
1988 was a crucial year in the early history of the
Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...
—it was the year of the first well-known
computer virus, the
1988 Internet worm. The first permanent intercontinental Internet link was made between the United States (
National Science Foundation Network) and Europe (Nordunet) as well as the first Internet-based chat protocol,
Internet Relay Chat. The concept of the
World Wide Web was first discussed at
CERN in 1988.
The
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
began its major deconstructing towards a
mixed economy at the beginning of 1988 and began its
gradual dissolution. The
Iron Curtain began to disintegrate in 1988 as
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
began allowing freer travel to the
Western world. The first
extrasolar planet,
Gamma Cephei Ab
Gamma Cephei Ab (abbreviated γ Cephei Ab, γ Cep Ab), formally named Tadmor , is an exoplanet approximately 45 light-years away in the constellation of Cepheus that orbits Gamma Cephei A. The planet was suspected to exist in 1988, and later c ...
(confirmed in 2003), was detected this year and the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
began its mission to
eradicate polio.
Global warming also began to emerge as a more significant concern, with climate scientist
James Hansen testifying before the U.S. Senate on the issue.
Events
January
* January – The cargo ship ''
Khian Sea'' deposits 4,000 tons of toxic waste in
Haiti after wandering around the Atlantic for sixteen months.
*
January 1
January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian Calendar; 364 days remain until the end of the year (365 in leap years). This day is also known as New Year's Day since the day marks the beginning of the year. __TOC__
Events ...
– The Soviet Union begins its program of economic restructuring (
perestroika) with legislation initiated by Premier
Mikhail Gorbachev (though Gorbachev had begun minor restructuring in 1985).
*
January 7 –
Erich Honecker visits
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, the first such visit by an
East German head of state.
*
January 7–
8 – In the
Afghan War, 39 men of the
Soviet Airborne Troops from the
345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment fight off an attack by 200 to 250
Mujahideen in the
Battle for Hill 3234, later dramatized in the Russian film ''
The 9th Company''.
*
January 13
Events Pre-1600
* 27 BC – Octavian transfers the state to the free disposal of the Roman Senate and the people. He receives Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years.
* 532 – The Nika riots break out, during the ra ...
– Vice-president
Lee Teng-hui takes over as President of the
Republic of China and Chairman of the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...
following the death of
Chiang Ching-kuo.
*
January 15 - The United States agrees to withdraw 72 fighter bombers and 3,800 troops from
Torrejon, ending the presence of U.S. forces in
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
.
*
January 26
Events Pre-1600
* 661 – The Rashidun Caliphate is effectively ended with the assassination of Ali, the last caliph.
* 1531 – The 6.4–7.1 Lisbon earthquake kills about thirty thousand people.
* 1564 – The Council of T ...
** Upon request of Hubert Michon,
archbishop of Rabat, two
Trappist monks come to Fez and start a community that will later become the
Priory of Our Lady of the Atlas.
**
Australian Bicentenary: Australia celebrates 200 years since the arrival of the first English settlers.
*
January 27
**
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of
Brunei, one of the world's last remaining
absolute monarchs, dissolves the opposition
National Democratic Party and arrests its leaders.
**
Chrysler announces the closure of two auto plants in
Kenosha, Wisconsin.
*
January 29
Events
Pre-1600
* 904 – Sergius III is elected pope, after coming out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed antipope Christopher.
* 946 – Caliph al-Mustakfi is blinded and deposed by Mu'izz al-Dawla, ruler ...
** Canada's
Supreme Court strikes down that country's restrictive
abortion law.
**
Bulgarian leader
Todor Zhivkov signals support for moderate reforms; non-Communist (though not anti-Communist) organizations are legalized for the first time.
February
*
February 12
Events Pre-1600
* 1096 – Pope Urban II confirms the foundation of the abbey of La Roë under Robert of Arbrissel as a community of canons regular.
* 1404 – The Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia performed the first post- ...
– The
1988 Black Sea bumping incident: Soviet frigate ''
Bezzavetnyy'' intentionally rams
USS ''Yorktown'' in Soviet territorial waters while ''Yorktown'' claims
innocent passage. The accompanying US
destroyer escapes damage.
