Colombia
With dramatically beautiful rainforests, mountains and beaches, lovely cities and enchanting people, Colombia should be among the world's most attractive and intoxicating destinations. Unfortunately, the current guerrilla war, combined with ongoing activities of cocaine cartels, has made much of Colombia - dubbed 'Locombia' (the mad country) by the press - off limits to all but the most foolhardy travelers.

The good news is that it's still possible to enjoy Colombia's colorful swirl of myth and mysticism. As long as you avoid all overland travel and stick to major cities and touristed areas, pay attention to the news, and keep your wits about you at all times, you'll get a safe and healthy dose of what is arguably the most underrated travel destination on the continent.

Full country name: Republic of Colombia
Area: 1,141,748 sq km (440,830 sq mi)
Population: 39,685,000
Capital city: Bogotá (pop: 5 million)
People: 58% Mestizo (of European-Indian descent), 20% European descent, 14% mulatto (African-European descent), 4% African descent, 3% African-Indian descent, 1% indigenous
Language: Castilian Spanish, plus over 200 indigenous languages
Religion: Catholic 95%, with the remainder a mixture of traditional, Episcopal and Jewish faiths
Government: Democracy
President: Alvaro Uribe Velez

GDP: US$254 billion
GDP per capita: US$6,200
Inflation: 16.7%
Major industries: Textiles, coffee, oil, narcotics, sugar cane, food processing
Major trading partner: US, EU