Beijing and the Olympics: By the numbers
The staggering numbers behind China's extraordinary Games
China took the world stage Friday as it celebrated its first-time role as Olympic host with a stunning display to open the Games of the 29th Olympiad.
Behind the pageantry and pyrotechnics, however, there are some equally eye-catching numbers:
$40 billion — Total investment in projects related to the Games, including a new airport terminal and other infrastructure
About $5,500 — Average annual salary of a worker in Beijing
1.5 million — Estimated number of people displaced by Olympic venue construction in Beijing, according to a human rights group (China has said this number is "definitely wrong")
$15 billion — Total investment in projects related to the 2004 Athens Summer Games, final cost
$18 billion — Estimated budget for the 2012 London Games
About $1.5 million — Total cost of the 1948 London Games
$310 million — Original estimate for the cost of 1976 Montreal Olympics
$2 billion — Actual cost of the 1976 Games, tallied three decades later after all debts were paid
91,000 — Spectators watching the opening ceremonies from the Beijing National Stadium, a.k.a. the Bird's Nest
$423 million — Cost to build the Bird's Nest
41,875 tons — Steel used in building the stadium
Four billion — Estimated television audience for opening ceremonies
80 — Heads of state expected to attend the opening ceremonies
2,008 — Drummers who pounded out the countdown to the Games
Four — Hours the opening ceremonies show lasted
$100 million — Estimated cost of the show , double the total spent on the Athens opening ceremonies four years ago
More than 30,000 — Fireworks set off in the Bird's Nest during the opening ceremony
204 — Countries sending athletes
10,708 — Athletes expected to complete
332 — Canadian athletes, compared to 639 from China and 595 from the U.S.
94 — Official air pollution level measured in Beijing Friday
Below 50 — Levels recommended by the World Health Organization for healthy air
Seven million — Tickets sold for events at Olympic venues
$900 million — Amount paid by NBC to broadcast the Games live from Beijing