Territorial evolution of Colombia

Timeline of the changes in political organization, borders and territorial division of Colombia from 1810 to 2012.

Throughout history, the borders and territorial organization of Colombia have been through various transformations, mainly due to political and demographics criteria, but much less due to cultural factors,^[1] among other internal and external factors. Even when the independent governments have at various points tried to organize the territory of the nation in order to achieve a better administration, the general shape of the artificial borders of the subnational entities have followed the outline made during the Spanish conquest and the colonial periods.

Most of the territorial changes were made during the 19th century, the period in which the Colombian War of Independence took place, as well as the most violent civil wars that the country has endured.

Background

The history of the administrative and political organization of Colombia does not begin with the arrival of the Spanish to the New World. Before this, numerous peoples and groups existed, each with their own cultural structures, differing from one another. One of such peoples, an perhaps the most advanced one, that inhabited the Colombian territory was the indigenous Muisca people, who formed one of the most organized societies of the continent in the interior of the country.^[2]

In 1508, the first colonial political and administrative subdivisions began to be made, in turn becoming the base for modern Colombia.

The Kingdom of Tierra Firme was created that same year, becoming the first Spanish colonial territorial entity on the continental New World. It covered the northern coastal territories of South America and the southernmost territories of continental Central America, from the Guianas all the way to the Cabo Gracias a Dios, in modern-day Honduras and Nicaragua. This entity was created 16 years after Columbus' landing at Guanahani and 9 years after the moment Alonso de Ojeda landed at Cabo de la Vela, in the Guajira Peninsula, the northernmost point of continental South America.^[3]

Earliest colonial territorial subdivisions

Indigenous territories around 1500. This territories would become part of the Province of Santa Marta around 1526.

Early territorial subdivision of the Kingdom of Tierra Firme around 1538.

Map of the New Kingdom of Granada, the Kingdom of Tierra Firme and the Province of Popayán around 1630.

Early Spanish Colonial Governorates in Tierra Firme (1498–1526)

Governorates and Provinces of the Columbian Viceroyalty in Tierra Firme (1498–1526)
Kingdom	Capital	Creation	Provinces	Capital	From	To	Notes
Tierra Firme	Santa María (1510–1520) Panama (1520–1526)	Aug 4, 1498	Castilla de Oro	Santa María	1514	1520	Capital transferred to Panama City
			Castilla de Oro	Panama	1520	1526	Integrated into the Audiencia of Hispaniola
			Coquivacoa	Santa Cruz	1502	1504	Abandoned by Alonso de Ojeda, its founder
			Margarita	New Cadiz	1525	1526	Integrated into the Audiencia of Hispaniola
			Santa Marta	Santa Marta	1525	1526	Integrated into the Audiencia of Hispaniola
			Trinidad	Cumucurapo	1525	1526	Integrated into the Audiencia of Hispaniola
			Veragua	Nombre de Dios	1508	1526	Integrated into the Audiencia of Hispaniola

Viceroyalty of New Granada (1717–1822)

