The territory of the República Oriental del Uruguay administratively subdivides in 19 departments or municipalities. Originally they were only nine: Montevideo, San José, Colonia, Soriano, Paysandú, Cerro Largo, Maldonado, Canelones and Durazno. According to some historians, the nine strips of the national standard symbolize these first departments. Soon, the civil carried out by Targets and Colored war affected this territorial ordering and took to the creation of new political subunits. In 1837 the departments of Salto and Tacuarembó were created; in 1858, the one of Treinta y Tres; in 1861, the one of Río Negro, and in 1856, the one of Florida. In 1884 the departments were born of Rocha, Lavalleja, Artigas and Rivera. A year later was born the department of Flores.