Chart of departments
Each one of the departments of Colombia in the map below links to a corresponding article. Current governors serving four-year terms from 2015 to 2019 are also shown, along with their respective political party or coalition.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.Decree 2164 of 1995 provides "Reserva IndÃgena. Es un globo de terreno baldÃo ocupado por una o varias comunidades indÃgenas 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 indÃgenas constituyen tierras comunales de grupos étnicos, para los fines previstos en el artÃculo 63 de la Constitución PolÃtica y la ley 21 de 1991. ��Territorios IndÃgenas. Son las áreas poseidas en forma regular y permanente por una comunidad, parcialidad o grupo indÃgena 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 sociopolÃtica de carácter especial, conformada por una o más comunidades indÃgenas, que con un tÃtulo de propiedad colectiva que goza de las garantÃas 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 indÃgena y su sistema normativo propio." Indigenous territories in Colombia are mostly in the departments of Amazonas, Cauca, La Guajira, Guaviare, and Vaupés.History
The Republic of Gran Colombia
When it was first established in 1819, The Republic of Gran Colombia had three departments.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, ChiriquÃ, Chocó, Córdova, Cundinamarca, GarcÃa Rovira, Mariquita, MedellÃn, 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 BolÃvar, 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 theMaps gallery
See also
* ISO 3166-2:CO * List of Colombian flags * List of political and geographic subdivisions by total area *References
External links
* List of Colombian department governors * {{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of South American countries Subdivisions of Colombia Colombia, Departments Departments, Colombia Colombia geography-related lists