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)
La 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

edit

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

Indigenous territories

edit

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.[4]

Indigenous territories in Colombia are mostly in the departments of Amazonas, Cauca, La Guajira, Guaviare, and Vaupés.[1]

History

edit

Historical predecessors of current departments

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

The Republic of Gran Colombia

edit

When it was first established in 1819, The Republic of Gran Colombia had three departments. Venezuela, Cundinamarca (now Colombia) and Quito (now Ecuador).[5] In 1824, the Distrito del Centro (which became Colombia) was divided into five departments and further divided into seventeen provinces. One department, Isthmus Department, consisting of two provinces, later became the sovereign country of Panama.[6]

Republic of New Granada

edit

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.[6][7]

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.[7] 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.[8]

Republic of Colombia

edit

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:

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Division Política de Colombia" (in Spanish). Portal ColombiaYA.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009.
  2. ^ "Elecciones Territoriales 2023 - Resultados Electorales". La República (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  3. ^ "Archive copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ Decree 2164 of 1995 provides "Reserva Indígena. Es un globo de terreno baldío ocupado por una o varias comunidades indígenas que fué delimitado y legalmente asignado por el INCORA a aquellas para que ejerzan en él los derechos de uso y usufructo con exclusión de terceros. Las reservas indígenas constituyen tierras comunales de grupos étnicos, para los fines previstos en el artículo 63 de la Constitución Política y la ley 21 de 1991. [...] Territorios Indígenas. Son las áreas poseidas en forma regular y permanente por una comunidad, parcialidad o grupo indígena y aquellas que, aunque no se encuentren poseidas en esa forma, constituyen el ámbito tradicional de sus actividades sociales, económicas y culturales. " Art. 21: "Los resguardos son una institución legal y sociopolítica de carácter especial, conformada por una o más comunidades indígenas, que con un título de propiedad colectiva que goza de las garantías de la propiedad privada, poseen su territorio y se rigen para el manejo de éste y su vida interna por una organización autónoma amparada por el fuero indígena y su sistema normativo propio."
  5. ^ Guhl Nannetti, Ernesto (1991). "Capítulo XII: División Política de la Gran Colombia". Las fronteras políticas y los límites naturales: escritos geograficos [Political Boundaries and Their Natural Limits: Geographic writings] (in Spanish). Bogotá: Fondo FEN. ISBN 978-958-9129-22-7.
  6. ^ a b Aguilera Peña, Mario (January 2002). "División política administrativa de Colombia". Credential Historia (in Spanish). Bogotá: Banco de la República. Archived from the original on 16 February 2011.
  7. ^ a b Oficina Nacional de Estadística (Office of National Statistics) (1876). "Estadística de Colombia" [Colombian Statistics] (PDF) (in Spanish). Bogotá: Oficina Nacional de Estadística. Retrieved 23 November 2016.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ Domínguez, Camilo; Chaparro, Jeffer; Gómez, Carla (2006). "Construcción y deconstrucción territorial del Caribe Colombiano durante el siglo XIX". Scripta Nova (Revista Electrónica de Geografía y Ciencias Sociales). 10 (218 (75)).
edit