Provinces of Venezuela
Encyclopedia
The Provinces of Venezuela were administrative divisions used from Venezuela
's independence from Gran Colombia
in 1830 to 1864, when the States of Venezuela
were created. There were initially 11 provinces, with 3 created later, until in 1856 the Law of Territorial Division divided Venezuela into 21 provinces. Most of the provinces created at independence had previously existed in a similar form during the Spanish Empire, in some cases having been abolished during the Gran Colombia
period. With the conclusion of the Federal War
in 1863, a new constitution transformed the provinces into the States of Venezuela
.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
's independence from Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...
in 1830 to 1864, when the States of Venezuela
States of Venezuela
Venezuela is divided into 23 states , 1 Capital District and the Federal Dependencies that consist of a large number of Venezuelan islands...
were created. There were initially 11 provinces, with 3 created later, until in 1856 the Law of Territorial Division divided Venezuela into 21 provinces. Most of the provinces created at independence had previously existed in a similar form during the Spanish Empire, in some cases having been abolished during the Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...
period. With the conclusion of the Federal War
Federal War
The Federal War - also known as the Great War or the Five Year War - was a civil war in Venezuela between the conservative party and the liberal party about the monopoly of the conservatives of the land and the government positions, and their reluctance to grant any reforms. This drove the...
in 1863, a new constitution transformed the provinces into the States of Venezuela
States of Venezuela
Venezuela is divided into 23 states , 1 Capital District and the Federal Dependencies that consist of a large number of Venezuelan islands...
.
At independence, 1830
- Apure Province
- Barcelona Province (created 1520, see also Barcelona Province (Gran Colombia)Barcelona Province (Gran Colombia)Barcelona Province was one of the provinces of Gran Colombia. The territory corresponds almost to the one of Anzoátegui State. The province was part of the Orinoco Department....
) - Barinas ProvinceBarinas ProvinceBarinas Province was a province of the Spanish Empire and later of Venezuela.It was founded on 15 February 1786, with territory formerly part of the Maracaibo Province. It was abolished in 1821 as part of Gran Colombia, and recreated in 1830 with Venezuelan independence.Current Apure State and...
(1786) - Carabobo ProvinceCarabobo ProvinceCarabobo Province was one of the provinces of Gran Colombia. It belonged to the Venezuela Department which was created in 1824....
- Caracas Province (1527, during Spanish Empire also known as Venezuela Province)
- Coro ProvinceCoro ProvinceCoro Province was a province in the Zulia Department of Gran Colombia, and later one of the provinces of Venezuela, after Venezuelan independence in 1830.- Cantons :* Coro Canton* Casigua Canton* Cumarebo Canton* Paraguaná Canton cabecera Pueblo Nuevo...
(1815) - Cumaná Province (1537, during Spanish Empire also known as Nueva Andalusia Province)
- Guayana ProvinceGuayana ProvinceGuayana Province was a province of the Spanish Empire and later of Venezuela. It was incorporated into the Captaincy General of Venezuela in 1776 and covered a territory roughly equal to today's Guayana Region and Guyana....
(1585) - Maracaibo ProvinceMaracaibo Province (Venezuela)Maracaibo Province was a province of Venezuela from 1830 to 1864. Before 1830 the area was named Zulia Department. In 1864 the area was named Maracaibo State, which shortly after was renamed to Sovereign State of Zulia and in 1874 Zulia State....
(1830; Maracaibo ProvinceMaracaibo Province (Spanish Empire)Maracaibo Province or Maracaybo Province from 1676 to 1824 was a province of the Spanish Empire. It resulted from a merger of the former Province of Mérida with the territory of Maracaibo....
originally created 1676; see also Maracaibo Province (Gran Colombia)Maracaibo Province (Gran Colombia)Maracaibo Province was a province of the 1824 created Zulia Department of Gran Colombia. The capital was Maracaibo.The Zulia Department was a successor of the Maracaibo Province .1830 it became Maracaibo Province .- Cantons :...
) - Margarita ProvinceMargarita ProvinceMargarita Province was one of the provinces of Gran Colombia. It belonged to the Orinoco Department which was created in 1824.Capital: Asunción.Cantones:* Asunción Canton* Norte Canton ....
(1525) - Mérida Province (1811; see also Mérida Province (1622 - 1676))
Later
- Barquisimeto Province (1832, splitting from Carabobo Province)
- Trujillo Province (1831, splitting from Maracaibo Province; see also Trujillo Province (Gran Colombia)Trujillo Province (Gran Colombia)Trujillo Province was a province in the Zulia Department of Gran Colombia.- Cantons :* Trujillo Canton - Trujillo* Boconó Canton - Boconó* Escuque Canton - Escuque* Carache Canton - Carache...
) - Aragua Province (1848, splitting from Caracas Province)
- 1856 - Law of Territorial Division divides Venezuela into 21 provinces, with the new provinces being
- Amazonas Province,
- Cojedes Province,
- Guárico Province,
- Maturin Province,
- Portuguesa Province,
- Táchira Province
- Yaracuy Province.
- 1860 - Amazonas Province merged into Guayana Province
- Zamora ProvinceZamora Province (Venezuela)Zamora Province was a province of southern Venezuela, created in 1862 during the government of Jose Antonio Páez. The province was created from a merger of Apure Province and Barinas Province. The merger was reversed in 1864 during the government of Juan Crisóstomo Falcón. The capital of Zamora...
(1862, from a merger of Apure and Barinas provinces; the merger was reversed in 1864)