The world in
What happened in 1979?
25 events across 10 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
- Cold War
After World War II, the Western Bloc led by the United States and the Eastern Bloc led by the Soviet Union engaged in a nearly half-century-long political, economic, and military confrontation. Although the two superpowers never fought directly, they competed globally through proxy wars, an arms race, and the Space Race. The Cold War began in the late 1940s and ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Signing of the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR
On December 30, 1922, the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR was signed at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, officially establishing the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Plenipotentiary delegates from the Russian, Transcaucasian, Ukrainian, and Byelorussian Soviet republics signed the treaty, along with a declaration serving as its preamble. The treaty legally formalized the political union of the Soviet republics that had existed since 1919, creating a new federal government with centralized functions in Moscow. Legislative power was vested in the Congress of Soviets and the Central Executive Committee, while executive power lay with the Council of People's Commissars.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Second Round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Held
In 1979, the United States and the Soviet Union conducted the second round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT II), a key arms control effort between the two Cold War superpowers. The negotiations aimed to reduce their destructive nuclear weapons and led to the signing of an international treaty. Despite differences, the talks continued a consensus since the 1960s to avoid nuclear catastrophe, laying groundwork for subsequent arms limitation processes.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Signing of the Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn Convention)
In 1979, several countries signed the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention) in Bonn, Germany. The treaty aims to protect migratory species and their habitats on a global scale, under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- 1979 Montenegro earthquake
On 15 April 1979, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Socialist Republic of Montenegro, then part of Yugoslavia, with an epicentre near the southern municipality of Bar. It reached Mercalli intensity X and was the most devastating earthquake in the republic's history, affecting mainly the Montenegrin and Albanian coastline and felt elsewhere in the country.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Outbreak of the Uganda–Tanzania War
In 1978, Uganda invaded Tanzania, triggering the Uganda–Tanzania War, which lasted until June 1979. Before the war, relations had deteriorated after Ugandan President Amin's overthrow of President Obote, who was close to Tanzanian President Nyerere. Amin's regime was destabilised by purges, economic problems, and army dissatisfaction, leading to its eventual fall.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Beginning of the South African Border War
In 1966, the South African Border War broke out across Namibia, Zambia, and Angola. It was fought between the South African Defence Force and the People's Liberation Army of Namibia, the armed wing of SWAPO. The conflict, closely tied to the Angolan Civil War, became one of Africa's largest wars since World War II.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Chadian–Libyan War
Between 1978 and 1987, Libya conducted a series of military campaigns in Chad, fighting alongside Libyan allies against the French-backed Chadian government. Libya repeatedly intervened in the Chadian civil war, and France also intervened militarily to support the Chadian government. The conflict ended with the victory of pro-French forces.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Establishment of Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park
Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park was established in 1979 in the Bamingui-Bangoran prefecture of the Central African Republic, near the border with Chad. Due to its rich biodiversity, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
Central & South America
- Nicaraguan Revolution
The Nicaraguan Revolution was a revolutionary movement in Nicaragua from 1961 to 1990, led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front, aiming to overthrow the Somoza family dictatorship and, after its success in 1979, to carry out social and economic reforms.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Establishment of Serra da Capivara National Park
Serra da Capivara National Park in Brazil was established on 5 June 1979. Located in the northeastern state of Piauí, it covers approximately 92,000 hectares. The area is renowned for its many prehistoric paintings and holds significant archaeological and cultural value.
- Establishment of Sangay National Park
In 1979, Ecuador established Sangay National Park in the provinces of Morona-Santiago, Chimborazo, and Tungurahua, with an initial area of about 2,719 square kilometers. Located on the eastern slopes of the Andes, the park spans elevations from 900 to 5,319 meters and contains diverse ecosystems including active volcanoes, glaciers, tropical rainforests, and páramo. In 1983, the park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.
- Establishment of Noel Kempff Mercado National Park
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park was established on June 28, 1979, in the Santa Cruz Department of northeastern Bolivia, covering approximately 15,838 square kilometers.
