2025 facts for kids

The year 2025 has been a time of significant global events, including ongoing efforts to resolve major international disagreements. Discussions involving leaders like Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump aimed to find peaceful solutions for conflicts, such as the situation in Ukraine. Other regions, like Sudan and Gaza, faced serious humanitarian challenges, with efforts made to provide aid and support reconstruction. President Trump helped arrange a truce in Gaza, leading to a period of rebuilding by November.

Many countries experienced internal political changes and public demonstrations. For example, South Korea saw a major shift in leadership with President Yoon Suk Yeol's removal from office. Across the world, young people, often called Gen Z, led many protests, with some leading to changes in government in places like Nepal and Madagascar. There were also brief periods of tension between countries, such as between India and Pakistan, Iran and Israel, and Cambodia and Thailand, which sometimes led to political changes.

In the world of economics, the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency brought new trade policies, including tariffs on goods from many countries. These changes affected global trade and continued the China–United States trade war. Technology also saw big developments, like the release of DeepSeek's chatbot, a new Chinese large language model that competes with ChatGPT. In space exploration, there were exciting achievements, including the first crewed spaceflight to orbit over the Earth's poles and the first successful Moon landing by a private company. Sadly, there were also aviation accidents, such as the crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, India.

Key Events of 2025

January

A collapsed house in Tibet after the earthquake on January 7

Homes damaged by the Palisades Fire in Southern California on January 15

Recovery efforts after an aviation accident over the Potomac River on January 29

• January 1
  • Poland began its term as the leader of the Council of the European Union.
  • Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen Area, making travel easier between these countries.
  • Liechtenstein became the 37th country to allow same-sex marriage.
  • Ukraine stopped transporting some Russian gas supplies and officially joined the International Criminal Court.
• January 6 – Indonesia became the tenth country to join the BRICS group.
• January 7
  • A strong 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Tibet, China, causing many deaths and injuries.
  • Greater Los Angeles experienced severe wildfires, destroying many homes and forcing evacuations.
• January 9 – Joseph Aoun was elected as the 14th president of Lebanon, ending a long period without a leader.
• January 10 – The European Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded, marking a significant milestone in global warming.
• January 12 – Zoran Milanović was re-elected as president of Croatia.
• January 13 – C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), a special comet, reached its closest point to the Sun and was called The Great Comet of 2025.
• January 14 – February 2 – The 2025 World Men's Handball Championship was held in Croatia, Denmark, and Norway, with Denmark winning the championship.
• January 15
  • South Korea saw a major political change as President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office after an impeachment process.
  • An agreement for a truce was reached in the Gaza war, aiming to end the conflict and allow humanitarian aid. It started on January 19.
  • Scientists at Colossal Biosciences and the University of Melbourne made a breakthrough by creating the world's first artificial womb for marsupials, as part of efforts to bring back the thylacine.
• January 16 – Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket for the first time.
• January 19 – The truce in the Gaza war began, though it was later interrupted by renewed conflict in March.
• January 23
  • Micheál Martin was re-elected as prime minister of Ireland.
  • Thailand became the 38th country and the first in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
• January 24
  • Storm Éowyn brought strong winds to Ireland and the United Kingdom, causing power outages.
  • People in Southeastern European countries started boycotting several retail stores due to concerns about rising food prices.
• January 26 – Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected as president of Belarus.
• January 27 – Global technology companies saw a sharp drop in value after the release of DeepSeek's new chatbot, a competitor to OpenAI's ChatGPT.
• January 29 – Ahmed al-Sharaa was appointed as the new president of Syria.

February

Members of the Guatemalan Army and National Civil Police helping after a tragic bus accident in Guatemala City on February 10

Student-led public demonstrations in Indonesia on February 17

A meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump, and JD Vance in the Oval Office on February 28

• February 4
  • The China–United States trade war continued as China announced new trade controls in response to U.S. tariffs.
  • Donald Trump announced that the United States would help with the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
• February 9
  • The Baltic states connected their power grids with continental Europe, disconnecting from Russia's grid.
  • The Patriotic Union party kept its leading position in the 2025 Liechtenstein general election.
• February 12
  • Konstantinos Tasoulas was elected President of Greece.
  • Klaus Iohannis resigned as President of Romania.
• February 15 – Mahamoud Ali Youssouf was elected as the new leader of the African Union Commission.
• February 17 – A series of nationwide public demonstrations took place in Indonesia following new laws about military involvement in government.
• February 18
  • Nicaragua became a diarchy with spouses Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo as co-presidents.
  • Vladimir Putin announced that Russia and the United States agreed to restore diplomatic relations, followed by a summit in Saudi Arabia.
  • The tomb of Thutmose II was discovered in Egypt, the first royal tomb found since 1922.
• February 19 – Croatia completed its process of joining the European Economic Area.
• February 23 – The CDU/CSU became the largest party in the 2025 German federal election.
• February 28 – A meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took place at the White House, where discussions were held about support for Ukraine.

