- — North America:
Laura Chinchilla, first woman president
Costa Rica elects its first female head of state.
Era: Peace, Welfare, and the Green Republic
Sources: Costa Rica country profile · BBC News
- — Africa:
Alpha Condé elected; return to civilian rule
Veteran opposition leader Alpha Condé wins Guinea's first competitive presidential election, beginning a civilian government; he is re-elected in 2015 and 2020.
Era: Coups, Civilian Rule and Bauxite
Sources: Alpha Condé · Wikipedia, Guinea — History · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
New constitution adopted
Kenyans approve a new constitution that limits presidential power, expands rights, and devolves authority to 47 county governments.
Era: The Republic of Kenya
Sources: Kenyan Constitutional Referendum (2010) · Ballotpedia, History of Kenya · Wikipedia
- — Europe:
ICJ advisory opinion
Responding to the UN General Assembly, the International Court of Justice advised that the 2008 declaration of independence did not violate general international law or Resolution 1244.
Era: Independence and the Contested Present
Sources: Summary of the Advisory Opinion of 22 July 2010 (Accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo) · International Court of Justice, Accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo (Case No. 141) · International Court of Justice
- — Asia:
The 2010 revolution ousts Bakiyev
A violent uprising in Bishkek over corruption and rising prices forced President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to flee; an interim government under Roza Otunbayeva took power and prepared a new constitution.
Era: A Turbulent Republic: Revolution, Violence and Competitive Politics
Sources: Roza Otunbayeva · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Kyrgyzstan: History · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Asia:
Parliamentary republic and the first peaceful transfer
A new constitution made Kyrgyzstan a parliamentary republic, a rarity in Central Asia; the 2011 election that followed Otunbayeva's interim presidency was the country's first peaceful handover of power.
Era: A Turbulent Republic: Revolution, Violence and Competitive Politics
Sources: Roza Otunbayeva · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Europe:
EU candidate status
The European Union granted Montenegro candidate status, a milestone toward the accession negotiations the country has pursued while retaining the euro as its currency.
Era: Independent Montenegro, NATO and Europe
Sources: Montenegro: EU accession (application 2008, candidate status December 2010, negotiations from 2012) · European Commission, Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood
- — Europe:
The Netherlands Antilles dissolved
Curaçao and Sint Maarten become autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as Aruba had been since 1 January 1986; Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba become special municipalities of the Netherlands itself.
Era: The World Wars, Decolonisation and the Modern Netherlands
Sources: Caribbean parts of the Kingdom · Government of the Netherlands
- — Africa:
Coup ousts President Tandja
The army removed President Mamadou Tandja after he manoeuvred to extend his term, one of a series of military interventions that punctuated Niger's democratic experiment.
Era: Democracy, Tuareg rebellions and the cycle of coups
Sources: History of Niger · Wikipedia, 2023 Nigerien coup d'état · Wikipedia
- — Europe:
Barents Sea delimitation treaty with Russia
Norway and Russia signed a treaty dividing the disputed 175,000 sq km of the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean, ending a roughly forty-year dispute; in force from 2011, it replaced the Grey Zone arrangement.
Era: Oil Wealth, the European Question and the Arctic Boundary
Sources: Agreement reached between Norway and the Russian Federation in the negotiations on maritime delimitation · Government of Norway (regjeringen.no), The maritime delimitation between Norway and Russia: Frequently Asked Questions · Government of Norway (regjeringen.no), Norway and Russia Agree on Maritime Boundary in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean · American Society of International Law (ASIL Insights)
- — Europe:
ICJ advisory opinion on Kosovo
The International Court of Justice found that Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence did not violate international law; Serbia continued nonetheless to withhold recognition.
Era: Modern Serbia and the Kosovo Dispute
Sources: Accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo — Advisory Opinion of 22 July 2010 · International Court of Justice
- — Africa:
Peaceful transfer of power by election
In the 2010 presidential election an opposition candidate won and power passed peacefully between rivals, a rare democratic transition in the Horn of Africa that bolstered Somaliland's standing as a functioning self-governing polity.
Era: Restoration and the Building of a State
Sources: Somaliland at 30: Still unrecognised, but alive and well · African Arguments, Somaliland: The Power of Democracy · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
- — Africa:
Mohamed Bouazizi self-immolation
A street vendor sets himself alight in Sidi Bouzid, triggering nationwide protests.
Era: The Republic & the Jasmine Revolution
Sources: Jasmine Revolution · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Jasmine Revolution · Wikipedia
- — Africa:
Egyptian revolution and Mubarak's fall
Mass protests from 25 January force President Hosni Mubarak to resign on 11 February after nearly thirty years in power.
