Inside Colombia offers a valuable introduction and quick reference guide to this complex nation. With chapters devoted to history, human rights issues, the economy, drugs, the controversial antidrug intervention known as Plan Colombia, and relations with the United States, the book offers an easily accessible and comprehensive overview. Readers will learn about the major players in the conflicts, significant political figures, how Colombia's economy has fared in the twentieth century, how the country's geography influences its politics and economy, and how U.S. intervention shapes Colombia's political scene.

Grace Livingstone is a journalist who regularly contributes to a range of publications on Latin American current affairs. She is currently based in Venezuela and writing as a correspondent for The Guardian. Jenny Pearce is the co-author of Civil Society and Development: A Critical Exploration.