The first division in departments of Uruguay was in 1816. At that time, the Paysandú Department included all the territory north of the Río Negro, including the actual departments of Artigas, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Salto, Paysandú and Río Negro. On 16 June 1837 a new division of Uruguay was made and this territory was divided in three parts; one of these parts was the Tacuarembó Department that included also the actual department of Rivera, until it was split from it in 1884.