The World

The decade in numbers: a snapshot of what has changed from 2000 to 2010

By Harriet Barovick, Ishaan Tharoor, Alexandra Silver, Claire Suddath, Frances Romero, Kayla Webley, Dan Fastenberg and Josh Sanburn Monday, Dec. 06, 2010

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    Many nations have made progress toward reducing the number of women dying from complications during pregnancy and childbirth, in part by training more midwives and increasing female education. The majority of the world's maternal deaths (on average, roughly 1,000 each day in 2008) occur in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

    9 | BENTLEYS SOLD IN RUSSIA

    Russia's growing luxury market is a testament to its new wealth, fueled by its powerful oil and natural gas companies.

    2000 0

    2009 103

    Price range (approx.): $207,678-$505,864

    10 | CHINA INVESTS IN AFRICA

    China's trade with Africa grew tenfold in the past decade, totaling $106 billion in 2008. Its largest partner there is resource-rich Angola. Bilateral trade figures below:

    2000

    $1.6 BILLION

    2009

    $17 BILLION

    11 | OPIUM HARD TO UPROOT

    Most opium-poppy cultivation in Afghanistan takes place in nine of its 34 provinces. Coalition efforts to curb opium have been frustrated. Area under cultivation:

    2000

    82,000 HECTARES (317 sq. mi.)

    2010

    123,000 HECTARES (475 sq. mi.)

    12 | MOBILE NATION

    India's cell-phone market has become one of the world's largest, creating new possibilities for many of the country's rural poor.

    2000

    2 MILLION HANDSETS

    2010

    545 MILLION HANDSETS

    13 | INTERNET USERS IN CHINA

    In spite of state censorship and monitoring, China's Internet community is booming, with 30% of its population now online.

    2000

    22 MILLION

    2010

    420 ILLION

    14 | INDONESIA'S CO[subscript 2] EMISSIONS

    Indonesia is the world's third largest emitter, in large part because of the effects of deforestation and the destruction of its carbon-rich peat lands.

    2000

    267 MILLION METRIC TONS

    2008

    434 MILLION METRIC TONS

    WORLD STATS

    Population

    2000

    6.1 billion

    2010

    6.9 billion

    Billionaires

    2000 306

    2010 1,011

    The undernourished

    2000

    857 million

    2010

    925 million

    Money leaving Africa illegally

    2000

    $13.1 billion

    2010

    $77.8 billion

    All-time top-grossing film

    2000

    James Cameron's Titanic, $1.8 billion

    2010

    James Cameron's Avatar, $2.8 billion

    Terrorist attacks

    2000

    423

    2009

    10,999 (4,584 in Iraq and Afghanistan)

    Tallest building

    2000

    Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur

    1,483 FT.

    2010

    Burj Khalifa, Dubai

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