2021 facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Millennium:	3rd millennium
Centuries:	20th century – 21st century – 22nd century
Decades:	1990s 2000s 2010s – 2020s – 2030s 2040s 2050s
Years:	2018 2019 2020 – 2021 – 2022 2023 2024

2021 (MMXXI) was a year that started on a Friday. Many big events that were supposed to happen in 2020 were moved to 2021, like the UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament and the 2020 Summer Olympics. These events were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Events
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
Births
Deaths
Nobel Prizes
Images for kids
See also

Events

January

On January 6, people supporting Donald Trump entered the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

On January 9, Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 crashed into the Java Sea after taking off from Jakarta, Indonesia.

On January 20, Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States.

January 1
- The African Continental Free Trade Area, a big trade agreement, officially started.
- Cuba changed its money system, making the Cuban peso (CUP) its only official currency.
January 6
- Supporters of then-U.S. President Donald Trump entered the United States Capitol building. This happened while the United States Congress was confirming the results of the 2020 United States presidential election.
- In Hong Kong, police arrested over 50 people who supported democracy, using a new national security law.
January 9 – Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 disappeared shortly after leaving Jakarta, Indonesia. The plane crashed, and over 60 people were on board.
January 13
- In Lyon, France, doctors performed the first transplant of both arms and shoulders on a patient.
- U.S. President Donald Trump was accused of serious wrongdoing for a second time by the United States House of Representatives. This was because of the events at the United States Capitol. He is the only U.S. president to be accused twice.
January 15
- An earthquake in Sulawesi, Indonesia, killed over 100 people.
- The number of deaths worldwide from the COVID-19 pandemic passed two million.
January 20 – Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States. Kamala Harris became the 49th Vice President of the United States.
January 26
- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide passed 100 million.
- Kaja Kallas became the first female Prime Minister of Estonia.

February

On February 1, Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi (left) was removed from power by the military, led by Min Aung Hlaing (right).

On February 7, a sudden flood from a glacier in Uttarakhand, India killed at least 36 people.

From February 13 to 17, a big winter storm hit North America, causing many deaths and power outages.

February 1
- The military took control in Myanmar, removing leader Aung San Suu Kyi from power. Min Aung Hlaing became the new state leader.
- Over 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations had been given worldwide.
February 2 – Jeff Bezos stepped down as the head of Amazon. Andy Jassy took his place.
February 7 – A sudden flood from a glacier in Uttarakhand, India killed at least 36 people. Over 200 people were missing.
February 9
- The United Arab Emirates' Hope spacecraft successfully entered orbit around Mars. This was the first time an Arabian mission achieved this.
February 13 – A large winter storm started in North America. It caused 70 deaths and left millions without clean water or power.
February 18 – NASA's Mars 2020 mission landed on Mars after traveling for seven months.
February 19 – The United States officially rejoined the Paris Agreement, a global deal on climate change.
February 22 – The United States became the first country to have over half a million deaths from the COVID-19 virus.
February 24 – Ghana was the first country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX, a program to share vaccines.
February 26 – More than 300 schoolgirls were taken by unknown gunmen from a school in Nigeria.

March

On March 1, former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty of wrongdoing.

On March 18, huge floods in New South Wales, Australia forced over 18,000 people to leave their homes.

On March 23, the Ever Given ship blocked the Suez Canal, causing big problems for global trade.

March 1 – Former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty of wrongdoing and sentenced to three years in prison.
March 2 – Microsoft reported a series of cyberattacks that affected about 250,000 servers worldwide.
March 7 – A series of explosions in Bata, Equatorial Guinea killed over 100 people and injured more than 600.
March 17 – President of Tanzania John Magufuli died in office. His Vice President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, became the country's first female president.
March 18 – In Australia, floods in New South Wales caused over 18,000 people to leave their homes. Three people died.
March 23 – The Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, got stuck and blocked the Suez Canal. This caused a major disruption to global trade.
March 24 – Over twenty people were killed when rebels took the city of Palma, Mozambique.
March 30 – A series of riots broke out in Derry in Northern Ireland.

April

On April 9, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, died at age 99.

