Fe as
the former viceregal capital, is home to most of the bureaucracy and legal processes. A
more equal distribution of wealth means a wider percentage of the population has at least
a little education. The legal profession is very popular. In Nueva Granada one writes much
and the judges are overwhelmed with work whereas in Caracas disputes are ended by
means of the sword.
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