Departments of Colombia

The Republic of Colombia according to 1991 constitution It is divided administratively and politically into 33 divisions; 32 Departments and one capital city (Bogotá); Each department is managed by a Governor, which is democratically elected by popular vote and by a departmental assembly which is responsible for political control of the governor and issuing administrative acts called “ordinances”, which is also democratically elected by popular vote, its members are called “Deputies“, the term of office of the governors and deputies of the departmental assembly is 4 years.

The departments are subdivided into municipalities, whose administration is in charge of a mayor and a city Council elected by popular vote for a period equal to that of the departmental dignitaries (4 years). Some departments are also subdivided into non-municipalized areas (formerly called departmental townships).

List of the Departments of Colombia and their capitals:

Department	Capital	Number of Municipalities
Amazon	Leticia	2
Antioch	Medellin	125
Arauca	Arauca	7
Atlantic	Barranquilla	23
Bolivar	Cartagena de Indias	45
Boyacá	Tunja	123
Caldas	Manizales	27
Caqueta	Florencia	16
Casanare	Yopal	19
Cauca	Popayan	41
Cease	Valledupar	25
crashed	Quibdo	31
Cordova	Montería	30
Cundinamarca	Bogota	116
Guainía	Inirida	2
Guaviare	San José del Guaviare	4
Huila	Neiva	37
La Guajira	Riohacha	15
Cupcake	Santa Marta	30
Goal	Villavicencio	29
Nariño	Pasto	64
North of Santander	San José de Cúcuta	40
Putumayo	Mocoa	13
Quindío	Armenia	12
Risaralda	Pereira	14
San Andrés and Providencia	San Andrés	2
Santander	Bucaramanga	87
Sucre	Sincelejo	26
Tolima	Ibagué	47
Cauca's Valley	Cali	42
Vaupes	Mitú	3
Vichada	Puerto Carreño	4

History of the Departments of Colombia

The Colombian departments have their origin in the political-administrative division of New Granada (current Colombia and Panama), which was organized into provinces that had a territorial division more or less similar to the current departments. With the constitution of 1858, the nation adopted the federal republic system, calling itself United States of Colombia, replacing the provinces with nine sovereign states (Antioquia, Bolívar, Boyacá, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Panama, Santander and Tolima). The centralist constitution of 1886 He changed the name to the Republic of Colombia and transformed the states into departments.

The reforms of 1905 and 1910 allowed the creation of new territories and entities from the division of part of the territories of the departments of that time, with them new departments, mayors and commissioners were created. The 1991 constitution elevated the existing mayoralties and police stations to the category of departments, thus creating the current administrative-political division of Colombia.