*
February 13–
28 – The
1988 Winter Olympics are held in
Calgary,
Alberta
Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
, Canada.
*
February 17
**
1988 Oshakati bomb blast: A bomb explodes outside the
First National Bank in
Oshakati,
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...
, killing 27 and injuring 70.
** U.S. Lieutenant Colonel
William R. Higgins, serving with a
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
group monitoring a truce in southern
Lebanon, is kidnapped (and later killed by his captors).
*
February 20
Events Pre-1600
*1339 – The Milanese army and the St. George's (San Giorgio) Mercenaries of Lodrisio Visconti clash in the Battle of Parabiago; Visconti is defeated.
*1472 – Orkney and Shetland are pawn (law), pawned by Norway to S ...
– The
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast
The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) was an Autonomous oblasts of the Soviet Union, autonomous oblast within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic that was created on July 7, 1923. Its capital was the city of Stepanakert. The majori ...
votes to secede from the
Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic and join the
Armenian SSR, triggering the
First Nagorno-Karabakh War.
*
February 23 – Start of
Anfal campaign, a genocidal
counterinsurgency operation within the
Iran–Iraq War carried out by
Ba'athist Iraqi forces led by
Ali Hassan al-Majid on the orders of President
Saddam Hussein that will kill between 50,000 and 182,000
Kurds
Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...
in
Iraqi Kurdistan.
*
February 25 – The constitution of the
Sixth Republic of Korea comes into effect.
*
February 27–
29 –
Collapse of the Soviet Union: The
Sumgait pogrom of Armenians occurs in
Sumqayit.
*
February 29 – A
Nazi document implicates former
United Nations Secretary-General and
Austrian President Kurt Waldheim in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
deportations.
March
*
March 6 –
Operation Flavius: A
Special Air Service team of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
shoots dead 3 unarmed members of a
Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA)
Active service unit in
Gibraltar
Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
.
*
March 16
** The
Halabja chemical attack is carried out by
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
i government forces.
**
Iran–Contra affair: Lieutenant Colonel
Oliver North and Vice Admiral
John Poindexter are indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
**
Milltown Cemetery attack: Three men are killed and 70 wounded in a gun and grenade attack by
loyalist paramilitary Michael Stone on mourners at
Milltown Cemetery in
Belfast
Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
, during the funerals of the 3
IRA members killed in Gibraltar.
** In the United States, the
First Republic Bank of Texas fails and enters FDIC receivership, the largest FDIC assisted bank failure in history.
*
March 17
** A
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
n
Boeing 727 jetliner,
Avianca Flight 410, crashes into the side of the mountains near the
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
n border, killing 143 people.
**
Eritrean War of Independence –
Battle of Afabet: The Nadew Command, an
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
n army corps in
Eritrea
Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
, is attacked on 3 sides by military units of the
Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF).
*
March 19 –
Corporals killings in Belfast: Two British Army corporals are abducted, beaten and shot dead by
Irish republicans after driving into the funeral cortege of
IRA members killed in the
Milltown Cemetery attack.
*
March 20 –
Eritrean War of Independence: Having defeated the Nadew Command, the EPLF enters the town of
Afabet, victoriously concluding the Battle of Afabet.
*
March 24 – The first
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
restaurant in a country run by a
Communist party opens in Belgrade,
Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
. It was later followed by one in
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
, and in 1990 in Moscow, and
Shenzhen, China.
*
March 25 – The
Candle demonstration in Bratislava,
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
, is the first mass demonstration of the 1980s against the socialist government in
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
.
April

*
April 5
Events Pre-1600
* 823 – Lothair I is crowned King of Italy by Pope Paschal I.
* 919 – The Fatimid invasion of Egypt (919–921), second Fatimid invasion of Medieval Egypt, Egypt begins, when the Fatimid heir-apparent, Al-Qa'im (Fa ...
