Colombia is an unitary republic conformed by thirty-two departments (Spanish: departamentos, sing. departamento) and a Capital District (Distrito Capital). Each department has a Governor (gobernador) and a Department Assembly (Asamblea Departamental), elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected consecutively. Departments are country subdivisions similar to US states or Canadian provinces and are granted a certain degree of autonomy.

Departments are formed by a grouping of municipalities (municipios, sing. municipio). Municipal government is composed by a mayor (alcalde) and a Municipal Council (concejo municipal), both of them elected by the people for a four-year period.

The Capital District is the country's capital, Bogotá. It is partially dependent on the Department of Cundinamarca that surrounds it.

Chart of departments

	Department	Capital	Area (km²)	Population	Date of establishment
1	Amazonas	Leticia			October 5, 1991
2	Antioquia	Medellín			1826
3	Arauca	Arauca			July 4, 1991
4	Atlántico	Barranquilla			1910
5	Bolívar	Cartagena			June 15, 1857
6	Boyacá	Tunja			1858
7	Caldas	Manizales			1905
8	Caquetá	Florencia			1982
9	Casanare	Yopal			July 4, 1991
10	Cauca	Popayán			June 15, 1857
11	Cesar	Valledupar			December, 1967
12	Chocó	Quibdó			November 3, 1947
13	Córdoba	Montería			June 18, 1952
14	Cundinamarca	Bogotá		*	June 15, 1857
15	Guainía	Inirida			1963?
16	Guaviare	San José del Guaviare			July 4, 1991
17	Huila	Neiva			1905
18	La Guajira	Riohacha			July 1, 1965
19	Magdalena	Santa Marta			July 25, 1824
20	Meta	Villavicencio			July 1, 1960
21	Nariño	Pasto			August 6, 1904
22	Norte de Santander	Cúcuta			July 25, 1910
23	Putumayo	Mocoa			1991
24	Quindío	Armenia			July 1, 1966
25	Risaralda	Pereira			July 1, 1966
26	San Andrés and Providencia	San Andrés			July 4, 1991
27	Santander	Bucaramanga			May 13, 1857
28	Sucre	Sincelejo			August 18, 1966
29	Tolima	Ibagué			August 4, 1886
30	Valle del Cauca	Cali			April 16, 1910
31	Vaupés	Mitú			July 4, 1991
32	Vichada	Puerto Carreño			July 5, 1991
33	Bogotá, Distrito Capital				?
* Estimate includes the country's capital, Bogotá.

See also

• ISO 3166-2:CO
• List of Colombian flags
• List of country subdivisions
• List of political and geographic subdivisions by total area

External links

• List of Colombian departments governors