independence struggle led mainly by Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Paula Santander in neighboring Venezuela. Bolívar returned to New Granada only in 1819 after establishing himself as leader of the pro-independence forces in the Venezuelan llanos. From there Bolivar led an army over the Andes and captured New Granada after a quick campaign that ended at the Battle of Boyacá, on 7 August 1819, finally proclaimed independence in 1821. The pro-Spanish resistance was defeated in 1822 in the present territory of Colombia and in 1823 in Venezuela. The territories of the viceroyalty gained full de facto independence from Spain between 1819 and 1822 after a series of military and political struggles, uniting in a republic now known as Gran Colombia. With the dissolution of Gran Colombia, the states of Ecuador, Venezuela, and the Republic of New Granada were created. The Republic of New Granada, with its capital at Bogotá, lasted from 1831 to 1856. The name "Colombia" reappeared in the "United States of Colombia"; the new name for the country having been introduced by a liberal government after a civil war. The use of the term "New Granada" survived in conservative circles, such as among ecclesiastics. Demographics New Granada was estimated to have 4,345,000 inhabitants in 1819. Main cities By population 1 – Santa Fe de Bogotá 2 – Caracas 3 – Cartagena de Indias 4 – Quito 5 – Panama 6 – Cuenca 7 – Popayán 8 – Tunja 9 – Santa Marta 10 – Guayaquil See also History of the Americas History of Colombia History of Ecuador History of Venezuela List of Viceroys of New Granada Spanish Empire Criollo people Notes Bibliography Fisher, John R., Allan J. Keuthe and Anthony McFarlane, eds. Reform and Insurrection in Bourbon New Granada and Peru. Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Press, 1990. Kuethe, Alan J. Military Reform and Society in New Granada, 1773-1808. Gainesville, University Presses of Florida, 1978. McFarlane, Anthony. Colombia Before Independence: Economy, Society, and Politics under Bourbon Rule. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1993. Phelan, John Leddy. The People and the King: The Comunero Revolution in Colombia, 1781. Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 1978. Torres, James. "Bullion and Monetary Flows in the Northern Andes: New Evidence and Insights". Revista Tiempo y Economia 6(1), 13–46, External links New Granada Former Spanish colonies Spanish colonization of the Americas 02 Colonial Panama Colonial Venezuela Colonial Brazil Colonial Peru Former colonies in South America