Era: The Modern Republic
Sources: Gamal Abdel Nasser · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
Recovery under Ouattara
Alassane Ouattara took office and presided over a return to rapid growth; he was re-elected in 2015 and won a contested third term in 2020 that opponents argued was unconstitutional.
Era: Ivoirité, civil war, and recovery
Sources: History of Ivory Coast · Wikipedia, Côte d'Ivoire Post-Gbagbo: Crisis Recovery · Congressional Research Service
- — Africa:
Sirleaf shares the Nobel Peace Prize
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, jointly with two other women, for non-violent work on behalf of women's safety and participation in peacebuilding.
Era: Peace, Sirleaf, and the Ebola epidemic
Sources: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf — Biographical · The Nobel Prize
- — Africa:
Constitutional reform
Following Arab Spring protests, a new constitution approved by referendum expands the powers of parliament and the prime minister and recognises Tamazight, while the king retains ultimate authority.
Era: Independence and the Modern Kingdom
Sources: Muhammad VI · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Constitutional Reform in Morocco: Reform in times of revolution · International IDEA / ConstitutionNet
- — Asia:
Reforms under Thein Sein
A quasi-civilian government begins political and economic liberalization, releasing prisoners, easing censorship, and restoring Aung San Suu Kyi's freedoms.
Era: Opening, the Rohingya Crisis, and the 2021 Coup
Sources: Thein Sein · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Myanmar since 1988 · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Asia:
Death of Kim Jong Il
Kim Jong Il dies and is succeeded by his youngest son Kim Jong Un, completing a third generation of hereditary rule.
Era: Famine and the Second Succession
Sources: Kim Jong Il · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Kim Jong-Un · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Europe:
ICJ rules against Greece
The International Court of Justice held that Greece had breached the Interim Accord by objecting to the country's admission to NATO at the 2008 Bucharest summit.
Era: Independence and the Name Dispute with Greece
Sources: Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece), Judgment of 5 December 2011 · International Court of Justice
- — Asia:
Arab Spring uprising and Saleh's removal
Mass protests against corruption and Saleh's three decades in power, part of the regional Arab Spring, led to a Gulf-brokered transition under which Saleh ceded power and Hadi became president in 2012.
Era: Uprising, War and Humanitarian Crisis
Sources: Yemen: Arab Spring uprising · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Yemeni Civil War (Houthi conflict and Saudi-led intervention) · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
Coup amid the cocaine trade
A military coup interrupted a presidential election in April 2012, deepening a pattern of intervention by a politicised army increasingly entangled with cocaine trafficking.
Era: Instability, civil war and the cocaine route
Sources: History of Guinea-Bissau · Wikipedia, Guinea-Bissau (country overview and history) · Encyclopaedia Britannica, West Africa under attack from narco-trafficking · UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
- — Africa:
Joyce Banda becomes head of state
After the death in office of President Bingu wa Mutharika, Vice-President Joyce Banda succeeded him, becoming Malawi's first woman president.
Era: The Banda regime and the democratic transition
Sources: Joyce Banda · Wikipedia, Bingu wa Mutharika · Wikipedia
- — Africa:
Macky Sall elected
Sall defeats Wade at the polls, continuing Senegal's pattern of competitive elections and peaceful handovers.
Era: A Democratic Republic and the Casamance Question
Sources: Macky Sall · Wikipedia, Senegal's Democratic Evolution: Elections, Governance, and Presidential Legacies · Centre for Democracy and Development Africa
- — Africa:
Charles Taylor convicted
The UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone convicted former Liberian president Charles Taylor of aiding and abetting war crimes and sentenced him to 50 years — the first head of state convicted by an international tribunal since Nuremberg.
Era: One-party rule, civil war, and recovery
Sources: The Prosecutor vs. Charles Ghankay Taylor · Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone, Prosecutor welcomes UN-backed court's decision to uphold Charles Taylor conviction · United Nations News
- — Europe:
De Silva review of the Finucane murder
A government-commissioned review of the 1989 killing of the Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane by the loyalist UDA found 'frankly shocking levels of state collusion' though no 'over-arching State conspiracy'; the Prime Minister apologised to his family.
Era: World wars, decolonisation, and the modern UK
Sources: Prime Minister David Cameron statement on Patrick Finucane · GOV.UK (Prime Minister's Office)
- — Asia:
A prime minister questions Gross National Happiness
Tshering Tobgay says the concept is overused and masks real problems — rising debt, chronic unemployment, poverty and corruption.
Era: Democracy and the Modern Kingdom
Sources: Bhutan country profile · BBC News
- — Europe:
Accession to the European Union
Croatia joined the European Union on 1 July 2013 as its 28th member, after a 2012 referendum, having joined NATO in 2009; it adopted the euro and entered the Schengen area on 1 January 2023.
