1981: what happened around the world

In 1981, 129 events recorded on Erask's globe began — Operation Opera, 1981 Spanish coup d'état attempt and African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights among the best known. 92 more were already under way, such as Soviet-Afghan War and Iran–Iraq War. 123 things were founded or built that year, from Lençóis Maranhenses National Park and Willandra Lakes Region.

129events began
92already under way
123founded or built
See 1981 on the globe →

Revolts, massacres and attacks48

+8 less-known, on the globe.

Accidents and fires44

+4 less-known, on the globe.

Wars, battles and sieges24

Disasters8

Treaties, councils and politics4

Expeditions1

Already under way in 198192

Came to an end in 19817

Founded or built in 1981123

+93 more, on the globe.

Stories that pass through 1981

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

1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 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 →