South Asia
- Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
In December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan mujahideen, who received aid from multiple countries. The war lasted nearly a decade, ending with the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989. American and British support for the mujahideen escalated the Cold War, ending a brief period of relaxed Soviet–US relations.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Outbreak of the Sino-Vietnamese War, 1979
From 17 February to 16 March 1979, a war broke out between China and Vietnam. China launched a punitive offensive in response to Vietnam's invasion and occupation of Cambodia, which ended the rule of the Khmer Rouge. The conflict lasted about a month, with China withdrawing its troops in March. It was a rare direct hot war between socialist states during the Cold War.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Outbreak of the Cambodian–Vietnamese War
In December 1978, Vietnam launched a large-scale invasion of Cambodia, toppling the Khmer Rouge regime, which marked the outbreak of the Cambodian–Vietnamese War. Border clashes had occurred in preceding years. The war was part of the Third Indochina War and intertwined with the Sino-Soviet split in the Cold War.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
West Asia
- Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution of 1978-1979 overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty, ending the monarchy in Iran. Led by Ruhollah Khomeini, it established an Islamic Republic, replacing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by the United States.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- 1970s energy crisis
Between 1973 and 1980, the Western world experienced a severe energy crisis characterized by petroleum shortages and soaring prices. The crisis was triggered by two major events: the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1979 Iranian Revolution, both causing interruptions in Middle Eastern oil exports.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
East Asia
- Launch of Reform and Opening-up
After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in December 1978, China began implementing a policy centered on economic reform, known as 'reform and opening-up'. Proposed under Deng Xiaoping's leadership, it aimed to introduce market mechanisms and expand foreign economic exchanges.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Founding of Yue Fei Temple in Hangzhou
In the early 13th century, the Yue Fei Temple was founded on the northwest shore of West Lake in Hangzhou to honor the Song general Yue Fei. It was built around his tomb, combining worship and burial at the same site. The temple was later rebuilt extensively in the late 20th century, continuing its role as a memorial.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Oceania
- Kakadu National Park inscribed as World Heritage Site
Kakadu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for both its natural and cultural values. Located about 171 km southeast of Darwin, it is renowned for its ancient Aboriginal rock art and diverse wildlife.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Border Ranges National Park Established
A national park was established in the late 20th century in northern New South Wales, Australia. Covering over 30,000 hectares, it lies several hundred kilometres north of Sydney, with a small portion extending into southeastern Queensland. The park, along with other reserves in the region, forms part of the Gondwana Rainforests, which was later inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Central Asian steppe
- Sverdlovsk Anthrax Leak
On April 2, 1979, an accidental release of anthrax spores occurred at a Soviet military research site in Sverdlovsk, followed by a fatal outbreak. Reported death tolls differ across sources—at least 68 in the English source and around 100 in the Chinese and French sources—and the precise figure remains uncertain.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
North America
- Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty signed
On 26 March 1979, the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty was signed at the White House by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, witnessed by U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Based on the 1978 Camp David Accords, the treaty made Egypt the first Arab state to recognize Israel, setting a precedent for future Arab-Israeli peace efforts.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
North Africa
- Outbreak of the Western Sahara War
In 1975, after Spain withdrew from Western Sahara, Morocco and Mauritania took over administration under the Madrid Accords, leading to armed conflict with the Polisario Front. Morocco organized the Green March, with tens of thousands of citizens and around 20,000 troops entering Western Sahara, meeting resistance from the Polisario Front. Fighting was minor at first but evolved into a prolonged guerrilla war. The Polisario Front fought both Morocco and Mauritania, seeking independence. Mauritania withdrew in 1979, but the war persisted until a 1991 ceasefire.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Around 1979
These are known only to the century, not to the year. They are listed separately so a rough date is never mistaken for an exact one.
- Beginning of the Digital Revolution
- Establishment of Women's Suffrage Worldwide
- Establishment of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
- Construction of Grimeton Longwave Radio Station
- Construction of the Trans-Iranian Railway begins
- Construction of the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright Begins
- Construction of the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in 'The Centre of Heaven and Earth'
- Establishment of the Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains