A magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastates Port-au-Prince and the surrounding region, killing hundreds of thousands of people.
Fidel Castro, leader of the Cuban Revolution who ruled Cuba for nearly half a century, dies in Havana.
The North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico takes effect, creating one of the world's largest trade blocs.
Chilean voters reject extending General Pinochet's rule, paving the way for a return to democracy.
Argentina seizes the Falkland Islands; Britain dispatches a task force and retakes the islands after a 74-day conflict.
The Sandinista National Liberation Front enters Managua after dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle flees, ending the Somoza family's rule.
The Argentine military overthrows President Isabel Perón and installs a junta associated with the "Dirty War".