February 4, 2004★★★★★
Facebook is launched
Mark Zuckerberg and fellow students launch the social network Facebook at Harvard; it later reaches billions of users.
TechnologyCulture· United States
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Events this year
May 1, 2004★★★★★
European Union admits ten new members
In its largest enlargement, the EU admits ten countries, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states.
Politics· Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
December 26, 2004★★★★★
Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
A magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra triggers tsunamis that kill around 230,000 people across many countries.
Disaster· Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand
Ongoing
July 23, 1983 – May 18, 2009★★★★★
Sri Lankan Civil War
A 26-year armed conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ends in the LTTE's defeat.
War· Sri Lanka
March 20, 2003 – December 2011★★★★★
Iraq War
A US-led coalition invades Iraq and topples Saddam Hussein, beginning a long period of occupation and conflict.
War· Iraq, United States, United Kingdom