March

A rendering of Blue Ghost Mission 1 which successfully landed on March 2

Public demonstrations in Turkey on March 19

Rescue efforts in Bangkok, Thailand, after a building collapsed due to the Myanmar earthquake on March 28

• March 2 – Firefly Aerospace became the first private company to successfully land on the Moon without any technical problems, with its Blue Ghost Mission 1.
• March 3 – The Trump administration paused military aid to Ukraine after a meeting with President Zelenskyy.
• March 4 – Colossal Biosciences created woolly mice as part of efforts to bring back the woolly mammoth.
• March 5 – Sudan filed a case against the United Arab Emirates at the International Court of Justice, raising concerns about human rights.
• March 8–17 – The 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in Turin, Italy.
• March 11
  • The Democrats became the largest party in the 2025 Greenlandic general election.
• March 12 – The People's United Party won a second term in the 2025 Belizean general election.
• March 16 – Keith Rowley resigned as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and was succeeded by Stuart Young.
• March 18
  • Israel launched renewed military actions in the Gaza Strip, ending the truce agreement from January.
• March 19 – Nationwide public demonstrations erupted in Turkey after the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, was arrested.
• March 20 – Kirsty Coventry was elected as the first female and African President of the International Olympic Committee.
• March 21
  • A major power outage caused Heathrow Airport in London to shut down, affecting thousands of flights.
  • South Korea experienced one of its worst wildfires in modern history, destroying vast areas of land.
• March 28 – A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, causing many deaths and injuries.
• March 31 – The Caribbean guilder was introduced as the new currency for Curaçao and Sint Maarten.

April

An artistic impression of exoplanet K2-18b, where possible signs of life were found

A view of Madrid's Preciados Street during the Iberian Peninsula blackout on April 28

• April 1 – Fram2 launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, becoming the first crewed spaceflight to enter a polar retrograde orbit.
• April 2 – U.S. President Donald Trump introduced new trade tariffs on many countries.
• April 3 – Hungary withdrew from the International Criminal Court, raising concerns about international justice.
• April 4 – The Constitutional Court of Korea officially upheld the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, removing him from office.
• April 7 – Colossal Biosciences showcased three grey wolves that were genetically modified to resemble the dire wolf.
• April 12 – Transitional President Brice Oligui Nguema won a full term in the 2025 Gabonese presidential election.
• April 13 – October 13 – Expo 2025 was held in Osaka, Japan, showcasing new innovations.
• April 13 – Incumbent president Daniel Noboa was re-elected in the 2025 Ecuadorian general election.
• April 17 – Scientists discovered possible signs of life in the atmosphere of K2-18b, an exoplanet located 124 light-years away.
• April 21 – Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, passed away at the age of 88. World leaders paid tribute to him.
• April 26
  • The funeral of Pope Francis was attended by delegations from many countries and thousands of people.
• April 28
  • Mark Carney became the new Prime Minister of Canada after the 2025 Canadian federal election.
  • A widespread power outage affected Spain and Portugal for several hours.
  • The UNC won a majority government in the 2025 Trinidad and Tobago general election.
• April 30 – The Ukraine–United States Mineral Resources Agreement was signed, providing economic support for Ukraine's defense and reconstruction.

May

Robert Francis Prevost was elected as Pope Leo XIV on May 8, becoming the first pope from North America

• May 3
  • The Australian Labor Party led by Anthony Albanese won re-election in the 2025 Australian federal election.
  • The People's Action Party led by Lawrence Wong won re-election in the 2025 Singaporean general election.
  • Hundreds of people gathered in Bamako, Mali, for public demonstrations against proposed government changes.
• May 6
  • Friedrich Merz was elected Chancellor of Germany after the 2025 German federal election.
  • India launched military actions into Pakistani territory in response to earlier tensions.
• May 7–8 – A papal conclave elected Robert Francis Prevost as the successor to Pope Francis. He took the name Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first pope from North America.
• May 9–25 – The 2025 IIHF World Championship was held in Sweden and Denmark, with the United States winning.
• May 11 – The Socialist Party of Albania led by Edi Rama won re-election in the 2025 Albanian parliamentary election.
• May 12
  • The ruling Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas alliance won a majority of seats in the 2025 Philippine general election.
  • The Kurdistan Workers' Party announced its dissolution after agreeing to a ceasefire with Turkey.
• May 13–17 – The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 was held in Basel, Switzerland, with Austrian contestant JJ winning.
• May 18
  • The Social Democratic Party won an increased number of seats in the 2025 Portuguese legislative election.
  • Nicușor Dan won the 2025 Romanian presidential election.
• May 25
  • The 2025 Surinamese general election was held.
  • The 2025 Venezuelan parliamentary election was held.
• May 31 – Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat became the new Episcopal Co-Prince of Andorra.

