Columbia’s GDP Overtakes Argentina’s, Becoming 3rd Largest in Latin Ame...

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Darcy Crowe and Taos Turner, Devaluation Hurts Argentina Regional Standing. Wall Street Journal, Feb 28, 2014.
online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB20001424052702304899704579389501040961442

Quote:

“After Argentina's economy dwarfed Colombia's for decades, economists say the trend reversed in January as the sliding value of Argentina's peso made its economy smaller in dollar terms. Argentina's devaluation later in the month erased any doubt, economists say. Capital Economics, a London-based research company, estimates Argentina's annual economic output at $343 billion for 2013 using Argentina's new exchange rate of about 8 pesos to the dollar. Colombia's economic output was $350 billion for 2013, according to the company. * * * which follows the far larger economies of Brazil and Mexico

"’Our economy is in decline and things keep getting worse,’ said Julio Roig, a 73-year-old accountant in Buenos Aires. ‘Even Uruguay exports more beef than we do these days. Tiny Uruguay. That says a lot.’

“Few economists think that the [Argentina] peso is likely to appreciate against the dollar this year given the country's estimated inflation rate of more than 25% a year. Further, many economists expect Argentina to enter a recession this year, while Colombia's economy is forecast to grow roughly 5%.

“New economic research also adds to Colombia's claim to the third spot, suggesting that President Cristina Kirchner's government has overstated the country's high growth rates. Argentina's GDP is at least 12% smaller than the official size reported by the government, according to a study by economists at the University of Buenos Aires.

Note:
(a) In print but not online is a graphic.

“Shifting Fortunes[:] As its currency slipped, Argentina’s economy fell behind Colombia’s in dollar terms. GDP, in billions:

…………………...1983……..1993 ……….2003 ……..2013
Argentina ....~100 …...~230 ……..~128 ……..~340
Columbia …..~40 ……...~53 ……...~95 ………..~350

Sources: World Bank (through 2003); Capital Economics”

(b) Names.
(i) Crowe is a variant spelling of Crow. The latter can be English (referring to the bird) or Irish (either the anglicized form of a Gaelic surname that has nothing to do with the bird, or translation of Gaelic surnames that do).
(ii) Taos, New Mexico
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taos,_New_Mexico
(county seat of Taos County; The English name Taos derives from the native Taos language meaning "place of red willows")

(c) The figures below are from CIA World Factbook (which is just updated with the first version of 2013 estimates, which may be revised later in the year).

…………………..GDP (PPP) ……………..GDP per capita (PPP)……GDP (official exchange rate)
Brazil ………..$2.422 trillion .........$12,100 ......................$2.19 trillion
Mexico……….$1.845 trillion …….….$15,600 .......................$1.327 trillion
Argentina ...$771 billion …….......$18,600 .......................$484.6 billion
Colombia ……$526.5 billion ........$11,100 ………………….......$369.2 billion

Russia ……...$2.553 trillion ........$18,100 .......................$2.113 trillion

I include Russia’s figures, which a decade ago were derided as roughly similar to Brazil’s.

(d) What propels Columbia’s economy? This is what CIA World Factbook has to say, in its assessment of the economy of that nation:

“Colombia's consistently sound economic policies and aggressive promotion of free trade agreements in recent years have bolstered its ability to face external shocks. Real GDP has grown more than 4% per year for the past three years, continuing almost a decade of strong economic performance.  * * * Nevertheless, Colombia depends heavily on energy and mining exports, making it vulnerable to a drop in commodity prices. Colombia is the world’s fourth largest coal exporter and Latin America’s fourth largest oil producer. Economic development is stymied by inadequate infrastructure and an uncertain security situation. Moreover, the unemployment rate of 9.7% in 2013 is still one of Latin America's highest. * * * The US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was ratified by the US Congress in October 2011 and implemented in 2012. * * * In 2013, Colombia began its ascension process to the OECD [not a member yet]. * * * narcotrafficking remain[s one of] significant challenges

(e) University of Buenos Aires
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Buenos_Aires(the largest university in Argentina and the second largest university by enrollment [students: 311,174 (2004)] in Latin America; Established 1821; public)

By comparison, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM: English: National Autonomous University of Mexico; Established 1910; public; Location  Mexico City) had students 324, 413 (2011-2012 academic year).