Illustrated Treatise on the Maritime Kingdoms: Volume 66

Nations of the Outer Atlantic: The Americas

Page 3

[The territory] begins from 4 degrees 43 minutes and ends at 96 degrees 40 minutes These coordinates likely refer to latitude and longitude, though the reference meridian (likely Ferro or Paris) differs from the modern Greenwich standard. To the east, it borders the Sea of the Antilles original: "Andis Sea" (安的斯海). The text uses a phonetic approximation that conflates the Andes with the Antilles/Caribbean. To the west, it is bounded by the Great Ocean The Pacific Ocean and the nation of Mexico. To the south, it meets the Great Ocean, and to the north, it joins Mexico and the Sea of the Antilles original: "Weidiliesi Sea" (委的列斯海), a phonetic rendering of Antilles.

Its length is approximately 3,600 li approximately 1,200 miles, and its width is approximately 1,000 li approximately 330 miles. The total land area is 400,000 square li. The population consists of over 1,605,000 people original: "one zhao, six yi, five wan" (一兆六億五萬). In this context, the author uses traditional large-number units to approximate a population of roughly 1.6 million, which matches 19th-century estimates for Central America.

The terrain consists mostly of plains; the center is high while the coastal edges are low. The Andes Mountains original: "Andas" (安達斯) run directly from the southeast to the northwest. The mountain peaks rise one after another, and volcanoes are very numerous. Some spew fire day and night without ceasing, while others erupt and go dormant fitfully.

There are various lakes and rivers. Among the rivers, there are eight major ones:

• The San Juan original: "Sangruohan" (桑若漢)
• The Motagua original: "Moluogua" (麼剌瓜)
• The Ulúa original: "Minglua" (鳴廬阿)
• The Aguán original: "Aluoman" (阿羅曼)
• The Patuca original: "Boaiesi" (波埃斯)
• The Choluteca original: "Keerfo" (科爾佛). Likely a transliteration of "Golfo," referring to the river flowing into the Gulf of Fonseca
• The Usumacinta original: "Sumaxinda" (蘇麻新達)
• The Segovia original: "Yale" (牙勒). Also known as the Coco or Yare River

There are three major lakes:

• The Nicaragua original: "Nijialagua" (尼加拉瓜), which is approximately 1,500 li in circumference.
• The Izabal original: "Chang" (長). Literally "The Long [Lake]," likely referring to Lake Izabal or perhaps Lake Managua.
• The Atitlán original: "Adidan" (阿的丹).

The local products include various grains and fruits.