View source for Administrative divisions of Mexico

{{short description|none}}<!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{For|the various countries named Mexico historically|History of Mexico}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}

{{Politics of Mexico}}

[[Mexico]] is a [[federal republic]] composed of 32 federative entities ({{langx|es|entidades federativas}}): 31 states and [[Mexico City]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.www.inegi.org.mx/app/areasgeograficas/?ag=00|title=México en Cifras|last=INEGI|date=2016-01-01|website=en.www.inegi.org.mx|language=es|access-date=2020-01-06}}</ref> According to the [[Constitution of Mexico]], the states of the federation are free and [[sovereignty|sovereign]] in all matters concerning their internal affairs.<ref>Article 40 of {{cite web|title=Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States |url=http://www.scjn.gob.mx/SiteCollectionDocuments/PortalSCJN/RecJur/BibliotecaDigitalSCJN/PublicacionesSupremaCorte/Political_constitucion_of_the_united_Mexican_states_2008.pdf |publisher=Supreme Court of Mexico |page=105 |access-date=April 5, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511194922/http://www.scjn.gob.mx/SiteCollectionDocuments/PortalSCJN/RecJur/BibliotecaDigitalSCJN/PublicacionesSupremaCorte/Political_constitucion_of_the_united_Mexican_states_2008.pdf |archive-date=May 11, 2011 }}</ref> Since 2016, Mexico City has been a fully autonomous entity on par with the states. Each state federative entity has its own congress and constitution.

== Overview ==
The current structural hierarchy of Mexican administrative divisions are outlined by [[Constitution of Mexico]]<ref>[https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/CPEUM.pdf Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos]</ref> as well as the constitutions and laws of federative entities. The laws together established the following levels of administrative divisions. The levels in '''bold''' are those regulated by the federal constitution. ''([[Spanish language]] equivalents are italicized in parentheses.)''

* '''[[List of states of Mexico|State]]''' ({{langx|es|label=none|Estado}})
** [[Intrastate region|Region]] ({{langx|es|label=none|Región}}) or district ({{langx|es|label=none|distrito}}) — only in some states
*** '''[[Municipalities of Mexico|Municipality]]''' ({{langx|es|label=none|Municipio}})
**** [[List of cities in Mexico|City]] ({{langx|es|label=none|Ciudad}}), town ({{langx|es|label=none|villa}}), village ({{langx|es|label=none|pueblo}}), or [[Localities of Mexico|others]]
***** [[Colonia (Mexico)|Colonia]] ({{langx|es|label=none|Colonia}}) — only in some cities
* '''[[Mexico City]]''' ({{langx|es|label=none|Ciudad de México}})
** '''[[Boroughs of Mexico City|Borough]]''' ({{langx|es|label=none|Demarcación territorial}})
*** [[List of neighborhoods in Mexico City|Neighborhood]] ({{langx|es|label=none|Colonia}})

The [[Constitution of Mexico]] states the country constitutes 31 states (Article 43) and [[Mexico City]] (Article 44).  As of March 2024, there are 2,460 [[Municipalities of Mexico|municipalities]] under the 31 states, adding the 16 [[boroughs of Mexico City]] to constitute 2476 territorial units with local autonomy.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.infobae.com/mexico/2024/03/27/estos-son-los-municipios-de-mas-reciente-creacion-en-mexico-se-encuentran-en-guerrero/ | title=Estos son los municipios de más reciente creación en México; se encuentran en Guerrero | date=March 27, 2024 }}</ref>

== Federative entities ==
{{more citations needed section|date=October 2020}}
There are currently 32 federative entities ({{langx|es|entidades federativas}}) of [[Mexico]]. 

