Bøger i Latin America In Focus serien

Venezuala in Focus is one of a series of guides covering the countries of South and Central America and the Caribbean

Brazil In Focus is an authorative and up-to-date guide to the giant of Latin America.

Ecuador is part of the "In Focus" series which looks at the countries they discuss with students and independent travellers in mind.

Mexico is a land torn between Latin America and the US, between its Indian and revolutionary past and the modern trappings of skyscrapers, cell phones, and factories. It is also one of the biggest tourist destinations in Latin America for the UK market. Mexico is now the key country in Latin American debates about trade integration, neo-liberalism, and the fight of indigenous people for autonomy and self-governance, best characterised by the Zapatista movement. A new updated edition of Mexico in Focus gives the insider's view - the 'story the guidebooks don't tell you' - in accessible, lively and accurate prose. It offers a fresh and contemporary perspective on the Zapatista rebellion and indigenous issues, as well as the July 2000 election of Vicente Fox, the "cowboy president" whose controversial policy suggestions have included free movement of labour and unrestricted immigration within NAFTA and the legalisation of drugs. This completely rewritten and updated text also touches on the economy, the new relationship under George W Bush, literature and culture, as well as a completely new section on Mexican popular culture forms and music, including telenovelas, comic books, and "lucha libre", or popular wrestling. Mexico in Focus is published complete with new illustrations, updated maps and facts and figures, and an extended Where to Go and What to See Section - expert tips on how to get the most out of your visit.

A look at the various, sometimes conflicting, aspects of Jamaica: at once a paradise tourist island, the gangster-ridden home of the yardies, a proudly independent democracy, an island struggling with debt and its dependence on a few primary products, and a fantastically vibrant home of musical and sporting achievement. Peter Mason guides the reader through Jamaica's complex evolution and culture grown out of unique ties with Britain, with North America, and with the African slave trade diaspora. The work surveys the land and its people, the evolution of its politics and society, and the state of its economy. Music, culture and tourism are discussed in the context of Jamaica's fantastic achievements in these areas both at home and abroad. The book presents practical information for the interested traveller, on festivals such as Sunsplash and carnival, eco-adventures on Blue Mountain treks, the dancehalls and sporting grounds, and, of course, the beaches.

"Nicaragua in Focus" is an authoritative and up-to-date guide to this fascinating country. It explores the land, history and politics (including the crucial and difficult relationship with the U.S.), economy, society and people, culture and environment, and includes tips on where to go and what to see. Color and b&w photos, maps.

Cuba In Focus is one of a series of guides covering the countries of South and Central America and the Caribbean

This is a guide to one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic, which has much more to offer than its idyllic beaches. The site of the first European settlement in the Americas, the country has a long and often turbulent history, marked by dictators, foreign invasions and popular uprisings. For almost two centuries the country has shared the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, a proximity which had led to friction and occasional conflict. Despite efforts to abandon dependency on sugar and to modernize the economy, the Dominican Republic still faces considerable poverty and social tensions. Migration, legal and illegal, provides a lifeline to many poor communities. Yet this often difficult past and present have created one of the most distinctive and vibrant cultures in the Caribbean, where 16th-century colonial architecture contrasts with modern office blocks, and where Spanish, African and American influences are apparent in music, food and art.

This work explores Guatemala. Considered by some to be the most beautiful and yet the most tragic of Latin American countries, Guatemala's military regimes gave the word "disappeared" its sinister connotations. Its majority Maya population has kept its culture alive despite five centuries of almost apartheid oppression. A mecca for tourists drawn by its lakes, volcanoes and indigenous culture, Guatemala is also a land of all-pervasive injustice and political violence.

Once a byword for military repression and human rights abuses, Chile's image is now that of a dynamic success story. The "Chilean Miracle", based on radical free-market reform and export-led growth, has been presented as a model for all developing countries. Yet this transition has also created its own social problems, challenging the traditional values with the advent of extreme materialism. Famed for its landscapes which range from glaciers to deserts, Chile is also home to a cultural life, exemplified by writers such as Pablo Neruda and Ariel Dorfman. Music, cinema and handicrafts reflect the country's artistic diversity as well as its mixed ethnic traditions. This book is part of a series aimed at students and independent travellers.

Peru is perhaps one of the most dramatic and unpredictable of all Latin American countries. Blessed with natural wealth and historical sites, it is also cursed by widespread poverty and a legacy of political violence. A gulf separates the westernized elites of Lima from the indigenous majority of the Andean highlands, creating intractable social and political problems. A mix of landscapes and cultures, Peru contains the splendours of Machu Picchu as well as the horrors of Lima's shanty towns. Ancient Indian culture exists alongside US-influenced modernity, while dramatic political events keeps the country in the headlines. The book is part of the "In Focus" series of books aimed at students and independent travellers.

Belize In Focus is one in a series of guides covering the countries of South and Central America and the Caribbean.

Argentina in Focus is an authoritative and up-to-date guide to this fascinating country.

Colombia In Focus us an authoritative and up-to-date guide to this fascinating country

Distinctive among the turbulent nations of South America, Costa Rica enjoys a reputation for political stability and prosperity. Since abolishing its army in 1948, the "Switzerland of Central America" has experienced unbroken democratic rule and respect for human rights. Yet this small country has also been affected by the debt crisis of the 1980s, with the resulting increases in poverty and social inequality. Its economy traditionally based on coffee and bananas, Costa Rica is now among the world's top eco-tourism destinations. The influx of tourists brings vital income and employment but also threatens to spoil the country's beauty. The book is part of the "In Focus" series which is aimed at students and independent travellers.

The idyllic landscapes of the Eastern Caribbean belie a dramatic and often cruel history. Fought over by the imperial Navies and vulnerable to natural disasters, these small islands have also been marked by slavery, migration and a tradition of resistance. With their population rooted in every continent, a mix of influences has created today's cultural diversity and self-expression. As tourism replaces agriculture, the islands of the Eastern Caribbean face the challenge of economic survival and maintaining their distinctive identities. The countries focused on are: Trinidad and Tobago; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Anguilla; Antigua-Barbuda; Barbados; Dominica; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Martinique; Montserrat; Saba; St Eustatius; St Kitts-Nevis; St Lucia; and St Martin.

During two centuries of independence from colonial rule, Haiti has developed into a society quite distinct from those found in the rest of the region. Hollywood-derived images of black magic, and Graham Green-inspired conceptions of a "nightmare republic" do scant justice to the reality of life for those who make up the third largest population in the Caribbean. This work addresses these questions, and provides an up-to-date guide to the people, politics and culture of this Caribbean nation.

Bolivia In Focus is an authoritative and up-to-date guide to this fascinating land.