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Departments Of Colombia

Departments of Colombia refer to the administrative divisions of Colombia.

As of 2024, the unitary republic is made up of thirty-two departments. Each department has a governor and an assembly, elected by popular vote for a four-year period.

Capital district and Colombian regions
Distrito Capital y los Departamentos de Colombia (Spanish)
Departments Of ColombiaLa Guajira DepartmentMagdalena DepartmentAtlántico DepartmentCesar DepartmentBolívar DepartmentNorte de Santander DepartmentSucre DepartmentCórdoba DepartmentSantander DepartmentAntioquia DepartmentBoyacá DepartmentArauca DepartmentChocó DepartmentCaldas DepartmentCundinamarca DepartmentCasanare DepartmentVichada DepartmentValle del Cauca DepartmentTolima DepartmentMeta DepartmentHuila DepartmentGuainía DepartmentGuaviare DepartmentCauca DepartmentVaupés DepartmentNariño DepartmentCaquetá DepartmentPutumayo DepartmentAmazonas (Colombian department)Risaralda DepartmentRisaralda DepartmentQuindío DepartmentQuindío DepartmentBogotáBogotáArchipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina
CategoryUnitary state
LocationRepublic of Colombia
Number32 Departments
1 Capital District
Populations48,932 (Vaupés) – 8,906,342 (Capital District)
Areas50 km2 (19.3 sq mi) (San Andrés) – 109,665.0 km2 (42,341.89 sq mi) (Amazonas)
Government
Subdivisions

Current departments

Colombia is a unitary republic made up of thirty-two administrative divisions referred to as departments (Spanish: departamentos, sing. departamento) and one Capital District (Distrito Capital). Each department has a governor (gobernador) and an Assembly (Asamblea Departamental), elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods. Departments are country subdivisions and are granted a certain degree of autonomy.

Departments are formed by a grouping of municipalities (municipios, sing. municipio). Municipal government is headed by mayor (alcalde) and administered by a municipal council (concejo municipal), both of which are elected by popular vote for four-year periods.

Some departments have subdivisions above the level of municipalities, commonly known as provinces.

