Your place in the Universe on 1996
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Get your map!The Highlights of 1996: A Year That Shaped the Future
1996 (MCMXCVI in Roman Numerals) was the year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1996th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations.
Is 1996 a year special to you? Discover what 1996 was famous for, Key World Leaders of 1996, 1996 Time’s Person of the Year, the #1 song, movie and book in 1996, how old is someone born in 1996 and what Chinese zodiac sign is associated to 1996.
On this page we will address all your questions and curiosities about 1996 to help you enjoy your trip down memory lane.
Table of contents
- What was 1996 known for ?
- Key World Leaders of 1996
- Who was the U.S. President in 1996?
- Who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1996?
- Who was the Pope in 1996?
- 1996: Who was Time's Person of the Year?
- What was the number 1 song in the USA in 1996?
- What was the number 1 song in the UK in 1996?
- What was the most popular movie in 1996?
- What was the best selling book in 1996?
- How old is someone born in 1996?
- What was the Chinese Zodiac sign associated with the year 1996?
What was 1996 known for ?
- Near the turn of a new millennium, 1996 was a year that, while significant in its own right, would ultimately hold great historical and cultural significance in the coming years.
- In a major technological development, the chess computer, “Deep Blue,” defeated world chess champion, Garry Kasparov, for the first time. Kasparov would go on to best the computer in a six game series, though. Still, this computer developed by IBM pushed the bounds of technology and prompted the world to think about the budding relationship between humans and technology.
- In another development regarding technology, specifically gaming technology, 1996 was the year that the Nintendo 64, or N64, was released. Named because of its 64-bit central processing unit, this gaming system represented another step in game console development and gave the world several memorable games, such as Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, GoldenEye 007, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
- There were some developments that occurred this year in which the true significance would not be apparent for some time. In literature, author George R.R. Martin published A Game of Thrones, the first novel in his series, A Song of Ice and Fire. While the series of novels would be successful, the world created by Martin would become hugely popular with the production of the HBO series: Game of Thrones, which premiered in 2011.
- In television history, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show premiered in 1996, hosted by Craig Kilborn. The show would eventually become an anchor for Comedy Central’s programming after Jon Stewart took over hosting duties in 1999, winning great popular and critical acclaim.
- Another, more serious, political development also occurred in 1996: Osama bin Laden declared war against the United States. As a founder of the Al Qaeda terrorist group, bin Laden would go on to lead several attacks against the United States and American allies, the worst of which was the devastating attacks of September 11, 2001.
- The world population in 1996 was 5,824,891,951 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 45.0% of the total population, which is roughly 2.6 billion individuals.The annual population change in 1996 was an increase of +80.4 million people, representing a percentage increase of +1.4% over the previous year.The average population density in 1996 was 24 persons per square mile (or 39 persons per square kilometer).
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Key World Leaders of 1996
Who was the U.S. President in 1996?
In 1996, Bill Clinton (Democrat) was the President of the United States. His term spanned from January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001. During his presidency, the U.S. experienced its longest peacetime economic expansion, though he was impeached over a personal scandal.
Who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1996?
In 1996 the UK Prime Minister was Sir John Major (Conservative). His administration oversaw the negotiation of the Maastricht Treaty and managed the UK through economic recession and recovery.
Who was the Pope in 1996?
The leader of the Catholic Church in 1996 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.
1996: Who was Time's Person of the Year?
David Ho
In 1996, David Ho was named by TIME magazine as Person of the Year. Ho, a scientist, pioneered much AIDS research.
What was the number 1 song in the USA in 1996?
The number 1 song in the USA in 1996, i.e. the best selling and most popular song of tha year, was Nobody Knows by Tony Rich Project
What was the number 1 song in the UK in 1996?
The number 1 song in the UK in 1996, i.e. the best selling and most popular song of tha year, was Killing Me Softly by Fugees
What was the most popular movie in 1996?
The most popular movie and box office hit was The Rock by Michael Bay
What was the best selling book in 1996?
How old is someone born in 1996?
Someone born in 1996 is 29 years old this year.
Try out our age, time and generation calculators:
What was the Chinese Zodiac sign associated with the year 1996?
According to the Chinese Zodiac and Astrology 1996 was the Year of the Rat.
Discover Zodiac Sign Characteristics and Personality Traits of people born under the Rat sign.