New Andalusia Province
New Andalusia Province, also known as the Province of Cumaná (1537–1864), was a region of the Spanish Empire that later became part of Gran Colombia and then Venezuela. It covered parts of today’s Venezuelan states Sucre, Anzoátegui and Monagas, with Cumaná as its capital and New Barcelona as another important city. Cumaná was refounded in 1569 by explorer Diego Hernández de Serpa.
Originally it stretched over eastern Venezuela, western Guyana, and northern Brazil, but over time its territory shrank to the area around Cumaná and Barcelona, making it effectively Cumaná Province. Early in its history, Joan Orpí created Nueva Cataluña (New Catalonia), also known as New Barcelona, from land that belonged to New Andalusia. It existed from 1637 to 1654 and was then incorporated back into New Andalusia.
Its southern boundary was Guayana Province and its western boundary was Venezuela Province. For most of its history, the Royal Audience of Santo Domingo oversaw its administration and justice. In the late 18th century it became part of the Captaincy General of Venezuela.
After Venezuela’s independence movement began in 1811, the province joined Gran Colombia and, after 1824, lay within the Orinoco Department. Its capital remained Cumaná. Following independence, it became a Province of Venezuela in 1830, until 1864 when the modern states of Venezuela were created. Between 1810 and 1840 it lost Piacoa (the Orinoco River delta) to Guayana Province, an area that would later become Delta Amacuro.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 15:34 (CET).