Your place in the Universe on 1981
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Get your map!The Highlights of 1981: A Year That Shaped the Future
1981 (MCMLXXXI in Roman Numerals) was the year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1981th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations.
Is 1981 a year special to you? Discover what 1981 was famous for, Key World Leaders of 1981, 1981 Time’s Person of the Year, the #1 song, movie and book in 1981, how old is someone born in 1981 and what Chinese zodiac sign is associated to 1981.
On this page we will address all your questions and curiosities about 1981 to help you enjoy your trip down memory lane.
Table of contents
- What was 1981 known for ?
- Key World Leaders of 1981
- Who was the U.S. President in 1981?
- Who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1981?
- Who was the Pope in 1981?
- 1981: Who was Time's Person of the Year?
- What was the number 1 song in the USA in 1981?
- What was the number 1 song in the UK in 1981?
- What was the most popular movie in 1981?
- What was the best selling book in 1981?
- How old is someone born in 1981?
- What was the Chinese Zodiac sign associated with the year 1981?
What was 1981 known for ?
- The 80s is probably the era that brought about courage not experienced before. Freedoms were accessible to more people than ever, and it brought about unrivaled creativity. Despite the colorful creations in the fashion and entertainment industry, tragic events were happening in separate parts of the world.
- After addressing the construction and building workers union at the Hilton in Washington D. C. on 30, March 1981, reports across the radios and televisions were awash with the shooting of the USA president, Ronald Regan. The culprit, John Hinkley Jr., was only ten feet away from the president armed with .22 revolver with exploding bullets. He was not an excellent shot, and most of the bullets failed to explode as expected. The collateral damage includes the then press secretary James Brady, a police officer, and a secret service agent. The last bullet hit the presidential limo and ricocheted to hit the president in the chest. Hinkley walked free after doctors had found he was clinically insane.
- Two months later, four gunshots rang through the air as Pope John Paul II’s procession made its way through St. Peter’s Square in Rome in the evening of May 13. One hit the pontiff in the abdomen, another hit the pope’s left hand; the third hit 60-year old Ann Odre from the USA in the chest, while the fourth struck Jamaican Rose Hill, 21 in the arm. The world waited as a team of surgeons took more than five hours to remove the bullets lodged in the pontiff’s abdomen and hand. The assailant was a 23-year-old Turk, Mehmet Ali Agca. Pope John Paul II visited Mehmet in prison and offered him forgiveness two years later.
- Split in opinion on religious lines was the order of the day on June 6, when a train plunged into the Baghmati River. The engineer of the train braked too hard when a cow crossed the tracks and a rough estimate of 600 passengers in a train lost their lives. Torrential rains had made the tracks wet, and when the brakes were applied, the cars slid, and seven cars plunged into the murky waters of the Baghmati River. After a day’s search recovered 286 bodies with over 300 missing to this very day. The train had an estimated 1000 passengers onboard.
- Despite the tragic events of 1981, it saw the worldwide invasion by Japanese electronics like the Walkman from Sony. A 12-year old also dissected the Rubik’s cube and wrote a book on how to solve the cube; it turned out to be a best seller.
- The world population in 1981 was 4,536,996,762 people according to data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. This figure includes both urban and rural populations. The urban population at that time accounted for 40.0% of the total population, which is roughly 1.8 billion individuals.The annual population change in 1981 was an increase of +78.9 million people, representing a percentage increase of +1.77% over the previous year.The average population density in 1981 was 19 persons per square mile (or 30 persons per square kilometer).
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Key World Leaders of 1981
Who was the U.S. President in 1981?
In 1981, Jimmy Carter (Democrat) was President of the United States until January 20, 1981; on January 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan (Republican) was appointed as the new President of the United States.
Who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1981?
In 1981 the UK Prime Minister was Margaret Thatcher (Conservative). During her premiership, she pursued free-market reforms, privatization, and was known for her firm leadership during the Falklands War.
Who was the Pope in 1981?
The leader of the Catholic Church in 1981 was Pope St John Paul II who had held the papacy since 1978. During his long pontificate, he played a key role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, expanded interfaith dialogue, and was a strong advocate for human rights.
1981: Who was Time's Person of the Year?
Lech Wałęsa
In 1981, Lech Wałęsa was named by TIME magazine as Person of the Year. Leader of the Polish Solidarity trade union and architect of the Gdańsk Agreement until his arrest and the imposition of martial law in December 1981.
What was the number 1 song in the USA in 1981?
The number 1 song in the USA in 1981, i.e. the best selling and most popular song of tha year, was Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
What was the number 1 song in the UK in 1981?
The number 1 song in the UK in 1981, i.e. the best selling and most popular song of tha year, was One Day In Your Life by Michael Jackson
What was the most popular movie in 1981?
The most popular movie and box office hit was Car Crash by Antonio Margheriti
What was the best selling book in 1981?
How old is someone born in 1981?
Someone born in 1981 is 44 years old this year.
Try out our age, time and generation calculators:
What was the Chinese Zodiac sign associated with the year 1981?
According to the Chinese Zodiac and Astrology 1981 was the Year of the Rooster.
Discover Zodiac Sign Characteristics and Personality Traits of people born under the Rooster sign.