Territorial evolution of the Caribbean the Viceroyalty of New Granada and the Captaincy General of Venezuela became the Republic of Gran Colombia organized as a federation of Ecuador, today's Colombia and Venezuela (Panama was part of Colombia). The official name of the country at the time was the Republic of Colombia. Historians adopted the term "Gran Colombia" to distinguish this republic from the present-day Republic of Colombia, which began using the same name in 1863. Spanish Haiti's independence was short-lived, as Haitian forces, led by Jean Pierre Boyer, invaded and took control of the country just nine weeks later in February 1822. After a brief
Subdivisions of Gran Colombia Subdivisions of Gran Colombia The Republic of Gran Colombia was a former independent country in northern South America, a post-Spanish colonial country that existed from 1819 to 1831. Its initial subdivisions, created in 1820, were revised and expanded in 1824. The initial country subdivision of Gran Colombia was into three departments, without larger districts or smaller provinces. They were: The Distrito del Norte (northern district) was in present-day Venezuela and parts of Guyana and Brazil. Its departments and provinces were: The Distrito del Centro (central district) was in present-day Colombia and Panamá. Its departments and provinces were: The Distrito del