=== States ===
{{Main|List of states of Mexico}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name               = Mexican State<br>{{small|''Estado Mexicano'' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]])}}
| alt_name           = Free and Sovereign State<br>''Estado Libre y Soberano''
| map                = File:Political divisions of Mexico-en.svg
| category           = [[Federated state]]
| territory          = {{MEX}}
| start_date         = 
| current_number     = 31
| number_date        = 
| population_range   = Smallest 759,000 ([[Baja California Sur]])<br>Largest 17,102,000 ([[State of Mexico|México]])
| area_range         = Smallest {{Convert|1543|sqmi|km2|order=flip|abbr=on}} ([[Tlaxcala]])<br>Largest {{Convert|95,543|sqmi|km2|order=flip|abbr=on}} ([[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]])
| government         = [[State government]]
| subdivision        = [[Municipalities of Mexico|Municipalities]]
}}

[[File:Regions of Mexico.svg|thumb|left|250px|Typical (unofficial) regional grouping of the Mexican states.]]
The states ({{langx|es|estados}}) of the Mexican Federation are officially free, sovereign, autonomous and independent of each other. They are free to govern themselves according to their own laws; each state has a constitution.  States may not contradict the federal constitution, which covers issues of national competence.  Nor may they [[alliance|ally]] with other states or any independent nation except with the consent of the whole federation, or in defense and security arrangements necessary to keep the border states secure during an invasion. 

{{main|Lists of Mexican state governors|List of Mexican state congresses}}
The political organization of each state is based on a separation of powers in a congressional system: [[Legislature|legislative power]] is vested in a unicameral congress (the federal congress has two chambers), [[Executive (government)|executive power]] is independent of the legislature and vested in a governor elected by [[universal suffrage]], and [[Judiciary|judicial power]] is vested in a [[Court|Superior Court of Justice]]. Since the states have legal autonomy, each has its own civil and penal codes and judicial body.

=== Mexico City ===
{{Main|Mexico City}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name               = Mexico City<br>{{small|''Ciudad de México'' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]])}}
| alt_name           = Federal District<br />''Distrito Federal''
| map                = Mexico (city) in Mexico (zoom).svg
| category           = [[Capital city]]
| territory          = {{MEX}}
| start_date         = 
| current_number     = 1
| number_date        = 
| population_range   = 9,305,000
| area_range         = {{Convert|573|sqmi|km2|order=flip|abbr=on}}
| government         = Mexico City Government
| subdivision        = [[Boroughs of Mexico City|Boroughs]]
}}
Mexico City ({{langx|es|Ciudad de México}}) is the capital of the United Mexican States. Before January 2016, the city was officially named the Federal District ({{langx|es|Distrito Federal}}).

Mexico City was separated from the [[State of Mexico]], of which it was the capital, on November 18, 1824, to become the capital of the federation. As such, it belonged not to any state in particular but to all of them and to the federation. Therefore, the [[president of Mexico]], who represented the federation, designated its [[Head of Government of the Federal District|head of government]], previously referred to as the regent (''regente'') or head of department (''jefe del departamento''). However, the Federal District received more autonomy in 1997, and its citizens were then able to elect their chief of government for the first time.

{{main|List of heads of government of Mexico City|Congress of Mexico City}}
In 2016, the Mexican Congress approved a constitutional reform eliminating the federal district and establishing Mexico City as a fully autonomous entity on par with the states.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Mendez |first1=Jose Luis |last2=Dussauge-Laguna |first2=Mauricio|date=2017|title=Policy analysis in Mexico|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZQZpDwAAQBAJ|journal=International Library of Policy Analysis|publisher=Policy Press|volume=9th|pages=336|isbn=9781447329169 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/mexico-city-will-become-state|title=Mexico City Will Become A State|date=2016-06-02|website=Wilson Center|language=en|access-date=2020-01-06}}</ref> However, unlike the other states of the Union, it would receive funds for education and health. When full autonomy was granted, Mexico City adopted its own constitution (it previously had only an [[organic law]], the [[Statute of Autonomy (Mexico City)|Statute of Autonomy]]) and its boroughs expanded their local government powers.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.excelsior.com.mx/comunidad/2015/12/16/1063594|title= Ponen fin al DF tras 191 años; Senado aprueba Reforma Política|date=16 December 2015}}</ref>

=== Abbreviations and codes ===
{{See also|ISO 3166-2:MX|Postal codes in Mexico}}
{{Mexico State-Abbreviation Codes}}

==Federal representation==
In the [[Congress of Mexico|Congress of the Union]], the [[Senate (Mexico)|Senate]] represents the federative entities.  Each federative entity elects three senators. Two are elected by universal suffrage on the principle of relative majority and one is assigned to the party that obtains the largest minority. In addition, the federation elects 32 [[at-large]] senators by [[proportional representation]]. These make a total of 128 Senators.

