This year was marked by unusually devastating natural disasters, the end of political and entertainment dynasties, notable deaths, and inspiring survival. As 2011 comes to a close, here’s a look at the year’s news by the numbers:
2
World Series titles won by Theo Epstein’s Boston Red Sox in the nine years before he was hired in October as the Cubs’ president of baseball operations. That’s two more than the Cubs have won in the prior 100 years.
9.0
Magnitude of the earthquake that struck off Japan in March, causing a devastating tsunami and nuclear plant crisis in the worst natural disaster the country had seen in the last half-century.
14
Number of years U.S. District Judge James Zagel sentenced convicted ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich to, marking the fourth time since the 1970s that a former Illinois governor has been sent to prison for wrongdoing.
16
Number of NBA games wiped out for each team after a league lockout shortened the season from 82 games to 66.
18
Number of criminal counts ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted of over the course of two trials involving the attempted sale of the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama, illegal shakedowns for campaign cash and lying to federal agents.
19
Number of people injured or killed in the shooting rampage that Jared Lee Loughner is accused of perpetrating in Tucson, Ariz. Six people were killed and 13 wounded, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who survived a gunshot wound in the head.
20
Dollar per share price of Groupon Inc.’s initial public offering in November.
21.2
Inches of snow produced by Chicago’s blizzard of 2011, earning it a third-place ranking among the heaviest snowfalls in the city’s history.
22
Number of years former Mayor Richard M. Daley served as the leader of Chicago, making him the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history.
39
Number of years Richard Daley was married to Maggie Daley, who died Nov. 24 after a more than nine-year battle with cancer.
42
Approximate number of years that Moammar Gadhafi ruled over Libya before he was captured by rebel fighters and slain in October. The killing came after a tumultuous time in the Middle East and North African region dubbed the “Arab spring.”
56
Steve Jobs’ age when he died in October, leaving behind a legacy of innovation that included the Apple II, Macintosh, iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad.
99
Percent of the U.S. population the Occupy movement claims to represent in protests aimed at calling attention to income inequality.
160
Number of people who died from the Joplin, Mo., tornado, the deadliest single tornado in 61 years. That tornado, along with 179 others across 15 states in late May, caused $9.1 billion in damages, with $6.5 billion in insured losses.
1,000
Pounds of marijuana that Bears receiver Sam Hurd is accused of telling an undercover federal agent and a confidential government informant that he needed every week.
364,000
Approximate number of Americans who filed for first-time unemployment benefits in the latter part of December, marking the lowest level since April 2008.
2 million
Approximate number of people who died of hunger during Kim Jung Il’s 17-year-reign, which ended in December when he reportedly died of a heart attack.
16.4 million
Number of viewers who tuned in to watch the final episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” on May 25.
56.5 million
Approximate number of Americans who tuned in to hear President Barack Obama’s televised address on the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in May.
Reuters contributed.
