WORLD HISTORY · 2009 日本語
Events of 2009Heisei 21 (Japan) · Year of the Ox
What happened in 2009?
In March 2009, Japan won its second straight World Baseball Classic, and in May Japan's new lay judge system for criminal trials began. In August, the Democratic Party of Japan won a landslide in the general election, and Hatoyama Yukio's cabinet took office in September.
- Israeli forces invade Gaza StripMiddle East
- First Bitcoin block is createdNorth America
- Obama inaugurated as presidentNorth America
- Japan wins second straight World Baseball ClassicAsia
- Lay judge system begins in JapanAsia
- Democratic Party wins landslide in general electionAsia
- Hatoyama Yukio cabinet takes officeAsia
- Obama awarded Nobel Peace PrizeNorth America
Tap an event to jump to it in the timeline below.
2009 at a glance
| Japanese era | Heisei 21 |
|---|---|
| Chinese zodiac | Year of the Ox |
| Age of people born in 2009 | Turn 17 in 2026 |
| Previous / next year | 2008 (Heisei 20) ／ 2010 (Heisei 22) |
| Events | 112 |
| AP World History | Unit 9 (Globalization) |
| AP U.S. History | Period 9 |
Famous people born in 2009
Our birthday pages list 14 people born in 2009. Here are some of them.
- Walker ScobellBorn January 5 · turns 17 this year
- Lumi PollackBorn January 18 · turns 17 this year
- Suleman octupletsBorn January 26 · turns 17 this year
- YaYa GosselinBorn January 26 · turns 17 this year
- Antonio ArenaBorn February 10 · turns 17 this year
- Shaylee MansfieldBorn April 6 · turns 17 this year
- Valentina TronelBorn April 6 · turns 17 this year
- Hala FinleyBorn May 18 · turns 17 this year
- Coco YoshizawaBorn September 22 · turns 17 this year
- Leah JeffriesBorn September 25 · turns 17 this year
- Christian ConveryBorn November 10 · turns 17 this year
- Salish MatterBorn November 29 · turns 17 this year
Show 2 more
- Owen CooperBorn December 5 · turns 17 this year
- Maddox BatsonBorn December 13 · turns 17 this year
Events of 2009 (timeline · 112)
Tip: the PC view is best for studying
On a computer, each region has its own vertical line, so you can follow the flow of events and see what was happening in different parts of the world at the same time.
The first block of the blockchain of the decentralized payment system Bitcoin, called the Genesis block, is established by the creator of the system, Satoshi Nakamoto.
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake in northern Costa Rica kills 15 people and injures 32.
US Airways Flight 1549 ditches safely in the Hudson River after the plane collides with birds less than two minutes after take-off. This becomes known as "The Miracle on the Hudson" as all 155 people on board were rescued.
A protest movement in Iceland culminates as the 2009 Icelandic financial crisis protests start.
Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip, officially ending a three-week war it had with Hamas. However, intermittent fire by both sides continues in the weeks to follow.
U.S. President Barack Obama signs an executive order to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp; congressional opposition will prevent it being implemented.
Cyclone Klaus makes landfall near Bordeaux, France, causing 26 deaths as well as extensive disruptions to public transport and power supplies.
Rioting breaks out in Antananarivo, Madagascar, sparking a political crisis that will result in the replacement of President Marc Ravalomanana with Andry Rajoelina.
Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich is removed from office following his conviction of several corruption charges, including solicitation of personal benefit in exchange for an appointment to the United States Senate as a replacement for then-U.S. president-elect Barack Obama.
At least 113 people are killed in Kenya and over 200 injured following an oil spillage ignition in Molo, days after a massive fire at a Nakumatt supermarket in Nairobi killed at least 25 people.
The first cabinet of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir was formed in Iceland, making her the country's first female prime minister and the world's first openly gay head of government.
Bushfires in Victoria leave 173 dead in the worst natural disaster in Australia's history.
The communications satellites Iridium 33 and Kosmos 2251 collide in orbit, destroying both.
Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashes into a house in Clarence Center, New York while on approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, killing all 49 on board and one on the ground.
Two Tamil Tigers aircraft packed with C4 explosives en route to the national airforce headquarters are shot down by the Sri Lankan military before reaching their target, in a kamikaze style attack.
Soldiers of the Bangladesh Rifles mutiny at their headquarters in Pilkhana, Dhaka, Bangladesh, resulting in 74 deaths, including 57 army officials.
Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 crashes during landing at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Netherlands, primarily due to a faulty radio altimeter, resulting in the death of nine passengers and crew including all three pilots.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issues an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Al-Bashir is the first sitting head of state to be indicted by the ICC since its establishment in 2002.
Massereene Barracks shooting: The Real Irish Republican Army kills two British soldiers and injures two other soldiers and two civilians at Massereene Barracks, the first British military deaths in Northern Ireland since the end of The Troubles.
Winnenden school shooting: Fifteen are killed and nine are injured before recent graduate Tim Kretschmer shoots and kills himself, leading to tightened weapons restrictions in Germany.
Financier Bernie Madoff pleads guilty to one of the largest frauds in Wall Street's history.
FedEx Express Flight 80: A McDonnell Douglas MD-11 flying from Guangzhou, China crashes at Tokyo's Narita International Airport, killing both the captain and the co-pilot.
The dam forming Situ Gintung, an artificial lake in Indonesia, fails, killing at least 99 people.
Jiverly Antares Wong opens fire at the American Civic Association immigration center in Binghamton, New York, killing thirteen and wounding four before committing suicide.
France announces its return to full participation of its military forces within NATO.
North Korea launches its controversial Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 satellite. The satellite passed over mainland Japan, which prompted an immediate reaction from the United Nations Security Council, as well as participating states of six-party talks.
Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori is sentenced to 25 years in prison for ordering killings and kidnappings by security forces.
Mass protests begin across Moldova under the belief that results from the parliamentary election are fraudulent.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, up to 60,000 people protest against the government of Mikheil Saakashvili.
President of Fiji Ratu Josefa Iloilo announces the abrogation of the constitution and assumes all governance in the country, creating a constitutional crisis.
A fire destroys a homeless hostel and kills at least 22 people in Kamień Pomorski, Poland.
Seven civilians and the perpetrator are killed and another ten injured at a Queen's Day parade in Apeldoorn, Netherlands in an attempted assassination on Queen Beatrix.
Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on the final mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
An American soldier in Iraq opens fire on a counseling center at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, killing five other US soldiers and wounding three.
The LTTE are defeated by the Sri Lankan government, ending almost 26 years of fighting between the two sides.
An Indonesian Air Force Lockheed L-100 Hercules crashes in Magetan Regency, killing 99.
North Korea allegedly tests its second nuclear device, after which Pyongyang also conducts several missile tests, building tensions in the international community.
General Motors files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the fourth largest United States bankruptcy in history.
Air France Flight 447 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. All 228 passengers and crew are killed.
After 65 straight days of civil disobedience, at least 31 people are killed in clashes between security forces and indigenous people near Bagua, Peru.
An explosion kills 17 people and injures at least 46 at a hotel in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Eighty-eight year-old James Wenneker von Brunn opens fire inside the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and fatally shoots Museum Special Police Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns. Other security guards returned fire, wounding von Brunn, who was apprehended.
A disputed presidential election in Iran leads to wide-ranging local and international protests.
War in North-West Pakistan: The Pakistani Armed Forces open Operation Rah-e-Nijat against the Taliban and other Islamist rebels in the South Waziristan area of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Mass riots involving over 10,000 people and 10,000 police officers break out in Shishou, China, over the dubious circumstances surrounding the death of a local chef.
A Washington D.C Metro train traveling southbound near Fort Totten station collides into another train waiting to enter the station. Nine people are killed in the collision (eight passengers and the train operator) and at least 80 others are injured.
The death of American entertainer Michael Jackson triggers an outpouring of worldwide grief as reactions online cause the flow of internet traffic to surge to unprecedented and historic levels.
Honduran president Manuel Zelaya is ousted by a local military coup following a failed request to hold a referendum to rewrite the Honduran Constitution. This was the start of the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis.
Yemenia Flight 626, an Airbus A310-300, crashes into the Indian Ocean near Comoros, killing 152 of the 153 people on board. A 14-year-old girl named Bahia Bakari survives the crash.
The first of four days of bombings begins on the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao.
The Statue of Liberty's crown reopens to the public after eight years of closure due to security concerns following the September 11 attacks.
The Staffordshire Horde, the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever discovered in Britain, is found near the village of Hammerwich, near Lichfield, Staffordshire.
A series of violent riots break out in Ürümqi, the capital city of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China.
Space Shuttle program: Endeavour is launched on STS-127 to complete assembly of the International Space Station's Kibō module.
Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 crashes near Jannatabad, Qazvin, Iran, killing 168.