== Subdivisions of federative entities ==
[[File:Localisation de l'ile de Clipperton.png|thumbnail|260px|Location of [[Socorro Island]] and the rest of the [[Revillagigedo Archipelago]], and extent of Mexico's western [[Exclusive economic zone|EEZ]] in the Pacific.  The islands are part of Colima state, but under federal jurisdiction.]]

=== Regions and districts ===
{{main|Intrastate region}}
The intrastate region ({{langx|es|región}}) or district ({{langx|es|distrito}}) are not constitutional administrative division levels. However, some states with higher numbers of [[Municipalities of Mexico|municipalities]] establish such regions to support the administration.

Intrastate regions exist in the following 11 states:
* [[Chiapas]] groups its 124 municipalities into 15 economic regions.
* [[Guerrero]] groups its 81 municipalities into 7 economic regions.
* [[Hidalgo (state)|Hidalgo]] groups its 84 municipalities in 3 ways, into 26 micro regions, 14 operational regions, or 5 macro regions.
* [[Jalisco]] groups its 125 municipalities into 12 regions.
* [[State of Mexico|México]] groups its 125 municipalities into 20 regions.
* [[Michoacán]] groups its 113 municipalities into 10 regions.
* [[Oaxaca]] groups its 570 municipalities into 30 districts, and then into 8 regions.
* [[San Luis Potosí]] groups its 58 municipalities into 4 regions.
* [[Tabasco]] groups its 17 municipalities in 2 ways, into 4 subregions, or 2 regions.
* [[Veracruz]] groups its 212 municipalities into 10 regions.
* [[Yucatán]] groups its 106 municipalities into 7 regions.

=== Municipalities and boroughs ===
{{Main|Municipalities of Mexico|Boroughs of Mexico City}}
According to the [[Constitution of Mexico]], the states are internally divided into [[Municipalities of Mexico|municipalities]] ({{langx|es|municipios}}), Mexico City is divided into [[Boroughs of Mexico City|boroughs]]  ({{langx|es|demarcaciones territoriales}}). The autonomy of municipalities and boroughs within federative entities are protected by the [[Constitution of Mexico]].

Each [[Municipalities of Mexico|municipality]] is autonomous in its ability to elect its own administration. A council is headed by a [[municipal president]] ({{langx|es|presidente municipal}}) who is elected every three years. Each municipality has a council ({{langx|es|ayuntamiento}}) composed of councilors in terms of population size. In most cases, the council is responsible for providing all utilities required for its population. This concept, which arises from the [[Mexican Revolution]], is known as a "free municipality". 

The [[boroughs of Mexico City]] are colloquially known as ''alcaldías'' in [[Spanish language|Spanish]], these boroughs kept the same territory and name as the former ''delegaciones''.<ref name="cdmx">{{cite web|url=https://data.consejeria.cdmx.gob.mx/images/leyes/estatutos/Constitucion_Politica_de_la_Ciudad_de_Mexico_3.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://data.consejeria.cdmx.gob.mx/images/leyes/estatutos/Constitucion_Politica_de_la_Ciudad_de_Mexico_3.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Constitution of Mexico City|language=es|publisher=Gobierno de la Ciudad de México|access-date=2021-02-08}}</ref> A borough is headed by a borough mayor ({{langx|es|alcalde}}) who is elected every three years.

As of March 2024, there are 2,460 municipalities in the 31 states of Mexico.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.infobae.com/mexico/2024/03/27/estos-son-los-municipios-de-mas-reciente-creacion-en-mexico-se-encuentran-en-guerrero/ | title=Estos son los municipios de más reciente creación en México; se encuentran en Guerrero | date=March 27, 2024 }}</ref> The state with the highest number of municipalities is [[municipalities of Oaxaca|Oaxaca]], with 570, and the state with the lowest number is [[municipalities of Baja California Sur|Baja California Sur]], with only five.<ref name="census2020">{{cite web|url=https://www.inegi.org.mx/app/scitel/Default?ev=9|title=Censo de Población y Vivienda 2020 - SCITEL|language=es|publisher=INEGI|access-date=January 27, 2021}}</ref> There are 16 boroughs in Mexico City. These sums up to 2,476 division units.

