Britain transfers sovereignty over Hong Kong to China under the 'one country, two systems' principle.
Voters in Taiwan directly elect their president for the first time, choosing Lee Teng-hui.
Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell, is born at the Roslin Institute in Scotland.
The British and Irish governments and Northern Ireland's parties sign a peace agreement, ending most of the violence of the Troubles.
Portugal transfers sovereignty over Macau to China, ending more than four centuries of Portuguese presence.
South Korean President Kim Dae-jung meets North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang.
The Maastricht Treaty enters into force, formally establishing the European Union and laying the groundwork for a single currency.