Departments of Colombia including governors serving four-year terms from 2024 to 2027, along with their respective political party or coalition
ID Region Governor Party or Coalition Capital Area (km2) Population (December 2022) Density per
km2 		Established as a department Flag Code
00 Capital District Carlos Fernando Galán New Liberalism Bogotá 1,587 8,906,342 4670.80 1861 Departments Of Colombia  DC
01 Amazonas Óscar Enrique Sánchez Guerrero Historic Pact for Colombia Leticia 109,665 82,068 0.7 1991 Departments Of Colombia  AM
02 Antioquia Andrés Julián Rendón Cardona Por Antioquia Firme Medellín 63,612 6,887,306 100.72 1886 Departments Of Colombia  AN
03 Arauca Manuel Alexander Pérez Rueda Democratic Center Arauca 23,818 304,978 11.01 1991 Departments Of Colombia  AR
04 Atlántico Eduardo Verano de la Rosa Colombian Liberal Party Barranquilla 3,388 2,804,025 748.38 1910 Departments Of Colombia  AT
05 Bolívar Yamil Hernando Arana Padaui Bolivar Mejor Cartagena 25,978 2,236,603 79.69 1886 Departments Of Colombia  BL
06 Boyacá Carlos Andrés Amaya Rodriguez Boyacá Grande Tunja 23,189 1,259,601 52.50 1824 Departments Of Colombia  BY
07 Caldas Henry Gutiérrez Angel Por El Caldas Que Quiere La Gente Manizales 7,888 1,036,455 126.55 1905 Departments Of Colombia  CL
08 Caquetá Luis Francisco Ruiz Aguilar Coalición Revive Caqueta Florencia 88,965 419,275 4.52 1981 Departments Of Colombia  CQ
09 Casanare César Augusto Ortiz Zorro Coalición Por Casanare Yopal 44,640 442,068 9.42 1991 Departments Of Colombia  CS
10 Cauca Jorge Octavio Guzmán Gutiérrez La Fuerza Del Pueblo Popayán 29,308 1,516,018 49.97 1824 Departments Of Colombia  CA
11 Cesar Elvia Milena Sanjuán Dávila El Cesar En Marcha Valledupar 22,905 1,341,697 52.42 1967 Departments Of Colombia  CE
12 Chocó Nubia Carolina Córdoba Curi Colombian Liberal Party Quibdó 46,530 553,519 11.49 1947 Departments Of Colombia  CH
13 Córdoba Erasmo Elías Zuleta Bechara Cordoba Pr1mero Montería 25,020 1,856,496 71.33 1951 Departments Of Colombia  CO
14 Cundinamarca Jorge Emilio Rey Ángel Caminando, Escuchando, Gobernando Bogotá 24,210 2,473,634 120.57 1824 Departments Of Colombia  CU
15 Guainía Arnulfo Rivera Naranjo Coalición Trabajemos Guainía Inirida 72,238 52,061 0.67 1991 Departments Of Colombia  GN
16 Guaviare Yeison Ferney Rojas Martínez Guaviare Seguimos Avanzando San José del Guaviare   53,460 90,357 1.55 1991 Departments Of Colombia  GV
17 Huila Rodrigo Villaba Mosquera Por Un Huila Grande Neiva 19,890 1,140,932 55.32 1910 Departments Of Colombia  HU
18 La Guajira Jairo Alfonso Aguilar Deluque Union Party for the People, Radical Change, Independent Social Alliance, La Fuerza de la Paz and Partido Demócrata Riohacha 20,848 1,002,394 42.24 1965 Departments Of Colombia  LG
19 Magdalena Rafael Alejandro Martínez Fuerza Ciudadana Santa Marta 23,188 1,463,427 57.86 1824 Departments Of Colombia  MA
20 Meta Rafaela Cortés Zambrano Coalición Fe y Firmeza Villavicencio 82,805 1,080,706 12.14 1959 Departments Of Colombia  ME
21 Nariño Luis Alfonso Escobar Jaramillo Historic Pact for Colombia Pasto 33,268 1,629,181 49.01 1910 Departments Of Colombia  NA
22 Norte de Santander William Villamizar Laguado Coalición Por Amor A Nuestra Gente Del Norte Cúcuta 21,658 1,651,278 68.87 1910 Departments Of Colombia  NS
23 Putumayo Carlos Andrés Marroquín Luna Coalición Somos La Fuerza De La Gente Mocoa 24,885 369,064 13.99 1991 Departments Of Colombia  PU
24 Quindío Juan Miguel Galvis Bedoya Creemos Colombia Armenia 1,845 569,569 292.63 1966 Departments Of Colombia  QD
25 Risaralda Juan Diego Patiño Ochoa Colombian Liberal Party Pereira 4,140 977,829 227.87 1966 Departments Of Colombia  RI
26 San Andrés y Providencia   Nicolas Iván Gallardo Vásquez Coalición Avanzar es Posible San Andrés 52 65,228 1178.46 1991 Departments Of Colombia  SA
27 Santander Juvenal Díaz Mateus Coalición Es Tiempo Juvenal Gobernador Bucaramanga 30,537 2,324,090 71.55 1886 Departments Of Colombia  ST
28 Sucre Lucy Inés García Montes Coalición Mujer de Resultados Sincelejo 10,917 972,350 82.89 1966 Departments Of Colombia  SU
29 Tolima Adriana Magali Matiz Vargas Coalición Con Seguridad en el Territorio Ibagué 23,562 1,346,935 56.45 1886 Departments Of Colombia  TO
30 Valle del Cauca Dilian Francisca Toro Torres Coalición Unidos por el Valle Cali 22,140 4,589,278 202.16 1910 Departments Of Colombia  VC
31 Vaupés Luis Alfredo Gutiérrez García Gente en Movimiento Mitú 54,135 48,932 0.75 1991 Departments Of Colombia  VP
32 Vichada Hecson Alexys Benito Castro Union Party for the People Puerto Carreño 100,242 115,778 1.08 1991 Departments Of Colombia  VD

Indigenous territories

The indigenous territories are at the third level of administrative division in Colombia, as are the municipalities. Indigenous territories are created by agreement between the government and indigenous communities. In cases where indigenous territories cover more than one department or municipality, local governments jointly administer them with the indigenous councils, as set out in Articles 329 and 330 of the Colombian Constitution of 1991. Also indigenous territories may achieve local autonomy if they meet the requirements of the law.