On April 13, Japan approved plans to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean.

On April 20, Idriss Déby, the President of Chad, was killed during a military conflict.

April 2 – At least 51 people were killed in a train accident in Taiwan after a truck fell onto the track.
April 6 – Cyclone Seroja hit Indonesia and East Timor, killing at least 160 people.
April 9
- La Soufrière, a volcano in Saint Vincent, erupted. This forced over 20,000 people to leave their homes.
- Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, died at Windsor Castle at age 99.
April 13 – Japan's government approved releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean over 30 years.
April 17 – The global death toll from COVID-19 pandemic passed 3 million.
April 19 – NASA's Ingenuity helicopter made the first powered flight on another planet (Mars).
April 20 – Idriss Déby, the President of Chad, was killed during a rebel attack.
April 21 – India reported 315,000 COVID-19 infections in 24 hours, the highest number recorded anywhere in the world at that time.
April 24 – The number of COVID-19 vaccinations given worldwide passed 1 billion.
April 28 – Clashes on the Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan border killed at least 46 people and displaced 30,000 civilians.
April 29 – China launched the Tianhe space station module, the first part of its new Tiangong space station.
April 30 – In Israel, at least 45 people were crushed to death at a religious festival on Mount Meron.

May

On May 2, many protests began in Colombia against a proposed tax increase.

On May 3, a section of the Mexico City Metro overpass collapsed, killing 26 people.

On May 11, a conflict between Israel and Palestine began with rockets and airstrikes.

On May 14, China's Zhurong rover landed on Mars.

May 2 – Protests in Colombia against proposed tax increases resulted in at least six deaths. The president later withdrew the tax increase plan.
May 3 – A section of the Mexico City Metro overpass collapsed, killing 26 people and injuring 70.
May 5 – SpaceX successfully flew, landed, and recovered a Starship prototype for the first time.
May 8 – A bombing near a school in Kabul, Afghanistan killed at least 85 people.
May 11 – Israel launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip as Hamas increased rocket attacks.
May 14 – The China National Space Administration landed its Zhurong rover on Mars. This made China the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the planet.
May 20 – After international pressure, Israel and Gaza militants agreed to a ceasefire, ending their conflict.
May 23 – In Belarus, journalist Roman Protasevich was arrested after his flight was forced to land.
May 24 – Military forces in Mali arrested the president and prime minister in a change of government.
May 26 – The second-shortest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century occurred.
May 29 – In Canada, a sad discovery of the remains of 215 children was made on the grounds of a former residential school.
May 30 – Brazilian driver Hélio Castroneves won the Indy 500 for the fourth time.

June

On June 2, Isaac Herzog was elected the 11th President of Israel.

On June 9, El Salvador became the first country to make Bitcoin a legal currency.

On June 13, Naftali Bennett became the 13th Prime Minister of Israel, ending Benjamin Netanyahu's long time in office.

On June 24, a building in Miami, Florida collapsed, killing 97 people.

June 2
- The X-Press Pearl ship sank near Sri Lanka, leaking oil and chemicals. This caused the country's worst marine environmental disaster.
- The first daughter of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex was born in the United States.
June 4 – At least 152 people were killed in attacks on two villages in Burkina Faso.
June 5 – The G7 group of countries agreed on a global minimum tax rate of 15% for large companies.
June 7
- Two trains crashed in Sindh, Pakistan, killing 65 people and injuring 150.
- The Juno spacecraft flew by Jupiter's moon Ganymede. This was the first time a spacecraft had done this in over twenty years.
June 9 – El Salvador became the first country to make Bitcoin an official legal currency.
June 11 – World leaders met at the G7 summit in the United Kingdom to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and taxes.
June 13 – Naftali Bennett became the 13th Prime Minister of Israel, ending Benjamin Netanyahu's twelve years in that role.
June 17 – China's Shenzhou 12 launched the first crew for the Tiangong space station.
June 24 – In the United States, a building in Miami, Florida collapsed, killing 97 people.
June 25 – More unmarked burial sites were found near a former indigenous residential school in Saskatchewan, Canada.
June 29 – The number of COVID-19 vaccinations given worldwide passed 3 billion.
June 30 – A very hot weather period in North America killed 600 people.

