Major Events of December 1999: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from December 1999 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

Major Events of December 1999: Key Historical Moments from the Month

01 Dec 1999 Exxon Merges with Mobil, Creating Global Energy Giant: On December 1, 1999, Exxon Corporation officially changed its corporate name to ExxonMobil following its landmark merger with Mobil Oil Corporation. This strategic consolidation created one of the world's largest publicly traded energy companies, combining two historic petroleum industry leaders. The merger, valued at approximately $81 billion, represented a significant moment in corporate restructuring and the global energy landscape.
02 Dec 1999 Northern Ireland Political Devolution: The United Kingdom officially devolved political power in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive, a landmark moment following the historic Good Friday Agreement. This significant political transition aimed to establish a power-sharing government that would represent both Catholic and Protestant communities, marking a crucial step towards peace and stability in the region.
03 Dec 1999 NASA Mars Polar Lander Communication Loss: NASA experiences a critical mission failure when radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander is lost just moments before the spacecraft is set to enter the Martian atmosphere, potentially resulting in the loss of the mission.
04 Dec 1999 Father Jacques Marquette Founds Mission at Lake Michigan: Father Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary, established a mission on the shores of Lake Michigan to minister to the Illiniwek Native American tribe. This mission would eventually become a crucial early settlement that would grow into the modern metropolis of Chicago, marking a significant moment in the exploration and colonization of the North American continent.
05 Dec 1999 NASA Mars Polar Lander Mission Failure: NASA experienced a critical mission failure when radio contact was lost with the Mars Polar Lander moments before its planned atmospheric entry. This incident represented a significant setback in Mars exploration efforts, highlighting the immense technical challenges of interplanetary missions.
06 Dec 1999 Swiss Banks Acknowledge Holocaust Asset Mishandling: An independent panel reveals 'misleading statements' by Swiss banks regarding assets of Holocaust victims. The audit identifies 54,000 accounts potentially belonging to Jewish victims, exposing long-standing financial injustices from the World War II era.
07 Dec 1999 RIAA Lawsuit Against Napster: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) filed a landmark lawsuit against Napster, the pioneering peer-to-peer file-sharing platform, alleging widespread copyright infringement. This legal action marked a critical moment in the digital music industry, challenging the emerging online music sharing culture and setting a precedent for future digital copyright disputes.
08 Dec 1999 10th Billboard Music Awards: The 10th Billboard Music Awards celebrated top musical performances, with notable winners including Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, and Creed, highlighting the popular music landscape of the late 1990s.
09 Dec 1999 Kosovo War Casualties Documented: The U.S. State Department released a comprehensive report estimating the human cost of the 1999 Serbian ethnic cleansing campaign in Kosovo. The report revealed approximately 10,000 ethnic Albanians killed and approximately 1.5 million forcibly displaced, highlighting the severe humanitarian crisis during the Kosovo War.
10 Dec 1999 European Union Enhances Military Capabilities: European Union leaders agreed to expand their military and intelligence capabilities, planning to deploy up to 60,000 troops to crisis zones like Kosovo, demonstrating a commitment to a more robust collective defense strategy.
11 Dec 1999 Death of Franjo Tuđman, Croatian President: Franjo Tuđman, the first President of Croatia and a key figure in the country's independence and post-Yugoslav War era, passed away. A former general and political leader, Tuđman played a crucial role in Croatia's transition from a Yugoslav republic to an independent state.
12 Dec 1999 Powerful Earthquake Strikes Luzon, Philippines: A severe magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit the Philippines's main island of Luzon, causing significant damage. The earthquake resulted in six fatalities, 40 injuries, and widespread power outages that impacted Manila, the capital city. The event underscored the Philippines' vulnerability to seismic activity.
13 Dec 1999 Charles Hatfield's Controversial Rain-Making Incident in San Diego: In a bizarre historical event, the San Diego city council hired Charles Hatfield, a self-proclaimed 'moisture accelerator', to address the city's drought conditions by inducing rainfall. Hatfield successfully brought rain, but the resulting massive flooding led to significant property damage. When the council refused to pay him, Hatfield fled the city, taking his mysterious rain-making formula with him.
14 Dec 1999 Devastating Venezuela Floods: Catastrophic torrential rains trigger massive flash floods in Vargas, Venezuela, causing unprecedented destruction. The disaster results in tens of thousands of fatalities, widespread home destruction, and a complete breakdown of the state's infrastructure, making it one of the most severe natural disasters in Venezuela's modern history.
15 Dec 1999 Venezuela Vargas State Tragedy: On December 15, 1999, catastrophic floods and mudslides devastated the coastal regions of Venezuela, particularly in Vargas State. Unprecedented torrential rains triggered massive landslides that swept away entire communities, resulting in one of the deadliest natural disasters in Venezuelan history. An estimated 25,000 people lost their lives, and approximately 100,000 were left homeless, with entire towns being completely destroyed by the mudflows.
16 Dec 1999 China Reclaims Macao from Portugal: China officially reclaimed sovereignty over Macao, marking the end of over 400 years of Portuguese colonial rule. The event was celebrated globally as a significant moment symbolizing the transition into a new millennium.
