For 300 years the Colombian territory among Ecuador and Venezuela were Spanish colonies called the Nueva Granada. Finally in July 20, 1810, the citizens of Bogotá – the capital city – created the first representative council to defy Spanish authority with full independence being proclaimed in 1810. A long Independency War led mainly by Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Paula Santander in New Granada ended after the Battle of Boyaca, on August 7, 1819. That year, the Congress of Angostura established the Republic of La Gran Colombia (The Great Colombia), which included all territories under jurisdiction of the Viceroyalty of New Granada.

In 1830 Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapsed Gran Colombia; the others were Ecuador and Venezuela.