Your place in the Universe on 1998
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Get your map!The Highlights of 1998: A Year That Shaped the Future
1998 (MCMXCVIII in Roman Numerals) was the year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1998th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations.
Is 1998 a year special to you? Discover what 1998 was famous for, Key World Leaders of 1998, 1998 Time’s Person of the Year, the #1 song, movie and book in 1998, how old is someone born in 1998 and what Chinese zodiac sign is associated to 1998.
On this page we will address all your questions and curiosities about 1998 to help you enjoy your trip down memory lane.
Table of contents
- What was 1998 known for ?
- Key World Leaders of 1998
- Who was the U.S. President in 1998?
- Who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1998?
- Who was the Pope in 1998?
- 1998: Who was Time's Person of the Year?
- What was the number 1 song in the USA in 1998?
- What was the number 1 song in the UK in 1998?
- What was the most popular movie in 1998?
- What was the best selling book in 1998?
- How old is someone born in 1998?
- What was the Chinese Zodiac sign associated with the year 1998?
What was 1998 known for ?
- Near the end of the 20th Century, the world began to look toward a new millennium. Before the world was ready to move on, though, the events of 1998 gave the world an opportunity to reflect on the past century.
- In film, 1998 was dominated by two movies, each of which gave audiences a taste of major historical events of the 20th Century. The first of these films, Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, was actually released late in 1997, but would shatter box office records in 1998. It was the first film in history to gross over one billion USD. Another film, Saving Private Ryan, starring Tom Hanks and Matt Damon, was a World War II epic drama that shocked the world with its graphic and harshly realistic portrayal of combat. The film was a major success and would go on to inspire a renewed interest in World War II history and also a renewed sense of respect for the sacrifices of the “Greatest Generation.”
- Tensions between the United States, Great Britain, and Iraq continued throughout the 1990’s after the end of the first Gulf War. In December of 1998, the United States and the United Kingdom engaged in a brief aerial bombing campaign of Iraq called Operation Desert Fox. The U.S. and Britain accused Iraq of failing to cooperate with weapons inspectors, and their four-day bombing campaign caused serious damage to Iraqi infrastructure, aimed at degrading Iraq’s weapon of mass destruction capabilities. The bombing certainly threw Iraqi forces off balance, but the operation incurred some serious criticism within the West.
- Some experts wondered if the operation was enough to accomplish its aims and others accused President Bill Clinton of using the operation to distract America from his impeachment. The Drudge Report broke news of Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky in January of 1998 and the scandal lasted throughout the year, eventually resulting in the House of Representatives bringing forward articles of impeachment for Clinton to the Senate in December. Clinton was the second American president to be impeached in U.S. history, with Andrew Johnson being the first.
- The world population in 1998 was 5,984,793,942 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 46.0% of the total population, which is roughly 2.8 billion individuals.The annual population change in 1998 was an increase of +79.7 million people, representing a percentage increase of +1.35% over the previous year.The average population density in 1998 was 25 persons per square mile (or 40 persons per square kilometer).
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Key World Leaders of 1998
Who was the U.S. President in 1998?
In 1998, 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 1998?
In 1998 the UK Prime Minister was Tony Blair (Labour). His premiership saw the introduction of New Labour policies, major public service reforms, and military intervention in Iraq and Kosovo.
Who was the Pope in 1998?
The leader of the Catholic Church in 1998 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.
1998: Who was Time's Person of the Year?
Bill Clinton
In 1998, Bill Clinton was named by TIME magazine as Person of the Year. As President of the United States, Clinton was impeached in 1998 following the Lewinsky scandal. The Senate acquitted him of the charges.
What was the number 1 song in the USA in 1998?
The number 1 song in the USA in 1998, i.e. the best selling and most popular song of tha year, was Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden
What was the number 1 song in the UK in 1998?
The number 1 song in the UK in 1998, i.e. the best selling and most popular song of tha year, was My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
What was the most popular movie in 1998?
The most popular movie and box office hit was Funny Games by Michael Haneke
What was the best selling book in 1998?
How old is someone born in 1998?
Someone born in 1998 is 27 years old this year.
Try out our age, time and generation calculators:
What was the Chinese Zodiac sign associated with the year 1998?
According to the Chinese Zodiac and Astrology 1998 was the Year of the Tiger.
Discover Zodiac Sign Characteristics and Personality Traits of people born under the Tiger sign.