Colombia : a country study / Federal Research Division, Library of Congress ; edited by Rex A. Hudson.

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Preface
Table A: Selected Spanish abbreviations and acronyms
Table B: Chronology of important events
Country profile
Introduction
Chapter 1: Historical Setting / David Bushnell
Early Colombia
Spanish conquest and colonial society
Exploration and conquest
Colonial government
Colonial society and economy
Religion and culture
Breaking the Spanish connection
Antecedents of independence
Struggle for independence, 1810-19
Development of the nation, 1819-1904
Great Colombia experiment, 1819-32
New Granada: weak state, strong parties, 1832-63
Failed federalist utopia, 1863-85
Continuity and change in social relations
Political centralization and the church-state alliance
War of the thousand days and loss of Panama, 1899-1903
New age of peace and coffee, 1904-30
Presidency of Rafael Reyes
Growth of the coffee industry
Relations with the United States
Decline of the conservative hegemony
Reform under the liberals, 1930-46
Things come apart, 1946-58
La Violencia
Growth amid mayhem
National front, 1958-78
Instituting the coalition government
Sociocultural changes
Contemporary era, 1978-98
Rise of drug-trafficking organizations
Spread of leftist insurgencies
New departures and continuing problems
Chapter 2: Society and Its Environment / David Bushnell and Rex A. Hudson
Physical setting
Geology
Geography
Climate
Environment
Race and ethnicity
Indigenous peoples
Racial distinctions
Population and urbanization
Population growth trends
Immigration
Regionalism
Urbanization trends
Population displacement
Emigration
Demography
Social strata division
Family
Income distribution
Rural poor and urban poor
Income effects of narco-trafficking
Health and welfare
Resources and organization
Current health overview
Pension conundrum
Religion
Church, state, and society
Growth of Protestantism
Other religious expressions
Education
Basic education
University, technical, and vocational education
Continuing problems
Social movements.

Chapter 3: Economy / Roberto Steiner and Hernán Vallejo
Economic history, 1819-1999
Growth and structure of the economy, 1819-1989
1990s: a decade of economic reform
Economic structure and sectoral policies
Agriculture
Mining and energy
Industry
Services
Transportation and telecommunications
Air transportation
Inland waterways
Ports
Railroads
Road transportation
Telecommunications
Financial regulation and financial markets
Trade policy and trade patterns
Foreign investment regulation and outcomes
Illegal drugs
Macroeconomic policies and trends
Monetary policy and inflation
Exchange-rate policy and the balance of payments
Fiscal policy and public finances
Labor, the informal economy, social spending, and pensions
Labor markets
Informal economy
Social expenditure
Pension system
Outlook
Chapter 4: Government and Politics / Arlene B. Tickner
Governmental system
Executive
Territorial government
Legislature
Electoral system
Judiciary
Attorney General's office
Public administration
Political dynamics
Weakening of the bipartisan system
Other parties and political movements
Political party reform
Corruption
Societal institutions
Colombian interest groups
Internal armed conflict and peace negotiations
Foreign relations
General foreign policy traits
Primary doctrines of foreign policy
Foreign policy decision making
Diplomatic relations
Outlook
Chapter 5: National Security / Ann C. Mason
Military
Historical background
Modernization of the military
Constitutional authority
Organization of the armed forces
Conscription and military service
Military education system
Military judiciary
Uniforms, ranks, and insignia
Defense and security spending
Law enforcement
National police
Administrative security department
Judicial police
Penal system
National security background
Nineteenth-century civil unrest
International security affairs
La Violencia and the emergence of insurgency
Drug trafficking and the origins of paramilitarism
Current national security panorama
Internal armed conflict
Human rights
Violence and crime
National security doctrines and policies
Counterinsurgency strategies and emergency decrees
Peace processes
Antidrug strategies
United States-Colombia Security Cooperation and Plan Colombia
Democratic Security Policy
Negotiations in 2007-8
International and regional security relations
Agreements and treaties
Regional relations
Outlook
Appendix: Tables
Bibliography
Glossary
Index
Contributors
Published country studies.