"Revised PhD dissertation examines from a regional perspective the social, economic, and political development of the departments of Bolívar, Magdalena, Atlántico, and Guajira between 1870-1950. Topics include agriculture, cattle, rural and urban environments, transportation, external influences, politics, and the relationship between the region and the nation. Well-researched and clearly written"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 58.