Mariquita Province

Mariquita
Province of the Viceroyalty of New Granada, United Provinces of New Granada, Gran Colombia, Republic of New Granada
1550–1861

Location of the province of Mariquita in New Granada around 1810

Location of the province in New Granada around 1855
CapitalMariquita
DemonymMariquiteñ(o/a), Neogranadin(o/a)
Area 
 1851
13,450 km2 (5,190 sq mi)
Population 
 1789
47,138
 1835
79,721
 1843
89,460
 1851
105,105
  TypeCorregimiento
Historical eraSpanish colonization of the Americas
Colombian War of Independence
 Established
1550
 Establishment
1550 (1550)
 Dissolution
July 12, 1861 (1861-07-12)
 Disestablished
1861
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Panches
Pijaos
New Kingdom of Granada
Free State of Marquita
Free State of Marquita
Cundinamarca Department (1824)
Sovereign State of Tolima

The province of Mariquita, also called the government of Mariquita during the Spanish imperial era, was an administrative and territorial entity of New Granada, created in 1550 as a corregimiento (administrative division) of the Viceroyalty of Peru. In 1717, province became part of Viceroyalty of New Granada after King Philip V of Spain issued a real cédula creating the new viceroyalty.

During the Spanish American wars of independence (1810–1816), Mariquita declared itself a Free State and then joined the United Provinces of New Granada. Later, during the era of Gran Colombia, it was part of the Department of Cundinamarca, which territorially covered all of what are now Colombia and Panama.

After the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830, Mariquita was incorporated into the Republic of New Granada. When the (originally unitary) republic adopted a federal system in 1858, the province became one of the constituent provinces of the Sovereign State of Tolima.