Era: Independence, the War and the Modern Republic
Sources: On 1 July 2013 Croatia has become the 28th Member State of the European Union · Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Croatia — Enlargement (Member State as of 1 July 2013) · European Commission, Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood, Croatia adopts the euro · European Central Bank
- — South America:
Sovereignty referendum
About 99.8% of islanders voting (turnout c. 92%) chose to remain a British Overseas Territory; the UK upheld the result while Argentina rejected its validity.
Era: Referendum, Fisheries and Oil to the Present
Sources: H.Res.170 (113th Congress) — Recognizing the Falkland Islands referendum in favor of retaining their status as a British Overseas Territory · Library of Congress, Congress.gov, Our History · Falkland Islands Government
- — Oceania:
New constitution adopted
Fiji promulgates a 2013 constitution that abolishes ethnic communal voting in favour of a single common electoral roll.
Era: New Constitution, Democracy & the Climate Frontline
Sources: Fiji — Countries (A Guide to the History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations) · U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian
- — North America:
Rios Montt convicted of genocide
A Guatemalan court convicts the former dictator of genocide against the Ixil Maya, the first such verdict by a national court, though it is soon annulled.
Era: Guatemala Since the Peace
Sources: Efrain Rios Montt · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Europe:
Brussels Agreement
Under EU facilitation, Belgrade and Pristina reached the First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalisation of Relations, addressing the integration of Serb-majority areas and a planned association of Serb municipalities in northern Kosovo.
Era: Independence and the Contested Present
Sources: Kosovo: Self-declared independence · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue: Agreement on the Path to Normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia (the EU-facilitated dialogue, binding prior agreements including the 2013 Brussels Agreement) · European External Action Service (EU)
- — Europe:
The Savage Islands maritime dispute
Spain disputed the exclusive economic zone Portugal claims around the Savage Islands, contending that the islets are rocks under the law of the sea, an issue examined in US State Department maritime studies.
Era: Republic, Dictatorship, Revolution and Europe
Sources: Limits in the Seas No. 155, Portugal: Maritime Claims and Boundaries · U.S. Department of State, Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs
- — Asia:
Hamad abdicates in favour of Tamim
In a transfer of power unusual for the Gulf, Sheikh Hamad abdicated in favour of his son Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, then 33, to make way for a new generation.
Era: The Gas Boom: Hamad, Al Jazeera and New Wealth
Sources: Sheikh Hamad ibn Khalifa Al Thani · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Asia:
Sheikh Tamim becomes emir
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani succeeded his father as emir of Qatar, having earlier overseen the country's successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
Era: Qatar Under Tamim: Blockade and World Stage
Sources: Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Europe:
Brussels Agreement
In the EU-facilitated dialogue, Belgrade and Pristina reached the First Agreement of Principles, integrating Serb-majority northern Kosovo into Kosovo's institutions without constituting Serbian recognition.
Era: Modern Serbia and the Kosovo Dispute
Sources: Belgrade–Pristina Dialogue: Agreement on the path to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia · European External Action Service (EU)
- — South America:
Cannabis and progressive reform
Under President Jose Mujica, Uruguay legalises same-sex marriage and becomes the first country in the world to fully legalise and regulate cannabis.
Era: Dictatorship, Recovery, and Modern Uruguay
Sources: Jose Mujica · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — South America:
Death of Chavez; Maduro elected
Hugo Chavez dies of cancer in March 2013, and his chosen successor Nicolas Maduro narrowly wins the ensuing election.
Era: The Bolivarian Revolution and the Crisis
Sources: Hugo Chavez · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Venezuela: Background and U.S. Relations (CRS Report R44841) · Congressional Research Service, U.S. Library of Congress
- — Europe:
EU candidate status
Albania, which applied for membership in April 2009, was granted European Union candidate status in June 2014; accession negotiations were formally opened in July 2022.
Era: Transition, the 1997 Crisis, NATO and Europe
Sources: Albania (Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood) · European Commission
- — Africa:
Popular uprising ousts Compaoré
Protests against Compaoré's bid to extend his rule culminate in the storming of the National Assembly; he resigns after 27 years and flees to Côte d'Ivoire.
Era: Compaoré, Uprising and the Sahel Insurgency
Sources: 2014 Burkinabè uprising · Wikipedia, Blaise Compaoré · Wikipedia
- — North America:
Thaw with the United States
Obama and Raul Castro announce normalisation; diplomatic relations are restored and embassies reopen in 2015, though the embargo remains.
Era: Special Period, Thaw, and the Present
Sources: Re-Establishment of Diplomatic Relations With Cuba · U.S. Department of State (2009-2017 archive), Cuba since 1991 · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Europe:
The unratified border treaty
A border treaty with Russia, settling the post-war frontier at Narva and Petseri, was signed in 2005 and again in 2014 but remains unratified, leaving the boundary formally unconcluded.
