The New World was initially thought to be the easternmost part of the Indies by explorer Christopher Columbus, who had grossly underestimated the westerly distance from Europe to Asia.

Exploration of these regions by European powers first began in the late fifteenth century and early sixteenth century led by the Portuguese.

The Portuguese described the entire region they discovered as the Indies.

Eventually, the region is considered by Europeans as a series of Indies.

The East Indies, which will come to be also called "Old Indies" or "Great Indies", consisting of India; and the West Indies, also called "New Indies" or "Little Indies", consisting of the Americas.