A World of Trouble: Is the nightmare over?

BOSTON — In February, at the bleakest moment of the global economic meltdown, we asked 20 GlobalPost correspondents in 20 countries to assess the widening damage — from official government data to anecdotal evidence of how the drama was unfolding in the streets, hutongs, factories and fields across the planet.

They uncovered a world of trouble.

Then in April, after governments worldwide began stimulating battered economies with new spending and other rescue measures, we revisited those same 20 countries for an update. It was still ugly out there.

Now, with the first shoots of recovery popping up around the world we thought it was a good time to ask the question: is the nightmare over?

So we did. Twenty times over.

As you can see in the interactive map below, the answer is yes. But not everywhere (we’re talking to you Mexico, Russia and South Africa).

And because the world is an endlessly fascinating place — even in the darkest of times — you’ll also learn Argentines are having less sex, the size of Japanese TV screens matters, and why Thais have turned to furry panda masks.

(Editor’s note: The data in these reports comes from official government sources and the International Monetary Fund, unless otherwise indicated.)