Subdivisions of the Real Audiencias of Santa Fe, Quito, Panama and Caracas (1717–1822)
Kingdom	Capital	Creation	Provinces	Capital	From	To	Notes
New Granada	Santa Fe	Jul 17, 1549	Santa Fe	Santa Fe	1549	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			Santa Fe	Santa Fe	1816	1819	Reconquered in 1816. Part of Colombia in 1819
			Antioquia	Antioquia	1576	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			Antioquia	Antioquia	1816	1820	Reconquered in 1816. Part of Colombia in 1819
			Borja	Borja	1717	1721	Returned to the Audiencia of Quito in 1721
			Caracas	Caracas	1717	1725	Returned to the Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1721
			Cartagena	Cartagena	1549	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			Cartagena	Cartagena	1816	1819	Reconquered in 1816. Part of Colombia in 1819
			Casanare	Pore	1660	1810	Declared autonomy. Part of Colombia in 1819
			Chocó	Nóvita	1726	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			Chocó	Nóvita	1816	1820	Reconquered in 1816. Part of Colombia in 1820
			Darién	Yaviza	1751	1821	Declared autonomy. Part of Colombia in 1822
			Girón	Girón	1631	1794	Integrated into the Province of New Pamplona
			Guayana	Angostura	1717	1725	Returned to the Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1725
			Guayana	Angostura	1762	1776	Returned to the Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1776
			Guayaquil	Guayaquil	1717	1721	Returned to the Audiencia of Quito in 1721
			Jaén	Jaén	1717	1721	Returned to the Audiencia of Quito in 1721
			Maracaibo	Maracaibo	1717	1776	Returned to the Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1776
			Margarita	La Asunción	1717	1725	Returned to the Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1725
			Mariquita	Mariquita	1564	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			Mariquita	Mariquita	1810	1820	Reconquered in 1816. Part of Colombia in 1820
			Neiva	Neiva	1610	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			Neiva	Neiva	1810	1820	Reconquered in 1816. Part of Colombia in 1820
			New Andalusia	Cumaná	1717	1725	Returned to the Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1725
			New Andalusia	Cumaná	1740	1776	Returned to the Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1776
			New Pamplona	New Pamplona	1795	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			New Pamplona	New Pamplona	1816	1821	Reconquered in 1816. Part of Colombia in 1821
			Panama	Panama	1751	1821	Declared autonomy. Part of Colombia in 1822
			Popayán	Popayán	1718	1721	Returned to the Audiencia of Quito in 1721
			Portobelo	Portobelo	1751	1821	Declared autonomy. Part of Colombia in 1822
			Quijos y Macas	Baeza	1717	1721	Returned to the Audiencia of Quito in 1721
			Quito	Quito	1717	1721	Returned to the Audiencia of Quito in 1721
			Riohacha	Riohacha	1789	1823	Conquered by Colombia by 1823
			San Faustino	San Faustino	1662	1810	Integrated into the Province of New Pamplona
			Santa Marta	Santa Marta	1549	1822	Conquered by Colombia by 1822
			Socorro	Socorro	1795	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			Socorro	Socorro	1816	1821	Reconquered in 1816. Part of Colombia in 1821
			Tierra Firme	Panama	1717	1722	Returned to the Audiencia of Tierra Firme in 1722
			Trinidad	San José	1717	1725	Returned to the Audiencia of Santo Domingo in 1725
			Tunja	Tunja	1549	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			Tunja	Tunja	1816	1819	Reconquered in 1816. Part of Colombia in 1819
			Veraguas	Veraguas	1717	1722	Returned to the Audiencia of Tierra Firme in 1722
			Veraguas	Veraguas	1751	1821	Declared autonomy. Part of Colombia in 1822
Quito	Quito	Aug 29, 1563	Quito	Quito	1563	1810	Declared autonomy and formed a free state
			Quito	Quito	1812	1822	Reconquered in 1812. Part of Colombia in 1822
			Borja	Borja	1619	1822	Conquered by Colombia by 1822
			Cuenca	Cuenca	1771	1822	Conquered by Colombia by 1822
			Esmeraldas	Atacames	1738	1793	Integrated into the Province of Popayán
			Guayaquil	Guayaquil	1563	1804	Returned to the Audiencia of Peru in 1804
			Jaén	Jaén	1563	1821	Joined the Republic of Peru in 1821
			Quijos	Baeza	1775	1804	Returned to the Audiencia of Peru in 1804
			Quijos y Macas	Baeza	1563	1775	Separated into the Provinces of Quijos and Macas
			Popayán	Popayán	1563	1821	Conquered by Colombia by 1821
			Maynas	Jéberos	1619	1804	Returned to the Audiencia of Peru in 1804
			Macas	Macas	1775	1822	Conquered by Colombia by 1822
Tierra Firme	Panama	Sep 8, 1563	Tierra Firme	Panama	1563	1751	Passed to the Audiencia of New Granada in 1751
Tierra Firme	Panama	Sep 8, 1563	Veraguas	Veraguas	1563	1751	Passed to the Audiencia of New Granada in 1751
Venezuela	Caracas	Jul 6, 1786	Caracas	Caracas	1786	1811	Integrated into the First Republic of Venezuela
			Guayana	Angostura	1786	1817	Integrated into the Third Republic of Venezuela
			Barinas	Barinas	1786	1811	Integrated into the First Republic of Venezuela
			Maracaibo	Maracaibo	1786	1821	Conquered by Colombia by 1821
			Margarita	La Asunción	1786	1811	Integrated into the First Republic of Venezuela
			New Andalusia	Cumaná	1786	1811	Integrated into the First Republic of Venezuela
			Trinidad	Puerto España	1786	1797	Conquered by the United Kingdom

