GRANADA, NEW, a division of Spanish America, lying between 2° and 8° of North Latitude ; is bounded on the north and east by Caraccas and Cumana, on the west by Popayan, and on the south by Peru. It extends in length about 300 miles, and nearly as much in breadth. It is so far elevated above the level of the sea, that, though approaching almost to the equator, its climate is remark ably temperate. Its vales and level districts are not in ferior in fertility to the richest spots of America. Its mountainous tracts abound in mines of gold, silver, lead, copper, and in precious stones of various kinds. Its fo rests afford a variety of excellent timber, adapted particu larly for ship-building. Its principal towns are Bogota or Santa Fe de Bogota, the seat of government, and the see of an archbishop, situated nearly in 4° North Latitude, and containing 40,000 inhabitants ; Flonda, a pleasant little town on the river Magdalena, about 60 miles north-west of the capital, the principal port for the commerce of the in terior provinces, and containing about 10,000 inhabitants ; Merida, a considerable manufacturing town in 8° I 1' north latitude, situated in a well-watered valley, about 20 leagues south of Lake 1\Iaracaiba, and containing 11,000 inhabit ants ; Neyva, 107 miles south-west of the capital ; Mara quita, 59 miles north-west ; St. Miguel, 94 miles north east ; Caguan, south of Neyva and Tunia in 5}° North Lati tude ; all small settlements, rather in a declining state. There are likewise several missionary stations, especially towards the south of the province, called Los Llanos, and several villages of the Indians. Antioquia, perhaps rather a separate province, is also generally comprehended in that of New Granada. It is situated towards the west, bound ed by Carthagena on the north, by Popayan on the south, and on the west by Choca. It is mountainous, and abounding in mines ; temperate, well watered, and rich in pastures. Its capital, of the same name, in the valley of Nori, is si tuated in 7° 14' North Latitude.
A few manufactures of cotton cloths, carpets, counter panes, and woollens, chiefly for the purposes of internal con sumption, are carried on in the province. Several of its native productions, especially chocolate, tobacco, and cot ton, all of excellent quality, might be collected in great abundance for exportation ; and the river 'Magdalena, which runs through the province into the Atlantic, and is naviga ble as far as Florida, 160 leagues from its mouth, affords a commodious outlet to the European markets. But agricul ture and trade are said to have greatly declined of late years in the province ; and its present unsettled state, struggling for independence of the mother country, though likely to issue at length in its prosperity, must obviously be ex tremely unfavourable to every kind of cultivation or com merce. Its chief support is derived from the produce of
its gold mines. These indeed can scarcely be called mines, as the metal is not generally procured by digging into the earth, but is mingled with the soil near the surface, from which it is separated by repeated washings. This work is commonly performed by Negro slaves, who cannot bear The chill air of the mines, but are more able than the In dians to support the labours of the field. In some dis tricts, the metal is found in large grains ; and on some sprits, particularly near Pamplona, single labourers have collected in one clay a quantity equivalent to 1000 pesos. One of the governors of Santa Fe procured a mass of pure gold estimated to be worth 7401., which was deposited in the royal cabinet of Madrid as the finest and largest specimen ever found in the New World.
Granada, or Santa Fe, as it is sometimes called, gives name to an extensive viceroyalty, which is sometimes con founded with the province, properly so denominated. This kingdom of New Granada was originally established in 1547, and was governed by a royal audience, with a cap tain-general as president. In 1718, it was formed into a viceroyalty, which was suppressed in 1724, and finally re stored in 1740. It comprises the provinces of Carthagena, Panama, Santa Martha, Maracaibo, Porto Bello, Antiog nia, Choca, Granada Proper, Veragua, Mariquita, Rio de la Dacha, Giron, Neyva, and the Llanos, which form the northern division, under the jurisdiction of the royal audience at Santa Fe ; and the southern districts, Jaen de Bracamoros, Loja, Cuenza, Macas, Riobamba, Popayan, Quito, Guayaquil, &c. which are under the jurisdiction of a governor and royal audience at Quito, who are subordi nate to the viceroy of New Granada. This extensive terri tory, when first subjected to Spain in 1536, was more popu lous, and its inhabitants more civilized, than any other portion of America ; but the amount of its whole popula tion is now calculated by M. Humboldt only at 1,800,000. Nothing is wanting for its prosperity, but the revival of industry and commerce ; and nothing prevents it from en joying these benefits, but the impolitic restrictions and op pressive system of its European rulers. See Robertson's History of America, vol. iii. ; Playfair's Geography, vol. vi.; Pinkerton's Geography, vol, iii. ; and Humbolt's Account of ..7V'e7v Spain. (g)