–
Kuwait Airways Flight 422 is hijacked while en route from
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
,
Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
, to
Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
. The hijackers demand the release of 17
Shiite Muslim prisoners held by Kuwait. Kuwait refuses to release the prisoners, leading to a 16-day siege across 3 continents. Two passengers are killed before the siege ends.
*
April 10 – The
Ojhri Camp Disaster occurs in
Islamabad and
Rawalpindi.
*
April 14
Events Pre-1600
* 43 BC – Legions loyal to the Roman Senate, commanded by Gaius Pansa, defeat the forces of Mark Antony in the Battle of Forum Gallorum.
* 69 – Vitellius, commanding Rhine-based armies, defeats Roman emperor ...
** In the
Geneva Accords, the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
commits itself to withdrawal of its forces from
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
.
** The
USS ''Samuel B. Roberts'' (FFG-58) strikes a
naval mine in the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
, while deployed on
Operation Earnest Will, during the
Tanker War phase of the
Iran–Iraq War.
*
April 16 –
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
i commandos kill the
PLO's
Abu Jihad in
Tunisia.
*
April 18 – The United States Navy retaliates for the mining with
Operation Praying Mantis, in a day of strikes against
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
ian oil platforms and naval vessels.
*
April 20 – The world's longest skyjacking comes to an end when the remaining passengers of
Kuwait Airways Flight 422 are released by their captors.
[
* April 28 – Aloha Airlines Flight 243 safely lands after losing its roof in midair, killing a flight attendant and injuring 65 people.
* April 30 – World Expo 88 opens in ]Brisbane
Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
, Queensland, Australia.
May
* May 8 – François Mitterrand is re-elected as President of France for 7 years.
* May 15 – Soviet–Afghan War: After more than 8 years of fighting, the Soviet Army begins its withdrawal from Afghanistan.
* May 16– 18 – 1988 Gilgit massacre: A revolt by the Shias of Gilgit (in northern Pakistan) is ruthlessly suppressed by the Zia-ul Haq regime.
* May 27– 29 – Somaliland War of Independence: Somali National Movement launches a major offensive against Somali government forces in Hargeisa and Burao, then second and third largest cities of Somalia
Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
.
* May 29–June 3 – The Moscow Summit meeting between U.S. President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
and General Secretary of the Communist Party
The title of General Secretary or First Secretary is commonly used for the leaders of most communist parties. When a communist party is the ruling party of a socialist state—often labeled as communist states by external observers—the general s ...
of the Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
Mikhail Gorbachev takes place, where the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) was finalized.
June
* June 10– 14 – Spontaneous 100,000 strong mass night-singing demonstrations in Estonian SSR eventually give name to the Singing Revolution.
* June 10– 25 – West Germany
West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
hosts the UEFA Euro 1988 football tournament, which is won by the Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
.
* June 21 – The Poole explosion of 1988 caused 3,500 people to be evacuated out of the town centre in the biggest peacetime evacuation the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
had seen since the World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
* June 22 – Walt Disney Studios and Steven Spielberg release ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit
''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is a 1988 American fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay written by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman. It is loosely based on the 1981 novel ''Who Censored Roger Rabbit?'' by Gary K. Wol ...
''.
* June 23 – NASA scientist James Hansen testifies to the U.S. Senate that human-made global warming has begun, becoming one of the first environmentalists to warn of the problem.
* June 27
** The Gare de Lyon rail accident occurs in Paris, France as a commuter train headed inbound to the terminal crashes into a stationary outbound train, killing 56 and injuring 57.
** Villa Tunari massacre: Bolivian anti-narcotics police kills 9 to 12 and injures over a hundred protesting coca-growing peasants.
* June 30 – Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre consecrates four bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
s at Écône, Switzerland, for his apostolate, along with Bishop Antonio de Castro Mayer, without a papal mandate.
July
* July 1 – The Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Congress votes to end the Party's monopoly on economic and other non-political power and to further economic changes towards a less rigidly Marxist-Leninist economy.
* July 3
** The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
, Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, is completed, providing the second connection between the continents of Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus.
** Iran Air Flight 655 is shot down by a missile launched from the , killing a total of 290 people on board.
* July 6 – The Piper Alpha production platform in the North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
is destroyed by explosions and fires, killing 165 oil workers and 2 rescue mariners. 61 workers survive.