Era: The Singing Revolution, Restoration and the Return to Europe
Sources: Russian provocations and Estonia's borders: why international law matters · Trialoog, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), Foreign minister: We can initiate ratifying Estonia-Russia border treaty · ERR (Estonian Public Broadcasting)
- — Oceania:
Return to elected government
Elections deemed broadly credible by observers restore parliamentary democracy; Frank Bainimarama becomes elected prime minister.
Era: New Constitution, Democracy & the Climate Frontline
Sources: Fiji — Countries (A Guide to the History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations) · U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian
- — Asia:
EU Association Agreement
Georgia signed an Association Agreement with the European Union, deepening a Western orientation that later led to its 2022 EU membership application and 2023 candidate status.
Era: Independent Georgia: Conflicts, the Rose Revolution and the Western Turn
Sources: A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country: Georgia · U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian, Georgia: Independent Georgia · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
Division and civil war
Disputed elections split Libya between rival governments in Tripoli and the east; Haftar's 2019–2020 assault on Tripoli fails, and a 2021 unity government cannot reunite the country.
Era: The Gaddafi Era, Uprising and Division
Sources: Second Libyan Civil War · Wikipedia
- — North America:
Re-election limits removed
A 2009 court ruling and 2014 constitutional reform abolish term limits, enabling Ortega's continued re-election and the consolidation of FSLN control.
Era: Democratic Interlude and Ortega's Return
Sources: Nicaragua: Ortega's return to power · Encyclopædia Britannica
- — Asia:
Coup against Yingluck Shinawatra
The army overthrows the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, ruling directly and later entrenching its role in a new constitution adopted in 2017.
Era: Cold War Ally, Coups, and the Modern Kingdom
Sources: Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) · Encyclopædia Britannica, Thailand · Encyclopædia Britannica
- — Europe:
Revolution of Dignity (Euromaidan)
Protests sparked by the rejection of an EU association agreement grew into the Revolution of Dignity; after deadly clashes President Yanukovych fled the country in February 2014.
Era: Independent Ukraine, Revolutions and the Defence of Sovereignty
Sources: Ukraine crisis of 2013-14 (Euromaidan, annexation of Crimea, war in the Donbas) · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
Third-term crisis
Nkurunziza's bid for a disputed third term triggers mass protests, a failed May coup and a deadly crackdown; over a thousand are killed and hundreds of thousands flee.
Era: Modern Burundi
Sources: Burundi crisis: The legacy of 2015 brings fear for 2020 · Amnesty International, Burundian unrest (2015–2018) · Wikipedia, Pierre Nkurunziza · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — North America:
Truth and Reconciliation Commission reports
After years of survivor testimony, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission documented the harms of the residential school system, described it as cultural genocide, and issued 94 Calls to Action for reconciliation.
Era: Modern Canada — multiculturalism, patriation, and reconciliation
Sources: Truth and Reconciliation Commission reports · National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Canada's Indian residential schools: Childhood denied · Canadian Museum for Human Rights
- — Africa:
Referendum removes term limits
A constitutional referendum in October 2015, reported as overwhelmingly approved on a disputed turnout, scrapped presidential term limits and the age ceiling, clearing the way for Sassou Nguesso to seek further terms; he was re-elected in 2016 and 2021.
Era: Democracy, civil war, and the return of Sassou Nguesso
Sources: 2015 Republic of the Congo constitutional referendum · Wikipedia, Republic of the Congo: President Announces Referendum on New Constitution · Library of Congress, Denis Sassou Nguesso · Wikipedia
- — North America:
The Hague settles Isla Portillos
The International Court of Justice rules that sovereignty over the disputed San Juan wetland belongs to Costa Rica — a demilitarised state settling its border in court.
Era: Peace, Welfare, and the Green Republic
Sources: Costa Rica country profile · BBC News
- — Europe:
Kosovo border demarcation
Montenegro and Kosovo signed a demarcation of their 79-kilometre border in 2015; fiercely contested in Kosovo, it was finally ratified by Pristina's parliament in March 2018.
Era: Independent Montenegro, NATO and Europe
Sources: Kosovo-Montenegro demarcation agreement came into effect (signed 2015, ratified March 2018) · European Western Balkans
- — Asia:
NLD wins free elections
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy wins Myanmar's first fairly contested elections; she becomes state counsellor in a government sharing power with the army.
Era: Opening, the Rohingya Crisis, and the 2021 Coup
Sources: Aung San Suu Kyi · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Myanmar since 1988 · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Asia:
Federal constitution promulgated
Nepal adopts a permanent constitution establishing a secular federal republic of seven provinces with a bicameral Federal Parliament.
