The Columbian Exchange (Nathan Nunn & Nancy Qian) named after Christopher Columbus, was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas, West Africa, and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries. Both authors are also Faculty f Economics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Both authors are also Faculty
Research Fellows, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Cambridge, Massachu- esearch Fellows, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Affi etts, and Affi liates, Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development