2016 Facts for Kids

Millennium:	3rd millennium
Centuries:	20th century – 21st century – 22nd century
Decades:	1980s 1990s 2000s – 2010s – 2020s 2030s 2040s
Years:	2013 2014 2015 – 2016 – 2017 2018 2019

2016 (MMXVI) is a leap year starting on Friday in the Gregorian calendar and is the current year. It is the 2016th year in the Common Era or Anno Domini designations, and the 16th year in the 3rd millennium and 21st century.

The year has been designated as the International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Events

January 3 – Following the fallout caused by the execution of Nimr al-Nimr, Saudi Arabia ends its diplomatic relations with Iran.
January 16 – The International Atomic Energy Agency announces that Iran has adequately dismantled its nuclear weapons program, allowing the United Nations to lift sanctions immediately.
January 28 - WHO announces an outbreak of the Zika Virus.

June 22 - The majority of United Kingdom residents vote to leave the European Union.

April 4 – Square root day.
May 9 – Transit of Mercury
June 11 – July 3 – 2016 European Football Championship (Host scheduled to be picked in May 2010)
June 29 – Analog shut-off in Brazil

European Capital Of Culture 2016 – European Union choose two European cities, from Poland and from Spain to become the European Capitals Of Culture in this year.
The right for the U.S. forces to use Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands as a military base will end at this year, but there will be a provision for an automatic extension for another 20 years for the US forces to remain stationed on the island.
Start of unmanned test flights of Altair for future U.S. lunar landings.
ITER, an international scientific experiment (2nd largest worldwide ever) into developing nuclear fusion as an energy source will boot up for the first time.
Files concerning Rudolf Hess made open to the public
The Centralia, Pennsylvania time capsule will open
NASA Juno, Jupiter orbiter
The world's largest suspension bridge will be completed, connecting Sicily and main land Italy.