This work is an introduction to who's who and what is really happening in Colombia. In one volume, it brings together the best material published on the war, the economy, social impact and prospects of peace in Colombia. It sets out, in a clear journalistic style, the human rights and internal refugee crisis in the country, describes how Colombia fits into the foreign policy of the US and Europe, how drugs fuel the economy and the politics of the conflict, and provides a historical overview of key moments in the longest war in the hemisphere. Individual chapters focus on the human cost, history, economy and development, illicit cultivation of coca, plan Colombia and foreign involvement. The book includes maps, facts and figures, testimony, a who's who of the main actors involved in the conflict, lists of Colombian and foreign NGOs working in Colombia, further reading and web links.