2024 Facts & Figures: SOUTH AMERICA

PERCENTAGE of the Galápagos Islands landmass that’s protected as part of a national park. This archipelago 600 miles off the coast of ECUADOR was formed by volcanic eruptions, and 13 volcanoes remain active. More than 25,000 people make their home on the islands, which are known mostly for their extraordinary wildlife. 

^{Source: National Geographic}

It’s in Buenos Aires, the capital of ARGENTINA. The King Fahd Islamic Cultural Center, funded by the Saudi Arabian government, opened in 2000 and can accommodate 1,500 men and 500 women. Approximately 1 million Muslims live in Argentina. 

^{Sources: Pew Research Center, Globotreks}

SALARY for VENEZUELA’s public school teachers. This is about 5 percent of the salary needed to feed a family of five in the country. The low wages have prompted teachers across Venezuela to launch massive demonstrations, demanding higher pay from the government. 

^{Source: Bloomberg}

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (above), the disgraced former president of BRAZIL, served time in prison from 2018 to 2019 on corruption charges. But then Brazil’s supreme court threw out his conviction, and Lula, as he’s known, ran again for president in 2022—and won. The 77-year-old took office in 2023, capping his political comeback.

^{Source: The New York Times}

ESTIMATED PERCENTAGE of the world’s emeralds that come from COLOMBIA. They’re valued for their bright-green color. In 2020, Colombia exported $43 million worth of emeralds.

^{Sources: Statista, Other Way Round}