* July 9 – The ruling Communist Party of Albania criticizes Gorbachev's Soviet reforms, alleging they have "opened doors to all the anti-Communist and counterrevolutionary elements to slander and attack everything sound, socialist, and revolutionary in the life of the Soviet Union."
* July 18 – Iran-Iraq War: Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
agrees to United Nations Security Council Resolution 598 negotiating a ceasefire.
* July 22 – Eastern Air Lines announces layoffs for 4,000 employees and elimination of service to 14 U.S. cities; labor union efforts to block the layoffs will fail in federal court in September.
* July 31 – Thirty-two people are killed and 1,674 injured when a bridge at the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry terminal collapses in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
.
August
* August 5 – The 1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis culminates in the ousting of the Lord President of Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
, Salleh Abas.
* August 8 – 8888 Uprising: Thousands of protesters in Burma, now known as ''Myanmar'', are killed during anti-government demonstrations.
* August 11 – A meeting of Islamic Jihadi leaders, including Osama bin Laden, takes place, leading to the founding of Al-Qaeda.
* August 17 – Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Arnold Lewis Raphel, are among those killed when a plane crashes and explodes near Bahawalpur.
* August 20 – A ceasefire effectively ends the Iran–Iraq War, with an estimated one million lives lost.
* August 21
Events Pre-1600
* 959 – Eraclus becomes the 25th bishop of Liège.
*1140 – Song dynasty general Yue Fei defeats an army led by Jin dynasty (1115–1234), Jin dynasty general Wuzhu at the Battle of Yancheng during the Jin–Song War ...
– The 6.9 Nepal earthquake shakes the Nepal–India border with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (''Severe''), leaving 709–1,450 people killed and thousands injured.
* August 28 – Seventy people are killed and 346 injured in one of the worst air show disasters in history at Germany's Ramstein Air Base, when three jets from the Italian air demonstration team, '' Frecce Tricolori'', collide, sending one of the aircraft crashing into the crowd of spectators.
September
* September 1 – Angolan Civil War: South African troops withdraw from Angola.
* September 11 – Singing Revolution: In the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, 300,000 people gather to express their support for independence.
* September 12 – Hurricane Gilbert devastates Jamaica
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
; it turns towards Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula 2 days later, causing an estimated $5 billion in damage.
* September 15 – The International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; , CIO) is the international, non-governmental, sports governing body of the modern Olympic Games. Founded in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas, it is based i ...
awards Lillehammer the right to host the 1994 Winter Olympics.
* September 17– October 2 – The 1988 Summer Olympics are held in Seoul
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
, South Korea.
* September 22 – The Ocean Odyssey drilling rig suffers a blowout and fire in the North Sea (see also July 6), resulting in one death.
* September 23 – The World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
estimates that there are 250,000 current cases of AIDS worldwide.
* September 28 – A territorial dispute between Egypt and Israel over Taba is resolved by international arbitration when most of the resort town is awarded to Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
. Negotiations over exact delineations will continue for several months.
* September 29 – STS-26: NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
resumes Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable launch system, reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. ...
flights, grounded after the '' Challenger'' disaster
A disaster is an event that causes serious harm to people, buildings, economies, or the environment, and the affected community cannot handle it alone. '' Natural disasters'' like avalanches, floods, earthquakes, and wildfires are caused by na ...
, with Space Shuttle ''Discovery''.
October
* October 5
** Thousands riot in Algiers, Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
against the National Liberation Front government; by October 10 the army has tortured and killed about 500 people in crushing the riots.
** Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet loses a national plebiscite on his rule; he relinquishes power in 1990.
** Promulgation of the 1988 Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
* October 12
** Walsh Street police shootings: Two Victoria Police officers are gunned down, execution style, in Australia.
** The Birchandra Manu massacre occurs in Tripura, India.
* October 20 – The Los Angeles Dodgers won 4 games to 1 in the 1988 World Series against the Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
.
* October 28 – Abortion: 48 hours after announcing it was abandoning RU-486, French manufacturer Roussel Uclaf states that it will resume distribution of the drug.