Era: Insurgency, Republic and Reconstruction
Sources: Nepal — Federal republic · Encyclopædia Britannica
- — Africa:
First opposition election victory
Muhammadu Buhari defeated the sitting president Goodluck Jonathan, the first time an opposition candidate won Nigeria's presidency through the ballot box, marking a democratic milestone.
Era: The Fourth Republic and modern Nigeria
Sources: Assessing Twenty-Five Years of Democracy in Nigeria · SAIS Review of International Affairs, Nigeria (country overview and history) · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Asia:
Rahmon named 'Leader of the Nation'
Parliament grants Emomali Rahmon the title 'Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation', extending his authority as his long rule continues.
Era: The Rahmon Era and the Mountain Republic
Sources: The Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon — president of Tajikistan · Encyclopædia Britannica
- — South America:
- — Africa:
Anglophone protests begin
Lawyers and teachers in the North-West and South-West regions launched protests against the marginalisation of English-speaking Cameroonians; a security crackdown followed.
Era: The Biya era and the Anglophone crisis
Sources: Cameroon (country analysis and Anglophone crisis) · International Crisis Group, Cameroon (Anglophone crisis monitoring) · Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
- — Africa:
Habré convicted of crimes against humanity
The Extraordinary African Chambers in Senegal sentenced Hissène Habré to life for crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture, a landmark of universal jurisdiction; the verdict was upheld on appeal in 2017.
Era: The Déby era and its legacy
Sources: Hissène Habré (case coverage) · Human Rights Watch, Hissène Habré convicted: a historic verdict for the victims · International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- — South America:
Peace accord with the FARC
After four years of talks in Havana, the Santos government and the FARC sign a peace agreement; Santos receives the Nobel Peace Prize.
Era: Armed Conflict and the Search for Peace
Sources: The Nobel Peace Prize 2016 - Juan Manuel Santos · The Nobel Foundation, History of Colombia · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
A capital in the rainforest
The government moves its headquarters from Malabo on Bioko to Ciudad de la Paz — Djibloho — an unfinished purpose-built city deep in the mainland forest.
Era: Obiang, oil, and inequality
Sources: Equatorial Guinea country profile · BBC News
- — Africa:
Barrow defeats Jammeh
Adama Barrow, backed by an opposition coalition, won the presidential election; Jammeh initially conceded but a week later rejected the result, precipitating a constitutional crisis.
Era: The Jammeh era and the 2017 transition
Sources: Adama Barrow (1965– ) · BlackPast.org, Yahya Jammeh · Wikipedia, The Gambia (country overview and history) · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Asia:
The state counts its missing
The government acknowledges for the first time that some 65,000 people are missing from the 26-year war and the 1971 insurrection.
Era: Republic, Civil War and the Modern Nation
Sources: Sri Lanka country profile · BBC News
- — Asia:
Death of Bhumibol; accession of Vajiralongkorn
King Bhumibol Adulyadej dies after a 70-year reign and is succeeded by his son Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), who formally accepts the throne in December 2016.
Era: Cold War Ally, Coups, and the Modern Kingdom
Sources: Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) · Encyclopædia Britannica, Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) · Encyclopædia Britannica
- — Asia:
Mirziyoyev succeeds Karimov and opens reforms
After Islam Karimov's death, Shavkat Mirziyoyev becomes president and launches a 'New Uzbekistan' programme of economic liberalisation and cautious political opening.
Era: Independent Uzbekistan
Sources: Shavkat Mirziyoyev — Biography, Uzbekistan & Presidency · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
Lourenço succeeds dos Santos
After thirty-eight years in power, José Eduardo dos Santos stepped down and João Lourenço became president, with the MPLA retaining control of the government.
Era: Peace and oil-rich modern Angola
Sources: Beyond Mugabe: Angola's Strongman Also Bowed Out in 2017 · The Globalist, José Eduardo dos Santos · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Europe:
Piran Bay arbitration award
The Permanent Court of Arbitration issued its Final Award on the Croatia-Slovenia border in the Gulf of Piran; Croatia, which had withdrawn from the process in 2015, declared it did not consider itself bound by the ruling.
Era: Independence, the War and the Modern Republic
Sources: Arbitration (Croatia-Slovenia border, Final Award 29 June 2017) · Government of the Republic of Slovenia (gov.si)
- — Africa:
China opens its first overseas base
China inaugurates its first overseas military base in Djibouti, joining French, US (Camp Lemonnier), Japanese and other forces and confirming the country's role as a hub of foreign military presence.
Era: Civil War, Guelleh and the Republic of Bases
Sources: People's Liberation Army Support Base in Djibouti · Wikipedia, China's Engagement in Djibouti · Congressional Research Service (Library of Congress), Foreign military bases in Djibouti · Wikipedia
- — Africa:
ECOWAS intervention and transfer of power
Barrow was sworn in at the Gambian embassy in Dakar on 19 January 2017; with ECOWAS troops deployed under UN authorisation, Jammeh agreed to leave and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea on 21 January, completing a peaceful handover.