July

On July 7, Jovenel Moïse, the President of Haiti, was killed.

On July 12, severe floods in Europe killed over 120 people.

On July 17, floods and landslides in Henan, China killed over 50 people.

On July 23, the 2020 Summer Olympics began in Tokyo, Japan.

July 3 – The United Nations announced that fighting in Ethiopia had caused a serious food shortage affecting over 400,000 people.
July 4 – In the Philippines, a plane crashed, killing at least 53 people.
July 7 – Jovenel Moïse, the President of Haiti, was killed.
July 8 – The global death toll from COVID-19 pandemic passed 4 million.
July 11
- Italy defeated England to win the UEFA Euro 2020 football final.
- In Cuba, large protests against the government broke out because of food and medicine shortages.
July 12 – Severe floods across Western Europe killed at least 90 people and left 1,300 others missing.
July 13 – Over 70 people were killed during riots in South Africa following the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma.
July 19 – Blue Origin successfully completed its first human test flight into space, carrying founder Jeff Bezos and others.
July 21 – The International Olympic Committee chose Brisbane, Australia, to host the 2032 Summer Olympics.
July 22 – A flood in Maharashtra, India killed over 250 people.
July 23 – The 2020 Summer Olympics began in Tokyo, Japan, a year after being postponed.
July 28 – Scientists reported the first direct observation of light from behind a black hole, confirming Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.

August

On August 14, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, killing over 300 people.

On August 26, two bombings by ISIS killed over 180 people at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

On August 30, the evacuations in Afghanistan ended, officially ending the War in Afghanistan.

August 1 – Min Aung Hlaing, the military leader in Myanmar, formed a temporary government and became Prime Minister.
August 4 – The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide passed 200 million.
August 8 – The 2020 Summer Olympics ended in Tokyo, Japan, with the United States winning the most medals.
August 9 – A report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated that the effects of human-caused climate change are now "widespread, rapid, and intensifying."
August 14 – A 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, killing more than 300 people.
August 15 – The Taliban took control of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The Afghan government collapsed, and the president left the country.
August 24 – The 2020 Summer Paralympics began in Tokyo, Japan, after being postponed.
August 26 – During evacuations, a bombing occurred at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing over 180 people.
August 29 – Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana as a very strong hurricane.
August 30 – The United Nations announced that leaded petrol (gasoline) for cars had been completely phased out globally. The evacuations in Afghanistan ended, officially finishing the War in Afghanistan.

September

On September 3, Yoshihide Suga, the Prime Minister of Japan, announced he would resign.

On September 5, Alpha Condé, the President of Guinea, was arrested and removed from power.

On September 20, Justin Trudeau was re-elected as the Prime Minister of Canada.

September 3 – Yoshihide Suga, the Prime Minister of Japan, announced he would resign.
September 5 – Alpha Condé, the President of Guinea, was arrested and removed from power by a military unit.
September 7 – El Salvador became the first country in the world to accept Bitcoin as an official currency.
September 8 – A prison fire in Tangerang, Indonesia killed 44 prisoners.
September 11 – Tennis players Emma Raducanu (UK) and Daniil Medvedev (Russia) won the US Open.
September 15 – A new security agreement called AUKUS was formed between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This agreement aims to counter China's influence.
September 16 – SpaceX launched Inspiration4, the first spaceflight with only private citizens on board.
September 19 – The Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands erupted.
September 20 – Justin Trudeau was re-elected as the Prime Minister of Canada.
September 23 – Scientists found human footprints in the United States that are about 23,000 years old. This suggests humans arrived in North America much earlier than thought.
September 29 – Fumio Kishida was elected the 100th Prime Minister of Japan.

October

On October 4, Fumio Kishida became the 100th Prime Minister of Japan.

On October 4, a huge outage affected Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram for seven hours.

On October 8, Maria Ressa (Philippines) and Dmitry Muratov (Russia) won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.

On October 14, a building fire in Taiwan killed 46 people.

