The administrative existence of Monterrey began as outlined in the Constitution of Cúcuta, which in 1821 divided the country into departments, these into provinces, the provinces into cantons and the latter into parishes. Beginning as a municipality of Boyacá, following the Colombian Civil War and the Constitution of Rionegro of 1863, Boyacá was divided into 6 new departments, and Casanare was recognized for the first time as an independent department of the Orinoquía Region.