Around the start of the twentieth century Argentina was one of the richest countries in the world, with income per person above many European nations, including Spain. Its wealth came from exporting grain and beef to Europe, supported by a fast-growing population and heavy investment from Britain. Over the following decades, economic instability, political upheaval and protectionist policies eroded that lead. Spain, meanwhile, grew rapidly after the 1950s, and by the late twentieth century it had overtaken Argentina.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.