WORLD HISTORY · TIMELINE 日本語
The 21st century2001–present
What were the key events of the 21st century?
The 21st century (2001–) began with the September 11 attacks in the United States, followed by the rise of emerging economies such as China and India and the spread of smartphones and social media. The Lehman Brothers collapse, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine affected the world, and a powerful earthquake struck Japan's Noto region.
- China, India and other emerging economies riseAsia
- September 11 attacks strike the United StatesNorth America
- Smartphones and social media spreadNorth America
- Lehman collapse fuels financial turmoilNorth America
- Paris Agreement on climate change adoptedEurope
- WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemicEurope
- Russia launches full-scale invasion of UkraineEurope
- Earthquake of top intensity (shindo 7) hits Noto regionAsia
Summaries are written by the site editors.
Decade by decade
The 21st century in AP history courses
| AP World History | Unit 9 (Globalization) |
|---|---|
| AP U.S. History | Period 9 |
Key events of the 21st century (timeline · excerpt)
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.
Source: Wikipedia date pages ("January 1" … "December 31") / CC BY-SA 4.0. Regions are assigned by the site editors.
Dates and events are based on Wikipedia and other references. Summaries and regions are written by the site editors.