The State over time
How the Colombian State has been structured over two centuries, reconstructed from who signed each statute. The branches of public power, their agencies — with the chain of how some became others — and who held them.
Executive branch
The ministries and administrative departments that have signed statutes, and their lineage over time.
Ministry · 51
Ministerio De Hacienda Y Crédito Público133 officeholders·1886–2026Ministerio De Educación Nacional90 officeholders·1928–2026Ministerio De Gobierno97 officeholders·1886–1995Ministerio De Obras Publicas63 officeholders·1905–1986Ministerio De Relaciones Exteriores100 officeholders·1886–2026Ministerio Del Tesoro35 officeholders·1886–1923Ministerio Del Interior23 officeholders·1995–2026Ministerio De Justicia Y Del Derecho20 officeholders·1993–2025Ministerio De Justicia39 officeholders·1890–2022Ministerio De Cultura27 officeholders·1998–2025Ministerio De Defensa Nacional31 officeholders·1966–2026Ministerio De Fomento20 officeholders·1886–1968Ministerio De Guerra50 officeholders·1886–1965Ministerio De Desarrollo Económico31 officeholders·1968–2002Ministerio De La Economia Nacional11 officeholders·1938–1947Ministerio De Trabajo29 officeholders·1939–2025Ministerio De Obras Públicas Y Transporte12 officeholders·1976–1993Ministerio De Salud26 officeholders·1965–2025Ministerio De Agricultura35 officeholders·1951–2018Ministerio De Salud Y Proteccion Social8 officeholders·1998–2026Ministerio Del Interior Y De Justicia5 officeholders·2003–2012Ministerio De Trabajo, Higiene Y Prevision Social9 officeholders·1938–1947Ministerio De Instruccion Publica22 officeholders·1886–1923Ministerio De Agricultura Y Desarrollo Rural24 officeholders·1994–2025Ministerio De Comunicaciones37 officeholders·1958–2009Ministerio De Trabajo Y Seguridad Social33 officeholders·1968–2003Ministerio De Minas Y Energia34 officeholders·1959–2024Ministerio De Salud Pública25 officeholders·1958–1989Ministerio De Transporte21 officeholders·1993–2025Ministerio De Comercio Industria Y Turismo23 officeholders·1998–2025Ministerio De Tecnologías De La Información Y Las Comunicaciones15 officeholders·2010–2026Ministerio De Ambiente Y Desarrollo Sostenible15 officeholders·1998–2025Ministerio De Agricultura Y De Comercio14 officeholders·1914–1938Ministerio De La Proteccion Social3 officeholders·2003–2024Ministerio De Correos Y Telegrafos21 officeholders·1925–1949Ministerio De Minas Y Petroleos18 officeholders·1940–1973Ministerio De Industrias6 officeholders·1924–1933Ministerio De Hacienda Y Tesoro5 officeholders·1905–1909Ministerio De Instruccion Y Salubridad Publicas4 officeholders·1924–1927Ministerio De Industrias Y Trabajo6 officeholders·1934–1938Ministerio De Higiene5 officeholders·1947–1952Ministerio De Igualdad Y Equidad6 officeholders·2023–2025Ministerio De Comercio Exterior9 officeholders·1993–2007Ministerio Del Medio Ambiente5 officeholders·1994–2002Ministerio Del Deporte6 officeholders·2019–2025Ministerio De Agricultura Y Ganaderia6 officeholders·1948–1959Ministerio De Comercio E Industrias4 officeholders·1937–1949Ministerio De Vivienda, Ciudad Y Territorio9 officeholders·2012–2024Ministerio De Las Culturas, Las Artes Y Los Saberes3 officeholders·2023–2025Ministerio De Ciencia, Tecnología E Innovación6 officeholders·2019–2024Ministerio De Ambiente, Vivienda Y Desarrollo Territorial2 officeholders·2008–2020
Administrative department · 11
Departamento Administrativo De La Funcion Publica14 officeholders·1993–2025Departamento Administrativo Para La Prosperidad Social14 officeholders·2012–2025Departamento Administrativo De La Presidencia De La Republica16 officeholders·1984–2025Departamento Administrativo Nacional De Estadistica8 officeholders·1971–2024Departamento Administrativo Del Servicio Civil9 officeholders·1972–1992Departamento Administrativo De Aeronautica Civil10 officeholders·1968–1992Departamento Administrativo De Intendencias Y Comisarias3 officeholders·1977–1986Departamento Administrativo De Seguridad4 officeholders·1968–2005Departamento Administrativo Nacional De Cooperativas3 officeholders·1985–1998Departamento Administrativo De Planeación Y Servicios Técnicos1 officeholder·1967–1968Departamento Administrativo De Ciencia, Tecnología E Innovación, Colciencias1 officeholder·2018
Presidency · 2
Historical secretariat · 11
Secretaría Del Tesoro I Crédito Nacional15 officeholders·1864–1881Secretaría De Hacienda I Fomento17 officeholders·1866–1884Secretaría Del Tesoro8 officeholders·1880–1884Secretaria De Lo Interior I Relaciones Esteriores14 officeholders·1864–1880Secretaría De Fomento9 officeholders·1880–1884Secretaría De Gobierno17 officeholders·1851–1923Secretaría De Hacienda6 officeholders·1851–1884Secretaría De Guerra I Marina17 officeholders·1851–1915Secretaría De Relaciones Esteriores11 officeholders·1851–1892Secretaría De Instrucción Pública8 officeholders·1880–1884Despacho De Hacienda1 officeholder·1844
Other · 3
estado_soberano · 1
Legislative branch
Congress and the legislative bodies that approved the statutes.
Federalism: the Sovereign States
Between 1863 and 1886 Colombia was a federation — the United States of Colombia — of sovereign states with their own government and legislation. The 1886 Constitution dissolved them into today's departments. Reconstructed from who signed their statutes.
Judicial branch
Courts do not sign statutes: their architecture — the composition of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Justice and the Council of State over time — is reconstructed from rulings and chambers. Coming soon.