Spanish Colonization Statistics
By the Numbers
Number of Spaniards in Spain in 1492: 6 to 7 million1
Number of Native Americans in America in 1492: 75 to 100 million2
Native population of the Island of Hispaniola (the island that now comprises Haiti and the Dominican Republic) in 1492: 1 million3
Native population of Hispaniola in 1500: 5004
Major plants brought to the Old World from the New: corn, potatoes, tobacco, tomatoes, cassava, chocolate
Major plants and animals brought to the New World from the Old: sugarcane, horses, cows, pigs, goats, bananas
Number of Missions founded in California: 21
Distance between Mission San Diego and the Mission at Sonoma: 650 miles
Number of Spaniards who emigrated from Spain to the New World between 1500 and 1650: 450,0005