* October 29 – Pakistan's General Rahimuddin Khan resigns from his post as the governor of Sindh
Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...
, following attempts by the President of Pakistan, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, to limit the powers Rahimuddin had accumulated.
* October 30 – Jericho bus firebombing: Five Israelis
Israelis (; ) are the Israeli citizenship law, citizens and nationals of the Israel, State of Israel. The country's populace is composed primarily of Israeli Jews, Jews and Arab citizens of Israel, Arabs, who respectively account for 75 percen ...
are killed and five wounded in a Palestinian attack in the West Bank.
November
* November – TAT-8, the first transatlantic telephone cable to use optical fibers, is completed. This led to more robust connections between the American and European Internet.
* November 2 – The Morris worm, the first computer worm distributed via the Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...
, written by Robert Tappan Morris, is launched from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
in the U.S.
* November 3 – 1988 Maldives coup attempt: The People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam, a Sri Lankan Tamil militant group, attempts to overthrow the Maldivian government. At the request of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the Indian military suppresses the coup attempt within 24 hours.
* November 6 – The 1988 Lancang–Gengma earthquakes kills at least 938 people when it strikes the China–Myanmar border region in Yunnan.
* November 8 – The United States Vice-president and Republican nominee George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker BushBefore the outcome of the 2000 United States presidential election, he was usually referred to simply as "George Bush" but became more commonly known as "George H. W. Bush", "Bush Senior," "Bush 41," and even "Bush th ...
defeats the Democratic nominee and Governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, in the 1988 United States Presidential Election.
* November 15
** In the Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, the uncrewed Shuttle '' Buran'' is launched by an Energia rocket on its maiden orbital spaceflight (the first and last space flight for the shuttle).
** Israeli–Palestinian conflict: An independent State of Palestine is proclaimed at the Palestinian National Council meeting in Algiers, by a vote of 253–46.
** The first Fairtrade label, Max Havelaar, is launched by Nico Roozen, Frans van der Hoff and ecumenical development agency Solidaridad in the Netherlands.
* November 16
** Singing Revolution: The Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR adopts the Estonian Sovereignty Declaration in which the laws of the Estonian SSR are declared supreme over those of the Soviet Union. The USSR declares it unconstitutional on November 26. It is the first declaration of sovereignty from Moscow of any Soviet or Eastern Bloc entity.
** In the first open election in more than a decade, voters in Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
choose populist candidate Benazir Bhutto to be Prime Minister. Elections are held as planned despite head of state
A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...
Zia-ul-Haq's death earlier in August.
* November 23 – Former Korean president Chun Doo-hwan makes a formal apology for corruption during his presidency, announcing he will go into exile.
December
* December 1
** Carlos Salinas de Gortari takes office as President of Mexico
The president of Mexico (), officially the president of the United Mexican States (), is the head of state and head of government of Mexico. Under the Constitution of Mexico, the president heads the executive branch of the federal government and ...
.
** The first World AIDS Day is held.
* December 2
** Benazir Bhutto is sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first woman to head the government of an Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
-dominated state.
** A cyclone in Bangladesh
Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
leaves 5 million homeless and thousands dead.
* December 6 – The Australian Capital Territory is granted self-government by the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988.
* December 7 – In Soviet Armenia, the 6.8 1988 Armenian earthquake, Spitak earthquake kills nearly 25,000, injures 31,000 and leaves 400,000 homeless.
* December 12 – The Clapham Junction rail crash in London kills 35 and injures 132.
* December 16 – Perennial U.S. presidential candidate Lyndon LaRouche is convicted of mail fraud.
* December 20 – The United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances is signed at Vienna.
* December 21 – Pan Am Flight 103 is blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing a total of 270 people. Libya is suspected of involvement.
Date unknown
* Near the end of the year, the first proper and official Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...
connection between North America and Europe is made between Princeton, New Jersey, United States, and Stockholm, Sweden.
* Zebra mussels, a species originally native to the lakes of southern Russia and Ukraine, are found in the Great Lakes of North America.