=== Local settlements ===
{{main|Localities of Mexico|Settlement classification in Mexico}}
The divisions of municipalities and boroughs are regulated solely by constitutions and laws of the respective federative entities. This level of divisions are collectively called [[Localities of Mexico|localities]] ({{langx|es|localidades}}) by the [[National Institute of Statistics and Geography]] ({{langx|es|Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía}}, INEGI) of the [[Federal government of Mexico|federal government]].

Among the states, [[Settlement classification in Mexico|settlement classification]] schemes vary. Common types of [[Localities of Mexico|localities]] include:
* City ({{langx|es|Ciudad}}) — for more populous places, see [[List of cities in Mexico]],
* Town ({{langx|es|Villa}}) — for middle populous places, and
* Village ({{langx|es|Pueblo or Poblado}}) — for less populous places.
Some larger cities are consolidated with its own municipality and form a single level governance. In some cases, cities are further divided into ''delegaciones'' or ''[[Colonia (Mexico)|colonias]]''.

[[Mexico City]] further divides its [[Boroughs of Mexico City|boroughs]] into [[List of neighborhoods in Mexico City|neighborhoods]] ({{langx|es|colonias}}).

==History==
===Constitutional empire===
[[File:Political divisions of Mexico 1821 (location map scheme).svg|thumb|300px|Political divisions of the [[First Mexican Empire]].{{legend|#ffffd1|Treaty of Córdoba}}
{{legend|#ffd1d1|Acquisitions (1822–1823)}}]]
On September 27, 1821, after three centuries of Spanish rule, [[Mexico]] gained independence. The [[Treaty of Córdoba]] recognized part of the [[Viceroyalty of New Spain]] as an Independent Empire – "monarchist, constitutional and moderate".<ref>{{cite web |title=24 de agosto de 1821. Se firman los tratados de Córdoba |url=http://www.bicentenario.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1055:24-de-agosto-de-1821-se-firman-los-tratados-de-cordoba&catid=120:agosto&Itemid=221 |publisher=Gobierno Federal |access-date=October 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100921035748/http://bicentenario.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1055:24-de-agosto-de-1821-se-firman-los-tratados-de-cordoba&catid=120:agosto&Itemid=221 |archive-date=September 21, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The new country named itself the [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]]. The morning after the [[Army of the Three Guarantees]] entered [[Mexico City]] on September 28, 1821, [[Agustín de Iturbide]] ordered the Supreme Provisional Governmental Junta (September 1821 – February 1822) to meet to elect a president of the Imperial Regency and to issue a declaration of independence for the new nation. Iturbide was elected president of the Regency, and that afternoon the members of the Regency and the Supreme Junta signed the Declaration.

A minority of the Constituent Congress, looking for stability, elected [[Agustín de Iturbide]] as emperor. On July 21, 1822, Iturbide was crowned Emperor of Mexico.<ref>{{cite web|title=21 de julio de 1822. Agustín de Iturbide es coronado emperador de México. |publisher=Gobierno Federal |url=http://www.bicentenario.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1034:21-de-julio-de-1822-agustin-de-iturbide-es-coronado-emperador-de-mexico&catid=119:julio&Itemid=220 |access-date=October 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006123416/http://bicentenario.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1034%3A21-de-julio-de-1822-agustin-de-iturbide-es-coronado-emperador-de-mexico&catid=119%3Ajulio&Itemid=220 |archive-date=October 6, 2010 |df=mdy }}</ref> However, the ''Constitutional Empire'' quickly demonstrated the incompatibility of its two main parts: the Emperor and the Constituent Congress. The deputies were imprisoned just for expressing their opinions, and eventually Iturbide decided to dissolve the Congress and instead establish a National Board.<ref>{{cite web|title=La Transición del Imperio a la Republica (1821–1823)|url=http://www.iih.unam.mx/moderna/ehmc/ehmc11/136.html#nf41|publisher=Estudios de Historia Moderna y Contemporánea de México|access-date=October 5, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110117032948/http://www.iih.unam.mx/moderna/ehmc/ehmc11/136.html#nf41|archive-date=January 17, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The lack of a legitimate legislature, the illegitimacy of the Emperor, and the absence of real solutions to the nation's problems increased revolutionary activity.<ref>{{cite book |last=Suárez y Navarro |first=Juan  |title=Historia de México y del general Antonio López de Santa Anna |year=1850 |location=México |page=23}}</ref> [[Antonio López de Santa Anna]] proclaimed the [[Plan of Casa Mata]], to which later joined [[Vicente Guerrero]] and [[Nicolás Bravo]]. Iturbide was forced to reestablish the Congress and, in a vain attempt to save the order and keep the situation favorable to his supporters, he abdicated the crown of the empire on March 19, 1823.<ref name=iih>
{{cite news | title=La Transicion del Imperio a la Republica o la Participacion Indiscriminada | url=http://www.iih.unam.mx/moderna/ehmc/ehmc11/136.html | language=es | access-date=May 6, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110117032948/http://www.iih.unam.mx/moderna/ehmc/ehmc11/136.html | archive-date=January 17, 2011 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}
</ref>