Article 329 of the 1991 constitution recognizes the collective indigenous ownership of indigenous territories and repeats that are inalienable. Law 160 of 1994 created the National System of Agrarian Reform and Rural Development Campesino, and replaced Law 135 of 1961 on Agrarian Social Reform; it establishes and sets out the functions of INCORA, one of the most important being to declare which territories will acquire the status of indigenous protection and what extension of existing ones will be allowed. Decree 2164 of 1995 interprets Law 160 of 1994, providing, among other things, a legal definition of indigenous territories.

Indigenous territories in Colombia are mostly in the departments of Amazonas, Cauca, La Guajira, Guaviare, and Vaupés.

History

Historical predecessors of current departments

Evolution of Colombian departments
Departments Of Colombia 
1824
Departments Of Colombia 
1886
Departments Of Colombia 
1905
Departments Of Colombia 
1908
Departments Of Colombia 
1912
Departments Of Colombia 
1916
Departments Of Colombia 
1928
Departments Of Colombia 
1942
Departments Of Colombia 
1958
Departments Of Colombia 
1966
Departments Of Colombia 
1990
Departments Of Colombia 
Present day
Current name and flag Established as a department First established under the following name Establishment of earliest territorial predecessor Sovereign State that established the earliest territorial predecessor
Departments Of Colombia  Amazonas 1991 Intendancy of Amazonas 1931 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Antioquia 1886 Province of Antioquia 1576 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  Arauca 1991 Commissary of Arauca 1911 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Atlántico 1910 Province of Sabanilla 1852 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of New Granada
Departments Of Colombia  Bogotá 1861 Federal District of Bogotá 1861 Departments Of Colombia  Granadine Confederation
Departments Of Colombia  Bolívar 1886 Province of Cartagena 1533 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  Boyacá 1824 Province of Tunja 1539 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  Caldas 1908 Department of Caldas 1908 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Caquetá 1981 Intendancy of Caquetá 1905 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Casanare 1991 Province of Casanare 1660 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  Cauca 1824 Province of Popayán 1537 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  Cesar 1967 Department of Cesar 1967 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Chocó 1947 Province of Chocó 1726 Departments Of Colombia  Kingdom of Spain
Departments Of Colombia  Córdoba 1951 Department of Córdoba 1951 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Cundinamarca 1824 Province of Santafé de Bogotá 1550 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  Guainía 1991 Commissary of Guainía 1963 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Guaviare 1991 Commissary of Guaviare 1977 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Huila 1910 Province of Neiva 1610 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  La Guajira 1965 Provincia de Riohacha 1789 Departments Of Colombia  Kingdom of Spain
Departments Of Colombia  Magdalena 1824 Province of Santa Marta 1533 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  Meta 1959 Intendancy of Meta 1905 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Nariño 1910 Province of Pasto 1823 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Norte de Santander 1910 Province of Pamplona 1555 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  Putumayo 1991 Commissary of Putumayo 1912 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Quindío 1966 Department of Quindío 1966 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Risaralda 1966 Department of Risaralda 1966 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  San Andrés y Providencia 1991 Providence Island Colony 1630 Departments Of Colombia  Kingdom of England
Departments Of Colombia  Santander 1886 Province of Socorro 1795 Departments Of Colombia  Kingdom of Spain
Departments Of Colombia  Sucre 1966 Department of Sucre 1966 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Tolima 1886 Province of Mariquita 1550 Departments Of Colombia  Crown of Castile
Departments Of Colombia  Valle del Cauca 1910 Province of Cauca 1835 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of New Granada
Departments Of Colombia  Vaupés 1991 Commissary of Vaupés 1910 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia
Departments Of Colombia  Vichada 1991 Commissary of Vichada 1913 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Colombia

