Editing January 1 (section)

=== 1951&ndash;2000 ===
* [[1953]] &ndash; A short-lasting [[republic]] is declared in the [[Maldives]].
* [[1956]] &ndash; [[Sudan]] becomes independent.
* [[1956]] &ndash; Panic and a stampede at a [[New Year]] event at Yahiko [[Shrine]], Yahiko, [[Niigata Prefecture|Niigata]], [[Japan]], kill at least 124 people.
* [[1958]] &ndash; [[Treaty|Treaties]] creating the [[European Union|European Economic Community]] take effect.
* [[1959]] &ndash; [[Fidel Castro]] takes control in [[Cuba]], as [[Fulgencio Batista]] flees [[Havana]].
* [[1960]] &ndash; [[Cameroon]] becomes independent.
* [[1962]] &ndash; [[Western Samoa]] becomes independent.
* [[1964]] &ndash; ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' is first shown on the [[BBC]]. Its last show is in [[2006]].
* [[1966]] &ndash; The [[Australian dollar]] replaces the [[pound sterling]] as the official [[currency]] of [[Australia]].
* [[1966]] &ndash; [[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]] becomes president of the [[Central African Republic]].
* [[1968]] &ndash; [[Flood]]s in [[Bahia]], [[Brazil]] kill 200 people.
* [[1971]] &ndash; [[Cigarette]] [[advertisement]]s are banned on American [[television]].
* [[1972]] &ndash; [[Kurt Waldheim]] becomes [[Secretary-General of the United Nations]].
* [[1973]] &ndash; The [[UK]], [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Denmark]] join the [[European Union|European Economic Community]].
* [[1978]] &ndash; The [[Northern Mariana Islands]]' [[constitution]] becomes effective.
* [[1978]] &ndash; [[Air India]] Flight 855, a [[Boeing 747]], crashes into the [[sea]] near [[Bombay]], killing 213 people.
* [[1979]] &ndash; [[Diplomat]]ic relations between the [[United States]] and the [[People's Republic of China]] begin.
* [[1980]] &ndash; [[Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden]] becomes heir to the [[Sweden|Swedish]] throne, as [[Order of succession|succession]] laws are changed.
* [[1981]] &ndash; [[Palau]] becomes self-governed.
* [[1981]] &ndash; [[Greece]] joins the [[European Union|European Economic Community]].
* [[1982]] &ndash; [[Javier Pérez de Cuéllar]] becomes [[Secretary-General of the United Nations]].
* [[1984]] &ndash; [[Brunei]] becomes independent.
* [[1985]] &ndash; [[Greenland]] leaves the European Community.
* [[1986]] &ndash; [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]] join the [[European Union|European Economic Community]].
* [[1986]] &ndash; [[Aruba]] separates from [[Curaçao]].
* [[1990]] &ndash; [[David Dinkins]] becomes the first [[African American]] [[mayor]] of [[New York City]].
* [[1992]] &ndash; [[Boutros Boutros-Ghali]] becomes Secretary-General of the [[United Nations]].
* [[1993]] &ndash; [[Czechoslovakia]] splits into [[Slovakia]] and the [[Czech Republic]].
* [[1994]] &ndash; The [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA) takes effect.
* [[1995]] &ndash; [[Kiribati]] becomes the first country to enter the [[New Year]], after the [[International Date Line]] is shifted to its east, skipping [[December 31]], [[1994]].
* [[1995]] &ndash; [[Austria]], [[Finland]] and [[Sweden]] join the [[European Union]].
* [[1995]] &ndash; The [[World Trade Organisation]] is started.
* [[1995]] &ndash; The [[Draupner wave]] is detected in the [[North Sea]] off [[Norway]], proving the existence of freak waves.
* [[1997]] &ndash; [[Kofi Annan]] becomes [[Secretary-General of the United Nations]].
* [[2000]] &ndash; Start of the [[3rd millennium]].