Era: The Jammeh era and the 2017 transition
Sources: Adama Barrow (1965– ) · BlackPast.org, Yahya Jammeh · Wikipedia, History of the Gambia · Wikipedia
- — Europe:
Accession to NATO
Montenegro became NATO's twenty-ninth member, depositing its instrument of accession in Washington, despite strong Russian opposition and a divided domestic public.
Era: Independent Montenegro, NATO and Europe
Sources: Montenegro joins NATO as 29th Ally (5 June 2017) · NATO, Montenegro becomes NATO's 29th member · European Western Balkans
- — Asia:
Largest nuclear test and ICBM launches
North Korea conducts its most powerful nuclear test and tests intercontinental ballistic missiles, prompting expanded UN Security Council sanctions.
Era: The Kim Jong Un Era
Sources: Kim Jong-Un · Encyclopaedia Britannica, North Korea's Nuclear Weapons and Missile Programs · U.S. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress
- — Asia:
Crans-Montana talks collapse
UN-brokered reunification negotiations at Crans-Montana ended without agreement, after which Turkish-Cypriot leaders increasingly pressed for a two-state solution rejected by the Republic of Cyprus and the UN.
Era: A Divided Island to the Present
Sources: Cyprus - History · Encyclopaedia Britannica, About UNFICYP · United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
- — North America:
Statehood plebiscites
Votes in 2012, 2017, and 2020 favour statehood, but the 2017 ballot was boycotted and drew only about 23% turnout, and Congress has not acted.
Era: Vieques, Maria, and the Unresolved Future
Sources: Puerto Rico: The Debate over Political Status · Encyclopædia Britannica
- — Asia:
Blockade by neighbouring states
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties and imposed a land, sea and air blockade, accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism; Qatar rejected their thirteen demands as a breach of its sovereignty.
Era: Qatar Under Tamim: Blockade and World Stage
Sources: Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Qatar: History (Persian Gulf, Oil, Gas) · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Europe:
PCA award on the Piran Bay border
The Permanent Court of Arbitration rendered its Final Award, fixing the land and maritime boundary through Piran Bay and granting Slovenia a junction to the high seas; Slovenia accepted the award, Croatia rejected it.
Era: A European Republic and the Border Arbitration
Sources: Arbitration between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Slovenia (PCA Case No. 2012-04, Final Award 29 June 2017) · Permanent Court of Arbitration, Arbitration (the border dispute with Croatia) · Government of Slovenia (gov.si)
- — Africa:
Mugabe forced from power
After a military intervention and the threat of impeachment, Robert Mugabe resigned after thirty-seven years in power, and Emmerson Mnangagwa became president.
Era: Independence, Gukurahundi and the Mugabe years
Sources: Robert Mugabe · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Zimbabwe: History · Encyclopaedia Britannica, History of Zimbabwe · Wikipedia
- — Asia:
The Velvet Revolution
A peaceful protest movement led by Nikol Pashinyan brought down the governing elite and installed a new reform government, with Pashinyan elected prime minister.
Era: Independent Armenia
Sources: Armenia — Caucasus, Soviet Union, Genocide (Modern Armenia) · Encyclopædia Britannica
- — South America:
World Court rejects the maritime claim
Bolivia's case to compel Chile to negotiate sovereign access to the Pacific, filed in 2013, fails: the International Court of Justice finds Chile under no obligation to negotiate, while the 2009 constitution keeps the claim to the sea and a navy for the country's lakes and rivers.
Era: Democracy and the Indigenous-Majority Era
Sources: Obligation to Negotiate Access to the Pacific Ocean (Bolivia v. Chile), Judgment of 1 October 2018 · International Court of Justice, Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Constitution of 2009, Articles 243, 267 and 268 · Constitute Project, Bolivia · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
Constitutional referendum
A 2018 referendum amends the constitution and resets presidential term limits, potentially allowing Nkurunziza to remain in power until 2034.
Era: Modern Burundi
Sources: We Will Beat You to Correct You: Abuses Ahead of Burundi's Constitutional Referendum · Human Rights Watch, Burundian unrest (2015–2018) · Wikipedia
- — Asia:
Opposition dissolved, CPP entrenched
With the main opposition party dissolved by the courts, Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party wins every National Assembly seat, consolidating one-party dominance.
Era: Modern Cambodia: Hun Sen and Hun Manet
Sources: Hun Sen · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Cambodia since 2000 · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — North America:
Leadership beyond the Castros
Miguel Diaz-Canel becomes president in 2018 and Communist Party leader in 2021, the first non-Castro to hold the top posts since 1959.