Former departments of Colombia

Name Capital Established as a department on Ceased to exist in Today part of
Departments Of Colombia  Venezuela Caracas 1820 1830 Departments Of Colombia  Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Departments Of Colombia  Ecuador Quito 1820 1830 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Ecuador
Departments Of Colombia  Spanish Haiti Santo Domingo 1821 1822 Departments Of Colombia  Dominican Republic
Departments Of Colombia  Florida Fernandina 1817 1817 Departments Of Colombia  United States of America
Departments Of Colombia  Orinoco Cumaná 1824 1830 Departments Of Colombia  Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Departments Of Colombia  Zulia Maracaibo 1824 1830 Departments Of Colombia  Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Departments Of Colombia  Apure Barinas 1824 1830 Departments Of Colombia  Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Departments Of Colombia  Azuay Cuenca 1824 1830 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Ecuador
Departments Of Colombia  Guayaquil Guayaquil 1824 1830 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Ecuador
Departments Of Colombia  Isthmus Panamá 1824 1830 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Panama
Departments Of Colombia  Panamá Panamá 1886 1903 Departments Of Colombia  Republic of Panama
Departments Of Colombia  Galán San Gil 1905 1908 Departments Of Colombia  Santander
Departments Of Colombia  Quesada Zipaquirá 1905 1908 Departments Of Colombia  Cundinamarca

The Republic of Gran Colombia

When it was first established in 1819, The Republic of Gran Colombia had three departments. Venezuela, Cundinamarca (now Colombia) and Quito (now Ecuador). In 1824, the Distrito del Centro (which became Colombia) was divided into five departments and further divided into seventeen provinces. One department, Istmo Department, consisting of two provinces, later became Panama.

Republic of New Granada

With the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1826 by the Revolution of the Morrocoyes (La Cosiata), New Granada kept its 17 provinces. In 1832 the provinces of Vélez and Barbacoas were created, and in 1835 those of Buenaventura and Pasto were added. In 1843 those of Cauca, Mompós and Túquerres were created. At this time the cantons (cantones) and parish districts were created, which provided the basis for the present-day municipalities.

By 1853 the number of provinces had increased to thirty-six, namely:Antioquia, Azuero, Barbacoas, Bogotá, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Casanare, Cauca, Chiriquí, Chocó, Córdova, Cundinamarca, García Rovira, Mariquita, Medellín, Mompós, Neiva, Ocaña, Pamplona, Panamá, Pasto, Popayán, Riohacha, Sabanilla, Santa Marta, Santander, Socorro, Soto, Tequendama, Tunja, Tundama, Túquerres, Valle de Upar, Veraguas, Vélez and Zipaquirá. However, the new constitution of 1853 introduced federalism, which lead to the consolidation of provinces into states. By 1858 this process was complete, with a resulting eight federal states: Panamá was formed in 1855, Antioquia in 1856, Santander in May 1857, and Bolívar, Boyacá, Cauca, Cundinamarca and Magdalena were formed in June 1858. 1861 saw the creation of the final federal state of Tolima.

Republic of Colombia

The Colombian Constitution of 1886 converted the states of Colombia into departments, with the state presidents renamed as governors. The states formed the following original departments:

  • Departments Of Colombia 
    Departments of Colombia with municipalities
  • Departments Of Colombia 
    Map with numbered departments
  • Departments Of Colombia 
    Departments of Colombia with names
  • Departments Of Colombia 
    Political map of Colombia
  • Departments Of Colombia 
    Topography of Colombia, highly variable per department

See also

References

Tags:

Departments Of Colombia Current departmentsDepartments Of Colombia HistoryDepartments Of Colombia Maps galleryDepartments Of ColombiaAdministrative divisionColombiaGovernorHouse of AssemblyUnitary state

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