* 1988 Polish strikes.
Births
January
* January 3 – Jonny Evans, Northern Irish footballer
* January 5 – Azizulhasni Awang, Malaysian track cyclist
* January 7 – Haley Bennett, American actress and singer
* January 8 – Alex Tyus, American-Israeli basketball player
* January 11 – Wang Yimei, Chinese volleyball player
* January 12
** Claude Giroux, Canadian ice hockey player
** Xiong Jing Nan, Chinese mixed martial artist and current List of ONE Championship champions#Strawweight World Championship, ONE Women's Strawweight World Champion
* January 13
Events Pre-1600
* 27 BC – Octavian transfers the state to the free disposal of the Roman Senate and the people. He receives Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years.
* 532 – The Nika riots break out, during the ra ...
– Artjoms Rudņevs, Latvian footballer
* January 15 – Skrillex, American musician and DJ
* January 16
** Nicklas Bendtner, Danish footballer
** FKA Twigs, English singer-songwriter, record producer, director and dancer
** Li Xiaoxia, Chinese table tennis player
* January 18 – Angelique Kerber, German tennis player
* January 21
** Ashton Eaton, American decathlete
** Glaiza de Castro, Filipino actress and singer
* January 25 – Tatiana Golovin, Russian-born French professional tennis player
* January 27 – Liu Wen (model), Liu Wen, Chinese model
* January 28
** Alexandra Krosney, American actress
* January 29
Events
Pre-1600
* 904 – Sergius III is elected pope, after coming out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed antipope Christopher.
* 946 – Caliph al-Mustakfi is blinded and deposed by Mu'izz al-Dawla, ruler ...
– Stephanie Gilmore, Australian surfer
February
* February 2 – Zosia Mamet, American actress and musician
* February 3
** Cho Kyuhyun, Korean singer
** Gregory van der Wiel, Dutch footballer
** Kamil Glik, Polish footballer
* February 4 – Carly Patterson, American gymnast
* February 5 – Natalie Geisenberger, German luger
* February 7
** Ai Kago, Japanese singer
** Lee Joon, South Korean idol singer (MBLAQ), dancer, actor and model
** Matthew Stafford, American football player
* February 8 – Zemfira Magomedalieva, Russian boxer
* February 9
** Lotte Friis, Danish swimmer
** Monika Liu, Lithuanian singer and songwriter
* February 12
Events Pre-1600
* 1096 – Pope Urban II confirms the foundation of the abbey of La Roë under Robert of Arbrissel as a community of canons regular.
* 1404 – The Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia performed the first post- ...
– Nicolás Otamendi, Argentinian footballer
* February 13
** Aston Merrygold, English singer
** Irene Montero, Spanish politician and psychologist
* February 14 – Ángel Di María, Argentine footballer
* February 15 – Rui Patrício, Portuguese footballer
* February 16
** Diego Capel, Spanish footballer
** Zhang Jike, Chinese table tennis player
** Kim Soo-hyun, South Korean actor
* February 17
** Natascha Kampusch, Austrian television hostess and kidnapping victim
** Vasiliy Lomachenko, Ukrainian boxer
* February 20
Events Pre-1600
*1339 – The Milanese army and the St. George's (San Giorgio) Mercenaries of Lodrisio Visconti clash in the Battle of Parabiago; Visconti is defeated.
*1472 – Orkney and Shetland are pawn (law), pawned by Norway to S ...
