The Latin American population underwent a significant change between the years 1500 and 1600 due to the arrival of the Spanish and Portuguese conquerors. The population was estimated to be around 50 million people in the pre-Columbian era, but due to the introduction of diseases such as smallpox and measles, as well as war and forced labor, the population declined rapidly. It is estimated that by the mid-17th century, the population had dropped to less than 10 million. The Europeans also brought African slaves to work on plantations and in mines, which contributed to a demographic shift in the region. This period marked the beginning of the European colonization of Latin America and had a lasting impact on the population, culture, and history of the region.
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