Era: Special Period, Thaw, and the Present
Sources: Miguel Diaz-Canel · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
Peace with Ethiopia
Isaias Afwerki and Abiy Ahmed sign a declaration formally ending the border war, though internal repression in Eritrea continues largely unchanged.
Era: Independence, Border War and the Closed State
Sources: Eritrea-Ethiopia Peace Deal Offers Hope for Reform · Human Rights Watch
- — Africa:
Swaziland becomes Eswatini
On the fiftieth anniversary of independence, Mswati III renames the country the Kingdom of Eswatini, reviving its siSwati name.
Era: Rule by Decree and the Birth of Eswatini
Sources: Mswati III · Wikipedia, History of Eswatini · Wikipedia, A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition: Eswatini · U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian
- — South America:
Guyana takes Essequibo case to the ICJ
Guyana files proceedings at the International Court of Justice seeking to confirm the 1899 arbitral award fixing its boundary with Venezuela.
Era: Oil, the Essequibo Controversy and the Present
Sources: Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) · International Court of Justice
- — Africa:
Peaceful transfer to George Weah
Sirleaf handed power to George Weah, who won the 2017 election — Liberia's first peaceful democratic transfer of power between elected presidents in over seven decades.
Era: Peace, Sirleaf, and the Ebola epidemic
Sources: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Background Note: Liberia · U.S. Department of State
- — Asia:
1MDB scandal ends Barisan Nasional rule
Amid the 1MDB corruption scandal, an opposition alliance led by Mahathir defeats Najib Razak, ending more than six decades of Barisan Nasional government; Najib is later convicted and jailed.
Era: The New Economic Policy, Mahathir and Modern Malaysia
Sources: Malaysia's Najib gets 12 years in jail for 1MDB-linked graft case · Al Jazeera, Timeline: Anwar Ibrahim's long road to Malaysian prime minister · Al Jazeera
- — Europe:
UN resolution on foreign forces
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution 72/282 by 64 votes to 15, urging Russia to complete the unconditional withdrawal of its Operational Group of Forces from Moldova, in line with the 1999 OSCE Istanbul commitments.
Era: Independence, the Transnistria Conflict and the Road to Europe
Sources: Complete and unconditional withdrawal of foreign military forces from the territory of the Republic of Moldova (A/RES/72/282) · United Nations General Assembly, Twenty Years of Russian 'Peacekeeping' in Moldova · The Jamestown Foundation
- — North America:
The 2018 crisis
Protests against social-security cuts become a mass anti-government movement met with deadly force; the UN and IACHR document a death toll estimated upward of 300 (figures are estimates).
Era: Democratic Interlude and Ortega's Return
Sources: Nicaragua: Ortega's return to power · Encyclopædia Britannica, Nicaragua: Human rights crisis demands action and accountability · UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), IACHR Updates Death Toll Records of Human Rights Crisis in Nicaragua · Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (OAS)
- — Asia:
Singapore summit with the United States
Kim Jong Un becomes the first North Korean leader to meet a sitting U.S. president, signing a joint statement with Donald Trump on working toward denuclearization.
Era: The Kim Jong Un Era
Sources: Chronology of U.S.-North Korean Nuclear and Missile Diplomacy, 1985-2022 · Arms Control Association, Kim Jong-Un · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Europe:
The Prespa Agreement
Greece and the country signed the Prespa Agreement, renaming it the Republic of North Macedonia (used erga omnes), terminating the 1995 accord and distinguishing the modern Slavic state from ancient Macedon.
Era: Independence and the Name Dispute with Greece
Sources: Prespa Agreement (Final Agreement for the Settlement of the Differences), 17 June 2018 · Wikisource (treaty text), Application of the Interim Accord of 13 September 1995 (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia v. Greece), Judgment of 5 December 2011 · International Court of Justice
- — Asia:
New crossings at Deryneia and Lefke
The first new buffer-zone crossings in eight years open in the east and the west of the island.
Era: A Divided Island to the Present
Sources: Cyprus country profile · BBC News
- — Africa:
Revitalised peace agreement (R-ARCSS)
After repeated failed ceasefires, the government and opposition sign the R-ARCSS, providing for a unified army, a new constitution and elections.
Era: A Young Nation at War
Sources: The Formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity in South Sudan · ACCORD, Civil war in South Sudan: a primer · UK House of Commons Library
- — Africa:
The Hirak and Bouteflika's fall
Mass peaceful protests known as the Hirak erupt against Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term; he resigns on 2 April 2019, and Abdelmadjid Tebboune is elected president that December.
