Colombia Passport

Evidently the global crisis took over number worries this year around the globe. Even if Latin America passed as the region with the best readiness to face the financial Tsunami, its economies suffered the consequences. For the Spanish financial magazine AmericaEconomia in its special report at the end of the year, these were the main numbers that affected the Western Hemisphere in 2009:

The Dollar fell 6% before the Euro in the first 11 months of the year.

President Barack Obama of US began his government with a 68 percent of popularity. It was 90 percent in July. It fell to 48 in November.

President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela closed 34 radio and television stations in the year being one of the worst times for freedom of press in the region.

5,874 persons were killed in 2009 in Mexico due to the drug traffickers’ war.

Statistics showed that 16 million Latin American young people aged 15 to 24 are not studying and they do not have employment.

In -2.5% the economy contracted in Latin America this year.

The Amazon raining forest was deforested this year in 7 thousand sq kilometers (4,349 sq miles).

Colombia and Latin America in 2009