The world in
What happened in 2011?
11 events across 7 world regions, each with its sources.
South Asia
Ningaloo Coast inscribed as World Heritage SiteIn 2011, the Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 705,015-hectare site lies about 1,200 km north of Perth and features the 260 km Ningaloo Reef, Australia's largest fringing reef. The area is known for its extraordinary marine life, including seasonal whale shark aggregations, sea turtles, and a terrestrial karst cave network.
SourcesUNESCO World Heritage listing ↗Wikipedia ↗Image: Eugene Regis / CC BY 2.0 ↗
- Killing of Osama bin Laden
On May 2, 2011, U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Bin Laden, who masterminded the September 11 attacks, had been pursued for nearly a decade.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
North Africa
- 2011 Egyptian Revolution Begins
On 25 January 2011, Egyptians launched mass street demonstrations demanding President Mubarak's ouster. Organized by youth groups to coincide with Police Day, the protests decried police brutality. They were fiercest in Cairo and Alexandria, drawing millions nationwide. The revolution led to the fall of Mubarak's regime.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Multinational military intervention begins in Libya
On 19 March 2011, a NATO-led multinational coalition began military intervention in Libya, enforcing UN Security Council Resolution 1973 to establish a no-fly zone and protect civilians. The resolution, adopted with ten votes in favour and five abstentions, called for an immediate ceasefire and tightened sanctions against the Gaddafi regime. The action was a direct response to the government's crackdown on opposition forces during the Libyan Civil War.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
East Asia
- Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
On 11 March 2011, a major earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, disabling cooling systems at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and causing reactor core meltdowns. The accident released radioactive materials and was rated Level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale, making it the worst nuclear incident since Chernobyl.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
On 11 March 2011, a Mw 9.0 megathrust earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of Tōhoku, Japan, with its epicenter east of Sendai. The earthquake triggered a massive tsunami, with run-up heights reaching 40.1 meters, causing widespread destruction along the northeastern coast.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
West Asia
- Outbreak of the Syrian Civil War
In March 2011, large-scale anti-government protests demanding democratic reforms broke out in Syria as part of the Arab Spring. The Assad regime's lethal crackdown led to the formation of armed opposition groups, turning the uprising into a civil war. The conflict lasted nearly 14 years until the regime's fall in December 2024.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- 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 ↗
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Establishment of Gola Rainforest National Park
Sierra Leone established the Gola Rainforest National Park in 2010 by merging several forest reserves, creating the country's second-largest protected area. Located in the east, the park is part of the Upper Guinea Forest biodiversity hotspot.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Europe
Discovery of Gombasek CaveOn 21 November 1951, volunteer cavers discovered Gombasek Cave in the Slovak Karst, Slovakia. Located in the Slovak Karst National Park in the Slaná river valley, the cave is 1,525 m long. In 1955, 285 m were opened to the public; the current visitor route is 530 m.
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 ↗