Era: Independent Algeria: Revolution, Civil War and Hirak
Sources: Abdelaziz Bouteflika · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Hirak (Algeria), 2019–2020 protests · Wikipedia
- — North America:
Belize votes to go to the ICJ
After Guatemalans approved referral on 15 April 2018, Belizeans voted on 8 May 2019 to submit the dispute to the International Court of Justice; the Court was seised of the case on 7 June 2019.
Era: Independent Belize and the Guatemalan question
Sources: Guatemala's Territorial, Insular and Maritime Claim (Guatemala/Belize), Case No. 177 · International Court of Justice, The Belize–Guatemala Territorial Differendum (Peace Fund) · Organization of American States, About the Belize–Guatemala Dispute · Government of Belize Referendum Unit
- — South America:
Disputed election and Morales's resignation
After a contested October vote that an OAS audit found marred by irregularities, weeks of protest and the loss of military and police support lead Morales to resign and go into exile.
Era: Democracy and the Indigenous-Majority Era
Sources: Evo Morales · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Luis Arce · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Africa:
Khartoum peace agreement
President Touadéra's government and fourteen armed groups signed a peace accord in Khartoum, but implementation was partial and fighting soon resumed.
Era: Séléka, Anti-balaka and a Fragile Peace
Sources: Central African Republic Civil War · Wikipedia
- — South America:
The 'estallido social' protests
A metro fare rise in Santiago ignites the largest protests since the dictatorship, broadening into demands for reform of pensions, health, education and the constitution.
Era: Return to Democracy and Modern Chile
Sources: History of Chile · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — North America:
Bukele wins the presidency
Nayib Bukele, a former mayor of San Salvador, wins the presidency outside the FMLN and ARENA, ending decades of two-party dominance.
Era: Postwar El Salvador and the Bukele Era
Sources: Nayib Bukele · Encyclopaedia Britannica, El Salvador: The postconflict era · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Asia:
Nazarbayev resigns; Tokayev succeeds
After nearly three decades in power, Nazarbayev steps down as president, handing office to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev while retaining major influence; the capital is briefly renamed Nur-Sultan in his honour.
Era: Independent Kazakhstan
Sources: Kazakhstan: Independent Kazakhstan · Encyclopædia Britannica
- — Africa:
ICJ advisory opinion on Chagos
The International Court of Justice finds Britain's continued administration of the Chagos Archipelago unlawful; the UN General Assembly concurs.
Era: Republic & African Success Story
Sources: Chagos Archipelago · Encyclopædia Britannica, 2025 treaty on the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago · House of Commons Library
- — Asia:
Hanoi summit collapses
A second Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi ends without agreement over sanctions and denuclearization, after which diplomacy stalls and weapons testing resumes.
Era: The Kim Jong Un Era
Sources: Chronology of U.S.-North Korean Nuclear and Missile Diplomacy, 1985-2022 · Arms Control Association, Kim Jong-Un · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- — Oceania:
Bougainville independence referendum
Bougainvilleans voted about 98 per cent for independence over greater autonomy; the non-binding result must be negotiated with PNG and ratified by its parliament.
Era: Bougainville and modern Papua New Guinea
Sources: The Bougainville referendum and beyond · University of Melbourne, Laureate Program in Comparative Constitutional Law, Bougainville votes overwhelmingly for independence from Papua New Guinea · CNN
- — Oceania:
Switch from Taiwan to China
Manasseh Sogavare's government ends recognition of Taiwan and establishes diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.
Era: Tensions, Recovery and Great-Power Attention
Sources: Taiwan Says Solomon Islands Switches Recognition to China · Voice of America
- — Africa:
Revolution ousts Bashir
Months of mass protests prompt the military to remove Omar al-Bashir after three decades in power.
Era: Darfur, Secession and the War of the Generals
Sources: 2019 Sudanese coup d'état · Wikipedia, Sudan: With al-Bashir Ouster, End Authoritarianism · Human Rights Watch
- — South America:
Disputed interim presidency
Opposition leader Juan Guaido declares himself interim president and is recognised by dozens of states, while Maduro retains control of the government.
Era: The Bolivarian Revolution and the Crisis
Sources: Venezuela: Background and U.S. Relations (CRS Report R44841) · Congressional Research Service, U.S. Library of Congress, A Guide to the History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations: Venezuela · U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian
Politics & Power in the 2010s
Every event in the Terralore archive tagged politics and power — dynasties, constitutions, revolutions and changes of regime, narrowed to the 2010s — 106 of them, drawn from 82 nations, running from 2010 to 2019. Each entry keeps the sources it was verified against and links back to the chronicle it came from.
- Events
- 106
- Nations
- 82
- Earliest
- 2010
- Latest
- 2019
- Africa
- 35
- Asia
- 26
- Europe
- 20
- North America
- 11
- South America
- 10
- Oceania
- 4
Every entry below is the same record, with the same sources, as the one on its nation’s chronicle.