In 54 wide-ranging lists, TIME surveys the highs and lows, the good and the bad, of the past 12 months

Top 10 Numbers

1. 7 Billion

By Frances RomeroWednesday, Dec. 07, 2011
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Denis Sinyakov / Reuters

Babies rest at a perinatal center of Moscow City Hospital No. 8 on Oct. 31, 2011

Number of people populating the world, as of Oct. 31

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