Colombia for the new Republic. Simón Bolívar became the first President of Colombia, and Francisco de Paula Santander was made Vice President. However, the new republic was unstable and three countries emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (New Granada, Ecuador and Venezuela). Colombia was the first constitutional government in South America, and the Liberal and Conservative parties, founded in 1848 and 1849 respectively, are two of the oldest surviving political parties in the Americas. Slavery was abolished in the country in 1851. Internal political and territorial divisions led to the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830. The so-called
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