June

The California National Guard and protestors during the 2025 Los Angeles protests on June 9

The wreckage of Air India Flight 171's tail section after a tragic aviation accident

Explosions in Tehran during military actions between Iran and Israel on June 13

• June 1
  • Karol Nawrocki was elected President of Poland in the 2025 Polish presidential election.
  • Ukraine launched a large drone attack on Russian military bases in an operation called "Operation Spiderweb."
• June 3
  • Lee Jae Myung won the 2025 South Korean presidential election.
  • Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene resigned as Prime Minister of Mongolia after losing a no-confidence vote.
• June 6 – Public demonstrations erupted in Los Angeles in response to immigration enforcement actions.
• June 12 – Air India Flight 171, a London-bound Boeing 787, crashed after take-off from Ahmedabad, India, in a tragic aviation accident.
• June 13 – Iran–Israel war: Israel conducted air strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities, leading to retaliation from Iran.
• June 14 – July 13 – The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was held in the United States, with Chelsea winning the championship.
• June 14 – "No Kings protests" occurred in many cities around the world, demonstrating against Donald Trump.
• June 16–17 – The 51st G7 summit was held in Kananaskis, Canada, where world leaders discussed global issues.
• June 20 – An EF5 tornado struck southeast of Enderlin, North Dakota, making it the first EF5 tornado globally since 2013.
• June 22 – The United States carried out military actions on three Iranian nuclear sites.
• June 23 – Iran launched missiles at U.S. bases in Qatar and Iraq in response to earlier strikes.
• June 24–25 – A NATO summit was held in The Hague, Netherlands.
• June 25 – The Axiom Mission 4 was launched, carrying four astronauts, including the first from Poland and India since the Cold War.
• June 27 – The U.S. helped broker a preliminary peace treaty between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, ending their armed conflict.

July

An aerial photo of the Central Texas floods near Hunt

• July 1 – The Constitutional Court of Thailand suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from duty due to political changes.
• July 4–7 – A severe flood in Central Texas, United States, caused many deaths and left people missing.
• July 11 – August 3 – The 2025 World Aquatics Championships were held in Singapore.
• July 21 – Twenty-eight countries issued a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the Gaza war, highlighting the severe suffering of civilians.
• July 23 – The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that countries can sue each other over historical emissions of greenhouse gases and the effects of climate change.
• July 24 – Border disputes led to conflicts between Cambodia and Thailand, causing displacement.
• July 30 – A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami warnings.

August

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump arriving in Anchorage, Alaska, for the Russia–United States Summit on August 15

A magnitude-6.0 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan on August 30

• August 7–17 – The 2025 World Games were held in Chengdu, China.
• August 7 – OpenAI released its new model, GPT-5.
• August 8 – Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace deal to end long-standing hostilities regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
• August 15 – U.S. President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss a plan for resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
• August 15–17 – The first World Humanoid Robot Games were held in Beijing, China.
• August 22
  • Severe food shortages were confirmed in Gaza City, with many people facing a humanitarian crisis.
  • September 27 – The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup was held in England, with the England team winning.
• August 30 – The Constitutional Court of Thailand removed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office due to leadership changes.
• August 31 – An earthquake in eastern Afghanistan caused many deaths and injuries.

September

Students during the Nepalese Gen Z protests on September 8

The Philippine Army and the Bureau of Fire Protection helping with rescue efforts after the Cebu earthquake

• September 8
  • Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre's coalition kept its majority in the 2025 Norwegian parliamentary election.
  • The Bayrou government in France collapsed after losing a no-confidence vote, leading to political changes.
  • Mass public demonstrations erupted in Nepal, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli.
• September 9
  • The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly opened in New York City.
  • Israel conducted military actions against Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar.
  • Russian drones entered Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine, leading Poland to invoke Article 4 of NATO.
• September 11 – Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was found responsible for his involvement in a 2022 political plot.
• September 12 – Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki became the interim prime minister of an interim government.
• September 12–28 – The 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship was held in the Philippines, with Italy winning.
• September 13–21 – The 2025 World Athletics Championships were held in Tokyo, Japan.
• September 16
  • Peter Mutharika was elected president for a second term in the 2025 Malawian general election.
  • A United Nations commission of inquiry found concerns about human rights in Gaza.
• September 19 – Estonian airspace was violated by three Russian jets, leading Estonia to invoke Article 4 of NATO.
• September 20 – Intervision 2025 was held in Moscow, Russia, with Vietnamese contestant Đức Phúc winning.
• September 21 – The UK, Canada, and Australia formally recognized Palestine as a sovereign state, with France following suit the next day.
• September 28 – The pro-European party PAS won re-election in the 2025 Moldovan parliamentary election.
• September 30 – A 6.9-magnitude earthquake shook the island of Cebu in the Philippines, causing deaths and injuries.