** Rihanna, Barbadian pop singer
* February 21 – Matthias de Zordo, German javelin thrower
** Ki Bo-bae, South Korean archer
* February 22 – Ximena Navarrete, Mexican actress, Miss Universe 2010
* February 24
** Brittany Bowe, American speed skater
** Efraín Juárez, Mexican footballer
* February 25 – Claudia Faniello, Maltese singer
* February 26 – Kim Yeon-koung, South Korean volleyball player
* February 28 – Markéta Irglová, Czech-Icelandic singer and songwriter
March
* March 2 – Matthew Mitcham, Australian diver
* March 4
** Gal Mekel, Israeli basketball player
** Valentina Shevchenko, Kyrgyz born-Peruvian mixed martial artist
* March 6
** Agnes (singer), Agnes, Swedish recording artist
** Marina Erakovic, New Zealand tennis player
** Simon Mignolet, Belgian footballer
** Lee Seung-hoon (speed skater), Lee Seung-hoon, South Korean speed skater
* March 8 – Laura Unsworth, British field hockey player
* March 9 - Elena Furiase, Spanish Actress
* March 10 – Ivan Rakitić, Croatian and Swiss footballer
* March 11 – Fábio Coentrão, Portuguese footballer
* March 14 – Stephen Curry, American basketball player
* March 16
** Jhené Aiko, American singer-songwriter
** Agustín Marchesín, Argentine footballer
* March 17 – Carrie Johnson, British media consultant and activist
** Grimes, Canadian singer and songwriter
* March 19
** Clayton Kershaw, American baseball player
** Zhou Lulu, Chinese weightlifter
** Maxim Mikhaylov (volleyball), Maxim Mikhaylov, Russian volleyball player
* March 20 – Alberto Bueno, Spanish footballer
* March 21
** Josepmir Ballón, Peruvian footballer
** Gabriela Isler, Venezuelan TV host, fashion model and Miss Universe 2013.
* March 23 – Jason Kenny, British cyclist
* March 25 - Big Sean, American rapper
* March 27
** Holliday Grainger, English actress
** Jessie J, English singer-songwriter
** Brenda Song, American actress
** Atsuto Uchida, Japanese football player
* March 28 – Lacey Turner, English actress
April
* April 2 – Jesse Plemons, American film and television actor
* April 5
Events Pre-1600
* 823 – Lothair I is crowned King of Italy by Pope Paschal I.
* 919 – The Fatimid invasion of Egypt (919–921), second Fatimid invasion of Medieval Egypt, Egypt begins, when the Fatimid heir-apparent, Al-Qa'im (Fa ...
** Alisha Glass, American volleyball player
** Daniela Luján, Mexican pop singer and actress
* April 6 – Fabrice Muamba, Democratic Congolese born-English football player and coach
* April 7 – Ed Speleers, British actor
* April 8 – Stephanie Cayo, Peruvian actress, singer-songwriter and model
* April 9 – Swara Bhasker, Indian actress
* April 10 – Haley Joel Osment, American actor
* April 12 – Lisa Unruh, German archer
* April 14
Events Pre-1600
* 43 BC – Legions loyal to the Roman Senate, commanded by Gaius Pansa, defeat the forces of Mark Antony in the Battle of Forum Gallorum.
* 69 – Vitellius, commanding Rhine-based armies, defeats Roman emperor ...
– Roberto Bautista Agut, Spanish tennis player
* April 18
** Vanessa Kirby, English actress and model
** Kayleigh McEnany, White House press secretary
* April 19 – Diego Buonanotte, Argentine footballer
* April 21
** Ricky Berens, American Olympic swimmer
** Adriano Moraes (fighter), Adriano Moraes, Brazilian mixed martial artist fighter and former ''List of ONE Championship champions#Flyweight World Championship, ONE Flyweight World Champion''
* April 23
** Victor Anichebe, Nigerian footballer
** Alistair Brownlee, English triathlete
* April 25 – Laura Lepisto, Finnish figure skater
* April 27
** Lizzo, American singer-songwriter and rapper
** Semyon Varlamov, Russian Ice Hockey player
* April 28
** Juan Mata, Spanish footballer
** Camila Vallejo, Chilean politician
* April 29 – Jonathan Toews, Canadian ice hockey player
* April 30 – Ana de Armas, Cuban actress
May
* May 1 – Anushka Sharma, Indian actress
* May 4 – Radja Nainggolan, Belgian footballer
* May 6 – Dakota Kai, New Zealand professional wrestler