Congress nullified the designation of Iturbide and therefore the recognition of the abdication. It deemed the coronation of Iturbide to have been a logical mistake in consummation of Independence.<ref name=iih/> The dissolution of the Empire was the first political realignment of independent Mexico.

===Federal republic===
[[File:Political divisions of Mexico 1824 (location map scheme).svg|thumb|300px|Political divisions of Mexico after the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 was enacted.
{{legend|#cccccc|Federal territory}}
{{legend|#b3b3b3|Sovereign state}}]]
After the fall of the Empire, a [[triumvirate]] called the [[Supreme Executive Power]] was created. The provisional government created the [[Federal Republic]], and it was in effect from April 1, 1823, to October 10, 1824.<ref>{{cite web |title=El Viajero en México (Pág. 30)|url=http://cdigital.dgb.uanl.mx/la/1020004349/1020004349_004.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://cdigital.dgb.uanl.mx/la/1020004349/1020004349_004.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|publisher=CDigital|access-date=October 5, 2010}}</ref>

Unrest in the provinces was widespread. On May 21, 1823, '''The Founding Plan of the Federal Republic''' was enacted. Its sixth article stated, "The component parts of the Republic are free, sovereign and independent States in that which touches internal administration and government".<ref>{{cite web |title=División Territorial de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (1810–1995) Pag.21|url=http://www.inegi.org.mx/prod_serv/contenidos/espanol/bvinegi/productos/integracion/pais/divi_terri/1810-1985/eum/ESTADOS%20UNIDOS%20MEXICANOS.pdf|publisher=INEGI|access-date=October 5, 2010}}</ref> Most of the ''Free States'', which were invited to form the [[Federal Republic]], joined the Union, except for the [[Central America under Mexican rule|five Central American provinces]], the former [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]], which formed their own [[Federal Republic of Central America|Federal Republic]].<ref>{{cite web|title=01 de julio de 1823. Las Provincias Unidas del Centro de América se independizan de México|url=http://www.bicentenario.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1017:01-de-julio-de-1823-las-provincias-unidas-del-centro-de-america-se-independizan-de-mexico&catid=119:julio&Itemid=220|publisher=Gobierno Federal|access-date=October 5, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920072050/http://bicentenario.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1017:01-de-julio-de-1823-las-provincias-unidas-del-centro-de-america-se-independizan-de-mexico&catid=119:julio&Itemid=220|archive-date=September 20, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

On January 31, 1824, the decree to create a '''Constitutive Act of the Mexican Federation''' was issued, which incorporated the basic structure of the Federal Republic. It was determined that the criteria for inviting states to the federation should be that they "...not be so few that through expansion and wealth in a few years they be able to aspire to constitute themselves as independent nations, breaking the federal bond, nor so many that through lack of manpower and resources the system should come to be unworkable."<ref>{{cite news | title=Acta constitucional presentada al soberano Congreso Constituyente por su comisión. | url=http://www.biblioteca.tv/artman2/publish/1823_122/Acta_constitucional_presentada_al_soberano_Congres_183.shtml| language =es}}</ref>

Between 1823 and 1824, some of the ''Free States'' created their own constitutions, and others had already installed a Constituent Congress. Special cases were those of [[Yucatán]], which on December 23, 1823, decided to join the federation but as a Federated Republic, and [[Chiapas]], which decided by referendum to join the federation on September 14, 1824.<ref>{{cite news | title=Aniversario de la Federación de Chiapas a México | url=http://www.blogsentrelagente.com.mx/blog_home.asp?idU=230&idP=5871| language =es}}</ref>

