1972: what happened around the world

In 1972, 154 events recorded on Erask's globe began — Munich massacre, Bloody Sunday and 1972 Andes flight disaster among the best known. 87 more were already under way, such as Cultural Revolution and Iranian Revolution. 199 things were founded or built that year, from Sri Lanka and Pioneer plaque.

154events began
87already under way
199founded or built
See 1972 on the globe →

Accidents and fires65

+25 less-known, on the globe.

Revolts, massacres and attacks47

+7 less-known, on the globe.

Wars, battles and sieges29

Treaties, councils and politics6

Disasters5

Expeditions2

Already under way in 197287

Came to an end in 19727

Founded or built in 1972199

+169 more, on the globe.

Stories that pass through 1972

Volcanic EruptionsEvery significant eruption on record since 1500 How America Filled UpEvery American city of 60,000 people, in the year it began Women's SuffrageA map filling in, one country at a time, 1893-2012 DecolonisationHow a third of the world stopped belonging to somebody else, 1945–1990 Nuclear detonationsEvery recorded nuclear test, 1945–1998

Nearby years

1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 All of the 20th century →

Every entry comes from Wikidata and links to its Wikipedia article; entries are ordered by how many language editions of Wikipedia cover them. Only things with a date are listed, and dates before the modern era are often approximate. How this is made →