It is natural that an area with Pantanal's size needs subdivisions. Administrative, traditional and objective criteria are, however, mixing in all these subdivisions.

In 1977 the state of Mato Grosso has been split in two. The frontier between Mato Grosso (MT) in the North and Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) follows the rivers Correntes and Cuiabá. Therefore one speaks of a northern and a southern Pantanal.

Adámoli (1980) divides the area in 10 regions: Cáceres, Poconé, Barão de Melgaço, Paraguay, Paiaguás, Nhecolândia, Abobral, Aquidauana, Miranda and Nabileque, some of these are natural units and Adámoli gives phytosociological reasons for them.