Teoh Beng Hock, an aide to a politician in Malaysia is found dead on the rooftop of a building adjacent to the offices of the Anti-Corruption Commission, sparking an inquest that gains nationwide attention.
The militant Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram attacks a police station in Bauchi, leading to reprisals by the Nigeria Police Force and four days of violence across multiple cities.
A Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil and Piper PA-32R collide over the Hudson River, killing nine people.
Twenty people are killed in Handlová, Trenčín Region, in the deadliest mining disaster in Slovakia's history.
An accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam in Khakassia, Russia, kills 75 and shuts down the hydroelectric power station, leading to widespread power failure in the local area.
Kidnapping victim Jaycee Dugard is discovered alive in California after being missing for over 18 years. Her captors, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, are apprehended.
Internal conflict in Myanmar: The Burmese military junta and ethnic armies begin three days of violent clashes in the Kokang Special Region.
The Andhra Pradesh, India helicopter crash occurs near Rudrakonda Hill, 40 nautical miles (74 km) from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India. Fatalities include Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
The ro-ro ferry SuperFerry 9 sinks off the Zamboanga Peninsula in the Philippines with 971 persons aboard; all but ten are rescued.
The Dubai Metro, the first urban train network in the Arabian Peninsula, is ceremonially inaugurated.
South African Airlink Flight 8911 crashes near Durban International Airport in Durban, South Africa, killing the captain and injuring the rest of the crew.
Typhoon Ketsana hits the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, causing 700 fatalities.
The military junta leading Guinea attacks a protest rally, killing or wounding 1,400 people.
The 8.1 Mw Samoa earthquake results in a tsunami that kills over 189 and injures hundreds.
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom takes over the judicial functions of the House of Lords.
Armenia and Turkey sign the Zurich Protocols, intended to normalize relations. However, they are never ratified by either side.
US President Barack Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
NASA successfully launches the Ares I-X mission, the only rocket launch for its short-lived Constellation program.
An Ilyushin Il-76 crashes near the Mir mine after takeoff from Mirny Airport in Yakutia, killing all 11 aboard.
U.S. Army Major Nidal Hasan murders 13 and wounds 32 at Fort Hood, Texas in the deadliest mass shooting at a U.S. military installation.
Ships of the South and North Korean navies skirmish off Daecheong Island in the Yellow Sea.
Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-129 to the International Space Station.
The Maguindanao massacre occurs in Ampatuan, Philippines; 58 opponents of Andal Ampatuan Jr. are kidnapped and killed.
The Avdhela Project, an Aromanian digital library and cultural initiative, is founded in Bucharest, Romania.
Jeddah floods: Freak rains swamp the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during an ongoing Hajj pilgrimage. Three thousand cars are swept away and 122 people perish in the torrents, with 350 others missing.
Nevsky Express bombing: A bomb explodes on the Nevsky Express train between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, derailing it and causing 28 deaths and 96 injuries.
Maurice Clemmons shoots and kills four police officers inside a coffee shop in Lakewood, Washington.
A suicide bombing at a hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia, kills 25 people, including three ministers of the Transitional Federal Government.
Finnish game developer Rovio Entertainment releases the hit mobile game Angry Birds internationally on iOS.
MV Danny F II sinks off the coast of Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of 44 people and over 28,000 animals.
Iranian election protests: On the Day of Ashura in Tehran, Iran, government security forces fire upon demonstrators.
Forty-three people die in a suicide bombing in Karachi, Pakistan, where Shia Muslims are observing the Day of Ashura.
A segment of the Lanzhou–Zhengzhou–Changsha pipeline ruptures in Shaanxi, China, and approximately 150,000 L (40,000 US gal) of diesel oil flows down the Wei River before finally reaching the Yellow River.
A suicide bomber kills nine people at Forward Operating Base Chapman, a key facility of the Central Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan.
Source: Wikipedia date pages ("January 1" … "December 31") / CC BY-SA 4.0. Regions are assigned by the site editors.
FAQ
What year was 2009 in the Japanese calendar?
2009 was Heisei 21 in the Japanese era system.
What Chinese zodiac animal is 2009?
2009 is the Year of the Ox.
How old is someone born in 2009?
They turn 17 on their birthday in 2026.
What happened in 2009?
In March 2009, Japan won its second straight World Baseball Classic, and in May Japan's new lay judge system for criminal trials began. In August, the Democratic Party of Japan won a landslide in the general election, and Hatoyama Yukio's cabinet took office in September.
Dates and events are based on Wikipedia and other references. Summaries and regions are written by the site editors.