The world in
What happened in 2001?
14 events across 7 world regions, each with its sources.
North America
- September 11 attacks
On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists carried out coordinated attacks in the United States. Nineteen hijackers seized four airliners, crashing two into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon, and one into a rural field in Pennsylvania following a passenger revolt. The Twin Towers subsequently collapsed. The attacks caused massive casualties and prompted the United States to launch a global war on terror.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- War on Terror begins
The United States launched the global War on Terror in 2001, following the September 11 attacks, a military campaign spanning multiple theaters.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- 2001 Anthrax Attacks in the United States
The 2001 anthrax attacks were a biological terrorism event beginning on September 18, 2001, lasting several weeks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to news media offices and two Democratic senators, killing five people and infecting seventeen others, leading to one of the largest investigations in U.S. law enforcement history.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Enron scandal
In October 2001, American energy company Enron filed for bankruptcy after widespread internal fraud was revealed, leading to the dissolution of its auditor Arthur Andersen. It was the largest bankruptcy reorganization in U.S. history at the time and was cited as the biggest audit failure.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
South Asia
Establishment of Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National ParkPhong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National Park was established in 2001 in Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam. Located about 500 km south of Hanoi, it spans the Bố Trạch and Minh Hóa districts and borders Laos's Hin Namno National Park. The park's core zone covers over 850 km² and features one of Asia's oldest karst landscapes, with extensive cave systems and underground rivers. It was later inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
SourcesUNESCO World Heritage listing ↗Wikipedia ↗Image: Genghiskhanviet / Public domain ↗
Mukurthi National Park DesignatedIndia designated Mukurthi National Park in the western Nilgiris mountains of Tamil Nadu to protect the keystone Nilgiri tahr. The park lies within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and the Western Ghats World Heritage Site.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Rajeshdxb at English Wikipedia / Public domain ↗
- Nepalese royal massacre
On the evening of 1 June 2001, Crown Prince Dipendra carried out a shooting at the Narayanhiti Palace, resulting in the deaths of several members of the royal family, including King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, before shooting himself and dying three days later. The event led to the accession of his uncle Gyanendra to the throne and indirectly contributed to the abolition of the Nepalese monarchy in 2008.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Europe
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Inscription of Jungfrau-Aletsch as a World Natural Heritage siteIn 2001, the Jungfrau-Aletsch protected area in south-western Switzerland was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, becoming the first such site in the Alps. The area features the largest glaciated region in western Eurasia, including the Aletsch Glacier and the northern wall of Jungfrau, and holds outstanding scientific value for understanding mountain and glacier formation as well as ecological processes. Its spectacular landscape has also profoundly influenced European art, literature, mountaineering, and alpine tourism.
SourcesUNESCO World Heritage listing ↗Wikipedia ↗Image: Carsten Steger / CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
- Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War was an armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Chechen separatists, lasting from August 1999 to April 2009. Following its defeat in the first war, Russia regained control over Chechnya. The conflict involved major combat and prolonged counterinsurgency operations.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Establishment of Ses Salines Natural ParkIn 2001, the Balearic Islands in Spain established the Ses Salines Natural Park through legislation, protecting terrestrial and marine ecosystems between Ibiza and Formentera.
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Outbreak of the Second Congo War
On 2 August 1998, the Second Congo War began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when President Laurent-Désiré Kabila turned against his former allies, Rwanda and Uganda. The conflict expanded as Kabila rallied a coalition of other countries to his defense, eventually drawing in nine African nations and approximately 25 armed groups, making it one of Africa's largest wars.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Central & South America
Establishment of Alejandro de Humboldt National ParkAlejandro de Humboldt National Park was established in the Cuban provinces of Holguín and Guantánamo, encompassing a large area with diverse terrain and rich endemic flora and fauna. It was named after the German scientist Alexander von Humboldt, who visited the region in the early 19th century. The park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in the same year.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Antonio Núñez Jiménez / CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
West Asia
- China's accession to the World Trade Organization
In 2001, after years of negotiations, the People's Republic of China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a member. The agreement was reached at the Ministerial Conference, and China formally became a member that December. The accession required significant reforms to the Chinese economy and had broad economic and political effects on other countries.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
East Asia
- Founding of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
In June 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was established in Shanghai, China, by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Evolving from the 'Shanghai Five' mechanism founded in 1996, the SCO aims to deepen political, economic, and security cooperation among its members. Guided by the 'Shanghai Spirit', it adheres to non-alignment and openness, with the Heads of State Council serving as its supreme decision-making body.
SourcesWikipedia ↗