O'Hanlon takes us into the bug-ridden rain forest between the Orinoco and the Amazon--infested with jaguars and piranhas, where men would kill over a bottle of ketchup and where the locals may be the most violent people on earth (next to hockey fans).

Colombia is a land of the unknown and one of the wild frontiers of independent travel. This comprehensive guide is the essential resource to this country of contrasts. It's full of down-to-earth information about the wild cosmopolitan streets of Bogota comprehensive language section and glossary historical and cultural background details on transport, accomodation and places to eat for all budgets extensive coverage of all national parks with notes on trekking routees

An invaluable historical source
Most academics in the field concede that this is the most comprehensive single-source on Colombia's history. The work on the 19th Century is particularly strong. My only misgiving is that the contemporary period is somewhat thin, and as such some of the present debates are about especially the armed groups are not as detailed as they could be. That said, this should be the starting point for anyone wishing to study Colombian history from pre-independence to the end of the National Front (1974).