Decentralization reforms in Colombia date back to the 1991 Constitution, which defined the country as a “unitary decentralized republic”. Decentralization was a key element of the democratization of Colombia’s political system, responding to popular demands for greater political participation. Historically, governors were appointed by the president, and mayors in turn were appointed by the governor. Only in 1968 was the ‘independence’ of departments to manage their own affairs recognized, and only in 1986 was the constitution amended to allow for the direct election of mayors. The 1991 Constitution enshrines the autonomy of subnational territorial entities and provides for the direct election of both municipal mayors and departmental governors. While decentralization efforts were seen as a means to re-legitimize and democratize a broken and closed political system by providing space for participative democracy, it also resulted in (sometimes violent) competition for power over–and extraction of rents from–the subnational public sector.
Subnational governance structure
Colombia is an unitary state. The country is divided in 32 departments at the regional level and 1,104 municipalities and districts at the local level. Bogota is constitutionally designated as the Capital District. Some municipalities are recognied by law as special districts, with additional powers or functions. Municipal councils may further divide the municipality into comunas (in urban areas) and corregimientos (in rural areas), with directly-elected Local Administrative Boards (Junta Administradora Local, JAL). At the municipal level, there are 18 jurisdictions (corregimientos departamentales or áreas no municipalizadas) without local governments due to their sparse population. The legal framework encourages horizontal coordination among subnational governments by permitting the formation of regional or metropolitan institutions.
Nature of subnational governance institutions
Departmental governments and municipal governments in Colombia should be considered devolved subnational government entities with extensive autonomy and authority. The Constitution (Article 287) specifies that departments and municipalities enjoy autonomy, including the power to (1) govern themselves under their own authority; (2) to exercise the jurisdictions appropriate to them; (3) administer their resources and establish the taxes necessary for their operation; and (4) participate in the sharing of national revenues.
Functional assignments
Departments are in charge of some infrastructure spending and they also take charge of municipal functions when municipalities are deemed to have low capacity. Municipalities are charged with providing education, primary and secondary health, urban infrastructure, transit regulation, traffic regulation and other local functions.
LoGICA Assessments
LoGICA Intergovernmental Profile: Colombia 2023 (Excel)
Additional resources
Country sheet: Colombia. Panorama de las relaciones fiscales entre niveles de gobierno de países de América Latina y el Caribe. 2022.
Colombia Country Profile (World Observatory on Subnational Governance and Investment, OECD/UCLG)
Local government country profile: Colombia (UN Women)
Colombia: Urban and Cities Platform (CEPAL)
Local government in Colombia (Gael M. L’Hermine, 2023)
Back to Local Public Sector Alliance Intergovernmental Profiles – Country Page
Last updated: April 6, 2024