17 Dec 1999 UN Creates Unmovic to Monitor Iraq's Weapons Compliance: The United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (Unmovic) was established to replace the previous UNSCOM inspection team. The U.N. Security Council demanded that Iraq provide immediate and unconditional access to weapons sites and facilities, which Iraq promptly rejected, escalating tensions in the ongoing disarmament crisis.
18 Dec 1999 NASA Terra Platform Launch: NASA successfully launched the Terra Earth Observation satellite platform into orbit on December 18, 1999. This sophisticated mission carried five advanced scientific instruments: ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer), CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System), MISR (Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer), MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), and MOPITT (Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere). The Terra satellite represents a significant milestone in global environmental monitoring and climate research, providing unprecedented data about Earth's complex environmental systems.
19 Dec 1999 Portugal Transfers Sovereignty of Macau to China: On December 19, 1999, Portugal officially transferred the sovereignty of Macau, a former Portuguese colony, to the People's Republic of China. This historic event marked the end of over 400 years of Portuguese administration and completed the decolonization process in Asia. Macau became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, maintaining a degree of autonomy under the 'one country, two systems' principle.
20 Dec 1999 Portugal Returns Macau to China: On December 20, 1999, Portugal officially transferred sovereignty of Macau back to the People's Republic of China, ending over 400 years of Portuguese colonial administration. This historic handover marked the end of the last European colonial territory in Asia, with Macau becoming a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, maintaining a high degree of autonomy under the 'one country, two systems' principle.
21 Dec 1999 ETA Terrorist Plot Intercepted in Madrid: The Spanish Civil Guard successfully intercepted a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that the Basque terrorist group ETA planned to use in a potential attack on Torre Picasso, a prominent skyscraper in Madrid, Spain. This critical intervention prevented a potentially catastrophic terrorist incident.
22 Dec 1999 Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 Crash: Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509, a Boeing 747-200F, crashed shortly after takeoff from London Stansted Airport into Hatfield Forest near Great Hallingbury. The tragic accident resulted in the death of all four crew members, highlighting critical aviation safety concerns and potential pilot error.
23 Dec 1999 State Department Reveals Kosovo Conflict Casualties: The U.S. State Department released a devastating report estimating 10,000 deaths during the 1999 Serbian ethnic cleansing campaign in Kosovo. The report also highlighted that approximately 1.5 million ethnic Albanians were forcibly displaced from their homes.
24 Dec 1999 Indian Airlines Flight 814 Hijacking: Indian Airlines Flight 814, traveling from Kathmandu, Nepal to Delhi, India, was hijacked by terrorists and diverted to Kandahar, Afghanistan. This high-profile terrorist incident drew international attention and raised significant security concerns.
25 Dec 1999 Pope John Paul II Opens St. Peter's Holy Door: As part of the Jubilee Year 2000 celebrations, Pope John Paul II opened the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica on December 24-25, 1999. This symbolic act represents a spiritual gateway and marks the beginning of the Church's millennial commemoration, inviting believers to spiritual renewal and reflection.
26 Dec 1999 Storm Lothar Devastates Central Europe: On December 26, 1999, a severe and destructive windstorm named Lothar swept across Central Europe, causing unprecedented damage. The storm killed 137 people and resulted in approximately US$1.3 billion in economic losses. France was particularly hard-hit, with over 100 fatalities and extensive damage to property, trees, and the national power grid. The storm also impacted southern Germany and Switzerland, demonstrating the widespread nature of this meteorological disaster.
27 Dec 1999 Boris Yeltsin Resigns as Russian President: In a historic moment of political transition, Russian President Boris Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned from his position, designating Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the acting President. This marked a significant turning point in post-Soviet Russian political leadership, setting the stage for Putin's eventual long-term presidency.
28 Dec 1999 Turkmenistan's Presidential Autocracy: Saparmurat Niyazov, the authoritarian leader of Turkmenistan, consolidates his power by being proclaimed President for Life, further entrenching his totalitarian regime and eliminating potential political opposition.
29 Dec 1999 George Harrison Home Invasion and Stabbing: On December 29, 1999, in Henley-on-Thames, England, former Beatles guitarist George Harrison was the victim of a violent home invasion. Michael Anram broke into Harrison's home and stabbed him multiple times in the chest. Harrison's wife courageously intervened, wrestling the knife away from the assailant before police arrived. The attacker, who reportedly believed Harrison was the devil, was subsequently charged with attempted murder.
30 Dec 1999 Yeltsin Resigns, Putin Becomes Acting President: In a pivotal moment for Russian politics, President Boris N. Yeltsin, aged 68, unexpectedly resigned six months before the end of his term. He strategically appointed Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin as his acting successor, setting the stage for a significant political transition.
31 Dec 1999 Euro Currency Introduced in European Union: The Euro was officially introduced as the official currency in 11 European Union member states, marking a pivotal moment in European economic integration and monetary policy. This represented a major step towards a unified European economic framework.