United Provinces of New Granada and Free State of Cundinamarca (1811–1816)

Country	Capital	Creation	Provinces	Capital	From	To	Notes
United Provinces	Tunja	Nov 27, 1811	Antioquia	Antioquia	1811	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
			Cartagena	Cartagena	1811	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
			Casanare	Pore	1814	1819	Incorporated into Colombia in 1819
			Chocó	Nóvita	1813	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
			Cundinamarca	Santa Fe	1812	1812	Left the federation in 1812
			Cundinamarca	Santa Fe	1814	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
			Mariquita	Mariquita	1814	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
			Neiva	Neiva	1811	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
			Pamplona	Pamplona	1811	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
			Socorro	Socorro	1812	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
			Tunja	Tunja	1811	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
			Valle del Cauca	Cali	1812	1816	Reconquered by Spain in 1816
Cundinamarca	Santa Fe	Apr 4, 1811	Cundinamarca	Santa Fe	1811	1814	Conquered by the United Provinces in 1814
			Casanare	Pore	1813	1814	Conquered by the United Provinces in 1814
			Chocó	Nóvita	1811	1813	Joined the United Provinces in 1813
			Socorro	Socorro	1812	1812	Joined the United Provinces in 1812

Republic of Colombia (Gran Colombia) (1819–1831)

Subdivisions of the Republic of Colombia (1819–1831)
Department	Capital	Admission	Provinces	Capital
Apure	Barinas	Jun 25, 1824	Barinas	Barinas
Apure	Barinas	Jun 25, 1824	Achaguas	Achaguas
Azuay	Cuenca	Jun 25, 1824	Cuenca	Cuenca
			Loja	Loja
			Jaén y Maynas	Jaén
Boyacá	Tunja	Oct 2, 1821	Casanare	Pore
			Pamplona	Pamplona
			Socorro	Socorro
			Tunja	Tunja
Cauca	Popayán	Oct 2, 1821	Buenaventura	Iscuandé
			Chocó	Nóvita
			Pasto	Pasto
			Popayán	Popayán
Cundinamarca	Bogotá	Dec 19, 1819	Antioquia	Antioquia
			Bogotá	Bogotá
			Mariquita	Mariquita
			Neiva	Neiva
Ecuador	Quito	May 29, 1822	Chimborazo	Riobamba
			Imbabura	Ibarra
			Pichincha	Quito
Guayaquil	Guayaquil	Jun 25, 1824	Guayaquil	Guayaquil
Guayaquil	Guayaquil	Jun 25, 1824	Manabí	Portoviejo
Istmo	Panama	Feb 9, 1822	Panama	Panama
Istmo	Panama	Feb 9, 1822	Veraguas	Santiago
Magdalena	Cartagena	Oct 2, 1821	Cartagena	Cartagena
			Riohacha	Riohacha
			Santa Marta	Santa Marta
Maturín	Cumaná	Oct 2, 1821	Cumaná	Cumaná
			Barcelona	Barcelona
			Margarita	La Asunción
Orinoco	Cumaná	Oct 2, 1821	Apure	Achaguas
			Barinas	Barinas
			Cumaná	Cumaná
			Barcelona	Barcelona
			Guayana	Angostura
			Margarita	La Asunción
Venezuela	Caracas	Dec 19, 1819	Carabobo	Valencia
Venezuela	Caracas	Dec 19, 1819	Caracas	Caracas
Spanish Haiti	Santo Domingo	Dec 1, 1821	Santo Domingo	Santo Domingo
Zulia	Maracaibo	Oct 2, 1821	Coro	Coro
			Maracaibo	Maracaibo
			Mérida	Mérida
			Trujillo	Trujillo