October

The Galerie d'Apollon in the Louvre Museum, where an art theft occurred on October 19

Hurricane Melissa at its strongest shortly before reaching Jamaica on October 28

• October 1 – Israel intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, in an international incident.
• October 3
  • Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, stepped down from his role in favor of his son Guillaume.
  • Dame Sarah Mullally was named the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.
• October 3–4 – The ANO party won the most seats in the 2025 Czech parliamentary election.
• October 5 – The 2025 Syrian parliamentary election was held, the first since 2024.
• October 9
  • Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a peace deal for Gaza, aiming for a truce.
  • Pakistan reportedly carried out border security actions in Afghanistan, targeting a designated terrorist.
• October 9–11 – Patrick Herminie won the presidential election in the 2025 Seychellois general election.
• October 10 – Dina Boluarte, the President of Peru, was removed from office by the Congress.
• October 12
  • Incumbent President Paul Biya was re-elected for an eighth term in the 2025 Cameroonian presidential election.
  • Following protests, President Andry Rajoelina was removed from office in Madagascar, and Michael Randrianirina became President.
• October 13 – Hamas released the last 20 living hostages in Gaza as part of the peace deal.
• October 19
  • Rodrigo Paz Pereira won the presidential election in the 2025 Bolivian general election.
  • Pieces of the French Crown Jewels were stolen during an art theft from the Louvre in Paris.
• October 21
  • Sanae Takaichi became the first female Prime Minister of Japan.
  • American Eric Lu won the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland.
• October 24 – Independent candidate Catherine Connolly won the 2025 Irish presidential election.
• October 26
  • President Javier Milei's party La Libertad Avanza won the 2025 Argentine legislative election.
  • Timor-Leste became the 11th member state of ASEAN, joining all countries of Southeast Asia.
• October 28
  • Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a powerful Category 5 hurricane.
• October 29 – The Democrats 66 party tied with the Party for Freedom in the 2025 Dutch general election.

November

Damage to homes in Samangan Province, Afghanistan, following the Balkh earthquake on November 3

Typhoon Kalmaegi at its strongest over the South China Sea on November 6

• November 3 – A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook the provinces of Balkh and Samangan in Afghanistan, causing deaths and injuries.
• November 4 – Typhoon Kalmaegi caused many deaths in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand.
• November 6 – Khaled El-Enany was elected the new Director-General of UNESCO.
• November 10–21 – The COP30 summit was held in Belém, Brazil, focusing on the Amazon rainforest's role in climate action.
• November 11 – Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani's party won the most seats in the 2025 Iraqi parliamentary election.
• November 13 – The New Glenn rocket booster successfully landed for the first time.

Upcoming Events

• November 21 – December 7 – The 2025 FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup is scheduled to be held in the Philippines.
• November 22 – The G20 Johannesburg Summit is scheduled to be held in South Africa.
• November 26 – December 14 – The 2025 World Women's Handball Championship is scheduled to be held in Germany and the Netherlands.
• November 30
  • The 2025 Kyrgyz parliamentary election is scheduled to be held.
  • The 2025 Honduran general election is scheduled to be held.
• December 13 – The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2025 is scheduled to be held in Tbilisi, Georgia.
• December 14 – The second round of the 2025 Chilean general election is scheduled to be held.
• December 21 – January 18 – The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to be held in Morocco.

Events with Date Unknown

• An important meeting between the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church is planned for Nicaea, marking 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea.
• Norway aims to stop the sale of all new diesel and petrol cars by this year.
• The International Criminal Court is expected to present its findings regarding alleged actions by former Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte.

Nobel Prizes

• Chemistry – Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi were recognized for their work on metal-organic frameworks.
• Economics – Joel Mokyr, Peter Howitt, and Philippe Aghion were honored for their ideas on how technology and new ideas lead to economic growth.
• Literature – László Krasznahorkai received the prize for his powerful and imaginative writing.
• Peace – María Corina Machado was awarded for her dedication to promoting democratic rights and a peaceful transition in Venezuela.
• Physics – John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis were recognized for their discoveries in quantum mechanics related to electric circuits.
• Physiology or Medicine – Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi received the prize for their discoveries about how the body's immune system works.

See also

In Spanish: 2025 para niños

• List of elections in 2025