* May 5 – Adele, British singer-songwriter
* May 7 – Ma Jin, Chinese badminton player
* May 8 – Timm Klose, Swiss footballer
* May 11
** Ace Hood, American rapper
** Blac Chyna, American model and entrepreneur
** Brad Marchand, Canadian ice hockey player
* May 12 – Marcelo Vieira, Brazilian footballer
* May 15 – Endéné Miyem, French basketball player
* May 16 – Behati Prinsloo, Namibian model
* May 17 – Nikki Reed, American actress
* May 18 – Taeyang, South Korean recording artist and model
* May 21 – Park Gyu-ri, South Korean idol singer
* May 23 – Jason Kenny, British track cyclist
* May 25 – Cameron van der Burgh, South African Olympic swimmer
* May 26
** Juan Cuadrado, Colombian footballer
** Dani Samuels, Australian discus thrower
* May 29 – Cheng Fei, Chinese gymnast
* May 29 – Tobin Heath, American women's soccer player
* May 30 – Amanda Nunes, Brazilian mixed martial artist
June
* June 1 – Javier Hernández, Mexican footballer
* June 2
** Sergio Agüero, Argentine footballer
** Amber Marshall (actor), Amber Marshall, Canadian actress
** Awkwafina, American actress
* June 4 – Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, American politician
* June 6 – Arianna Errigo, Italian fencer
* June 7
** Michael Cera, Canadian actor, comedian, producer and singer-songwriter
** Ekaterina Makarova, Russian tennis player
** Milan Lucic, Canadian ice hockey player
* June 8
** Lisa Brennauer, German cyclist
** Frédéric Julan, French boxer
* June 9
** Mae Whitman, American actress, voice actress and singer
** Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Greek footballer
* June 11 – Claire Holt, Australian actress
* June 12
** Eren Derdiyok, Swiss footballer
** Mauricio Isla, Chilean footballer
* June 14 – Kevin McHale (actor), Kevin McHale, American actor, dancer and singer
* June 16
** Banks (singer), Banks, American singer-songwriter
** Thierry Neuville, Belgian rally driver
* June 17 – Stephanie Rice, Australian swimmer
* June 18 – Josh Dun, American drummer
* June 19 – Jacob deGrom, American baseball player
* June 20 – May J., Japanese singer
* June 22
** Portia Doubleday, American actress
** Dean Furman, South African footballer
* June 23 – Chellsie Memmel, American gymnast
* June 25 – Therese Johaug, Norwegian cross-country skier
* June 27
** Célia Šašić, German footballer
** Matthew Spiranovic, Australian soccer player
* June 29 – Éver Banega, Argentine footballer
July
* July 1 – Aleksander Lesun, Russian modern pentathlete
* July 2 – Lee Chung-yong, South Korean footballer
* July 4 – Angelique Boyer, French-Mexican actress and singer
* July 5 – Samir Ujkani, Albanian-Kosovan footballer
* July 10
** Maja Alm, Danish orienteering and Athletics competitor
** Sarkodie (rapper), Sarkodie, Ghanaian hip hop artist
* July 12
** Melissa O'Neil, Canadian actress and singer
* July 13
** Colton Haynes, American actor and model
** Tulisa Contostavlos, British singer-songwriter
* July 14 – Conor McGregor, Irish mixed martial artist
* July 16
** Eric Johannesen, German rower
** Sergio Busquets, Spanish footballer
* July 19
** Popcaan, Jamaican Musician
* July 20 – Julianne Hough, American ballroom dancer, country music singer and actress
* July 21 – DeAndre Jordan, American basketball player
* July 22 – Noriko Senge, Japanese princess
* July 24 – Han Seung-yeon, South Korean singer and actress
* July 25 – Paulinho (footballer, born July 1988), Paulinho, Brazilian footballer
* July 26
** Francia Raisa, American actress
August
* August 1
** Max Carver, American actor
** Nemanja Matić, Serbian footballer
* August 2 – Rocío Sánchez Moccia, Argentine field hockey player
* August 5
** Mizuki Fujii, Japanese badminton player
** Federica Pellegrini, Italian swimmer
* August 8
** Princess Beatrice, British princess
* Agata Sobczyk, Polish economist and politician
* August 9 – Willian (footballer, born 1988), Willian, Brazilian footballer
* August 11
** