In 1749 a large-scale
census and statistical investigation was conducted in the
Crown of Castile (15.000 places including Galicia and Andalusia, but not including the
Basque provinces, Navarre or the
Crown of Aragon). It included population, territorial properties, buildings, cattle, offices, all kinds of revenue and trades, and even geographical information from each place. It was encouraged by king
Ferdinand VI of Spain and his minister the
Marquis of Ensenada, and is known today as the
Catastro of Ensenada.