United States of Colombia (1863–1886)

States of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)

States of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)
Name		Capital	Established		Population (1874)	Total area (1874)
Name		Capital	State creation	Joined the US of Colombia	Population (1874)	mi²	km²
Antioquia	ANT	Medellín	June 11, 1856	May 8, 1863	365,974	22,780	59,000
Bolívar	BOL	Cartagena	June 15, 1857	May 8, 1863	241,704	27,027	70,000
Boyacá	BOY	Tunja	June 15, 1857	May 8, 1863	482,874	33,350	86,375
Cauca	CAU	Popayán	June 15, 1857	May 8, 1863	435,078	258,071	668,400
Cundinamarca	CUN	Bogotá	June 15, 1857	May 8, 1863	409,602	79,691	206,400
Magdalena	MAG	Santa Marta	June 15, 1857	May 8, 1863	85,275	25,846	66,941
Panamá	PAN	Panamá	February 27, 1855	May 8, 1863	221,052	33,282	86,200
Santander	SAN	Socorro	May 13, 1857	May 8, 1863	425,427	16,448	42,600
Tolima	TOL	Ibagué	April 12, 1861	May 8, 1863	230,891	18,417	47,700

Federal District of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)

Federal District of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)
Name		Capital	Established		Population (1851)	Total area (1862)
Name		Capital	Creation	Suppression	Population (1851)	mi²	km²
Federal District	DF	Bogotá	July 23, 1861	May 11, 1864	29,649	3	8

Territories of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)

Territories of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)
Name		Capital	Established		Under the jurisdiction of
Name		Capital	Creation	Suppression	State
Bolívar	ANT	Landázuri	September 30, 1870	August 5, 1886	Santander
Caquetá	BOL	Mocoa	June 15, 1857	August 5, 1886	Cauca
Casanare	BOY	Tame	September 5, 1868	August 5, 1886	Boyacá
La Guajira	CAU	Riohacha	June 15, 1857	August 5, 1886	Magdalena
San Andrés	CUN	San Andrés	June 15, 1857	August 5, 1886	Bolívar
San Martín	MAG	San Martín	June 15, 1857	August 5, 1886	Cundinamarca
Sierra Nevada	PAN	Espíritu Santo	June 15, 1857	August 5, 1886	Magdalena
Vásquez	SAN	Puerto Reyes	June 15, 1857	August 5, 1886	Cundinamarca

References

↑ Jorge Orlando Melo (1988). Historia de Antioquia. OCLC 21195534.
↑ Peña, Margarita; Mora, Carlos Alberto (1977). Historia de Colombia (1ª ed.). Bogotá: Editorial Norma.
↑ Sociedad Geográfica de Colombia. "Proceso histórico del estado colombiano". Ministerio de Educación Nacional. Retrieved 26 September 2009.

[1] Jorge Orlando Melo (1988). Historia de Antioquia. OCLC 21195534.

[Historia_de_Colombia-2] Peña, Margarita; Mora, Carlos Alberto (1977). Historia de Colombia (1ª ed.). Bogotá: Editorial Norma.

[Sociedad_Geográfica-3] Sociedad Geográfica de Colombia. "Proceso histórico del estado colombiano". Ministerio de Educación Nacional. Retrieved 26 September 2009.

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