On October 4, 1824, the [[1824 Constitution of Mexico|Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824]] was enacted. The constitution officially created the [[United Mexican States]]. The country was composed of 19 states and 4 federal territories.<ref>{{cite news | title=Decreto. Constitución federal de los Estados-Unidos Mexicanos. | url=http://www.biblioteca.tv/artman2/publish/1824_121/Decreto_Constituci_n_federal_de_los_Estados-Unidos_Mexicanos.shtml| language =es}}</ref> After the publication of the constitution, on November 18, the [[Mexico City|Federal District]] was created.<ref>{{cite news | title=Decreto. Se señala á México con el distrito que se expresa para la residencia de los supremos poderes de la federación | url=http://www.biblioteca.tv/artman2/publish/1824_121/Decreto_Se_se_ala_M_xico_con_el_distrito_que_se_expresa_para_la_residencia_de_los_supremos_poderes_de_la_federaci_n.shtml| language =es}}</ref> On November 24, [[Tlaxcala]], which had retained a special status since the colonial era, was incorporated as a territory.<ref>{{cite news | title=Decreto. Se declara á Tlaxcala territorio de la federación | url=http://www.biblioteca.tv/artman2/publish/1824_121/Decreto_Se_declara_Tlaxcala_territorio_de_la_federaci_n.shtml | language=es | archive-date=October 23, 2017 | access-date=May 6, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023230434/http://www.biblioteca.tv/artman2/publish/1824_121/Decreto_Se_declara_Tlaxcala_territorio_de_la_federaci_n.shtml | url-status=dead }}</ref>

On October 10, 1824, [[Guadalupe Victoria]] took office as the first [[President of Mexico]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Guadalupe Victoria: Mexico's unknown first president| url=http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/264-guadalupe-victoria-presidente-desconocido|first = Jim|last =Tuck}}</ref>

===Centralist republic===
[[File:Political divisions of Mexico 1836-1845 (location map scheme).svg|thumb|right|300px|The Centralist Republic with the separatist movements generated by the dissolution of the Federal Republic.
{{legend|#ff8845|Territory proclaimed its independence}}
{{legend|#ff9843|Territory claimed by the Republic of Texas}}
{{legend|#ffaa68|Territory claimed by the Republic of the Rio Grande}}
{{legend|#998173|Rebellions}}]]
The political structure of the [[Republic]] was amended by a decree on October 3, 1835, when the [[Centralized government|centralist system]] was established.

The constituent states of the [[Republic]] lost their freedom, autonomy, independence, and sovereignty by being totally subordinated to the central government. However, the territorial division itself was the same, as the text of Article 8 of the Law determined: The national territory is divided into [[Department (administrative division)|departments]], on the basis of population, location and other leading circumstances: its number, extension and subdivisions, would be detailed by constitutional law.<ref>"Bases Constitucionales Expedidas por el Congreso Constituyente", en Felipe Tena Ramírez", ''Op.cit.'' p. 203</ref>

The [[Siete Leyes|Seven Constitutional Laws]] ({{langx|es|Siete Leyes Constitucionales}}) were promulgated on December 30, 1836.<ref>{{cite news| title=La Suprema Corte en las Constituciones Centralistas.| url=http://www.bibliojuridica.org/libros/2/721/37.pdf| language=es| access-date=April 25, 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070612170406/http://www.bibliojuridica.org/libros/2/721/37.pdf| archive-date=June 12, 2007| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}</ref> The 1st article confirmed the decree of the law October 3, 1835; the [[Republic]] would be divided into departments, these in districts and the districts in parties. The 2nd article posited that the division of the [[Republic]] into departments would be under a special law with constitutional character.<ref>{{cite news | title=Division Territorial de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos de 1810 a 1995 (Page 27).| url=http://www.inegi.org.mx/prod_serv/contenidos/espanol/bvinegi/productos/integracion/pais/divi_terri/1810-1985/eum/ESTADOS%20UNIDOS%20MEXICANOS.pdf| language =es}}</ref> On December 30, 1835, a transitory decree was added to the [[Siete Leyes|Seven Laws]]. The decree stated that the territory of Tlaxcala and the Federal District would become a part of the Department of Mexico. The territories of Alta and Baja California would form the department of the Californias. [[Coahuila y Tejas]] would be divided into two departments. Colima would form part of Michoacán, and Aguascalientes would be declared a department.