October 1 – The Expo 2020 in Dubai began, after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 3 – The Pandora Papers, a large leak of financial documents, revealed hidden financial activities of many world leaders.
October 4
- Fumio Kishida officially became the 100th Prime Minister of Japan.
- Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp experienced a major outage, making them inaccessible for several hours.
October 5 – Roscosmos launched the Soyuz MS-19 mission, carrying two filmmakers to the International Space Station to make a movie.
October 6 – Children across most of Africa began to receive a new vaccine against malaria, the first vaccine approved by the World Health Organization for this disease.
October 7 – A 5.9 magnitude earthquake killed 20 people in Balochistan, Pakistan.
October 8 – Maria Ressa (Philippines) and Dmitry Muratov (Russia) won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for their work on freedom of expression.
October 9 – Sebastian Kurz resigned as Chancellor of Austria after a wrongdoing investigation began against him.
October 13 – Star Trek actor William Shatner became the oldest person to go into space at age 90.
October 14 – A building fire in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, killed at least 46 people.
October 15 – A bombing at a mosque in Kandahar, Afghanistan killed 65 people.
October 16 – The Lucy spacecraft was launched by NASA, the first mission to explore the Trojan asteroids.
October 25 – The military in Sudan launched a change in government. The Prime Minister was placed under house arrest.
October 31 – The COP26 Summit began in Glasgow, Scotland, where world leaders discussed limiting global warming.

November

On November 3, the World Health Organization approved the Covaxin COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.

On November 7, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, survived an attack.

On November 26, the World Health Organization officially named the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.

On November 29, Barbados became a republic, with Sandra Mason as its first president.

November 1 – The number of recorded deaths from COVID-19 pandemic passed 5 million.
November 3 – The World Health Organization approved the Covaxin COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.
November 5
- At least 99 people were killed in a fuel tanker explosion in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
- In the United States, nine people died and over 300 were injured in a crowd crush at a music festival in Houston, Texas.
November 7 – Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, survived an attack on his home.
November 11 – F. W. de Klerk, the last president of South Africa during the apartheid era and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, died at age 85.
November 14 – A car bombing outside a women's hospital in Liverpool, England, killed the bomber.
November 16 – Russia was criticized for testing an anti-satellite weapon, which created a cloud of space debris that threatened the International Space Station.
November 19 – The longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years occurred.
November 21 – In the United States, an SUV broke through barriers at a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, killing six people.
November 24 – NASA launched the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, a defense system against objects that could hit Earth.
November 26 – The World Health Organization officially recognized the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.
November 29 – Magdalena Andersson was elected Sweden's first female Prime Minister. Barbados officially became a republic, with Sandra Mason as its first president.

December

On December 4, Mount Semeru erupted in Indonesia, killing 46 people.

On December 8, Olaf Scholz became the Chancellor of Germany, replacing Angela Merkel.

On December 10, a series of tornadoes in the southern United States killed 88 people.

On December 25, the James Webb Space Telescope was launched into space.

December 1 – Farm protests in India ended after the country removed a controversial farming law.
December 4
- Mount Semeru erupted in Indonesia, killing 46 people.
- Fourteen civilians were killed by Indian Special Forces in Nagaland, India.
December 6
- The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia announced they would not send officials to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. This was in response to China's human rights record.
- Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and former leader of Myanmar, was sentenced to prison.
December 8
- Olaf Scholz became the Chancellor of Germany, taking over from Angela Merkel.
- Fourteen people were killed in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, India.
December 9 – At least 54 people without proper documents were killed when the truck they were being smuggled in crashed in Chiapas, Mexico.
December 10 – A series of tornadoes in the southern United States killed at least 88 people.
December 14 – A fuel tanker explosion killed over 60 people in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti.
December 17 – A building fire in Osaka, Japan, killed 25 people.
December 19 – Gabriel Boric was elected the 36th President of Chile.
December 25 – The James Webb Space Telescope, a new space telescope, was launched.
December 26 – Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning archbishop and anti-apartheid activist from South Africa, died at age 90.
December 29 – A pro-democracy news website in Hong Kong closed down after its staff were arrested.
December 31 – American actress and comedian Betty White died at age 99.