The world in
What happened in 2009?
8 events across 5 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
- 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 ↗
Discovery of Ochtinská Aragonite CaveIn 1954, the Ochtinská Aragonite Cave was discovered near Rožňava in southern Slovakia. Known for its rare aragonite formations, the cave is approximately 300 meters long and forms part of the Slovak Karst. It was later inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Jojo , en:Jojo_1 , pl:Jojo / CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
West Asia
- Outbreak of the Iraq War
The Iraq War broke out in 2003 and lasted until 2011. The armed conflict began with a US-led coalition invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein's government. The invasion was followed by a prolonged insurgency.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- 2009 Iranian Presidential Election
On 12 June 2009, Iran held its tenth presidential election, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running for re-election. Official results gave Ahmadinejad around 60 percent of the vote, while his main opponent Mir-Hossein Mousavi received about one-third. Mousavi's camp alleged electoral fraud, sparking mass protests across Iran and the emergence of the Iranian Green Movement.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Central Asian steppe
- July 2009 Ürümqi riots
On 5 July 2009, large-scale violent riots broke out in Ürümqi, Xinjiang. A protest escalated into indiscriminate attacks mainly targeting Han people, resulting in heavy casualties and property damage. Chinese authorities deployed armed police; state media reported at least 197 dead and 1,721 injured. Human Rights Watch documented disappearances during subsequent police sweeps.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Establishment of the BRICS Cooperation Mechanism
In 2009, the BRICS cooperation mechanism was formally established. Its founding members were Brazil, Russia, India, and China. The organization consists of emerging market economies and aims to foster cooperation and dialogue among its members.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Central & South America
- Creation of Bitcoin
In 2009, Bitcoin, the first decentralized cryptocurrency, came into existence after Satoshi Nakamoto released its open-source implementation. The genesis block was generated on January 3, followed by the first transaction, marking the operational start of a blockchain-based peer-to-peer electronic cash system.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
North America
- 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 ↗