This period of political instability caused several conflicts between the central government and the entities of the country, and there were rebellions in several states:<ref>{{cite news | title=Division Territorial de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos de 1810 a 1995 (Page 28)| url=http://www.inegi.org.mx/prod_serv/contenidos/espanol/bvinegi/productos/integracion/pais/divi_terri/1810-1985/eum/ESTADOS%20UNIDOS%20MEXICANOS.pdf| language =es}}</ref>
* [[Yucatán]], due to being a ''Federated Republic'', declared itself independent in 1840 (officially in 1841). The [[Republic of Yucatán|República de Yucatán]] ({{langx|en|Republic of Yucatán}}) rejoined Mexico in 1848.
* [[Texas]] declared its independence and declared war against the central government of [[Mexico]]. The [[Republic of Texas]] was created.  Texas remained independent until 1845, when it joined the United States of America.  From 1861 to 1865, Texas was part of the [[Confederate States of America]].  After the defeat of the Confederacy in the [[American Civil War]] (1861–65) and [[Reconstruction Era|Reconstruction]], Texas rejoined the United States of America in 1870.
* In 1840, the states of [[Nuevo León]], [[Tamaulipas]] and [[Coahuila]] declared themselves independent from Mexico for just under 250 days; the [[República del Río Grande]] never consolidated because independent forces were defeated by the centralist forces.
* [[Tabasco]] declared its separation from Mexico in February 1841, in protest against centralism and the imposed sanctions by centralist president [[Anastasio Bustamante]]. It rejoined in December 1842.
On September 11, 1842, the region of [[Soconusco]] joined [[Mexico]] as part of the department of [[Chiapas]].

===Restoration of the Republic and Second Empire===
The Federal Republic was restored by the interim president [[José Mariano Salas]] on August 22, 1846. The state of [[Guerrero]] was provisionally erected in 1849, on the condition that it be approved by the legislatures of the states of [[State of México|México]], [[Puebla]] and [[Michoacán]], whose territories would be affected.

On February 5, 1857, the [[1857 Constitution of Mexico|Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857]] was enacted. In 1864, however, after the [[Second French intervention in Mexico|French intervention]], the conservative Mexicans restored the [[constitutional monarchy]], known as the [[Second Mexican Empire]], led by the emperor [[Maximilian of Habsburg]] and supported by the French army of [[Napoleon III]]. The Empire was deposed in 1867 by the republican forces of [[Benito Juárez]] and the Federal Republic was restored again under the Constitution of 1857.

The [[Political Constitution of the United Mexican States]] of 1917 was the result of the [[Mexican Revolution]]. The third Constitution of Mexico confirmed the federal system of government that is currently in effect.<ref>{{cite news | title=Division Territorial de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos de 1810 a 1995 (Page 29)| url=http://www.inegi.org.mx/prod_serv/contenidos/espanol/bvinegi/productos/integracion/pais/divi_terri/1810-1985/eum/ESTADOS%20UNIDOS%20MEXICANOS.pdf| language =es}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Mexico}}
* [[Administrative division]]
* [[List of Latin American countries by Human Development Index]]
* [[Territorial evolution of Mexico]]

==Notes==
* {{note|De Facto Flags|a}}Some of these flags are used in states like Civil or Historic Flags (Yucatán, Hidalgo, Baja California, Michoacán) and are even more recognized by people as the official state flags assigned by President Ernesto Zedillo in 1999 and can be found waving in homes of the people. The others are proposed by citizen or groups to state legislatures, but have not yet been approved. Only two states in Mexico have changed the flags and have formalized their own, Jalisco and Tlaxcala.

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
* Political Constitution of the United Mexican States; articles 2, and 42 through 48
* Law of Linguistic Rights or "Ley de los Derechos Lingüísticos" approved in 2001.juihu b

{{Americas topic|Administrative divisions of}}
{{Indicators of Mexican States}}
{{Mexico topics}}
{{States of Mexico}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Political Divisions Of Mexico}}
[[Category:Subdivisions of Mexico| ]]
[[Category:Lists of subdivisions of Mexico| ]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in North America|Mexico 1]]
[[Category:Lists of states of Mexico|*]]
[[Category:Mexico politics-related lists|Divisions]]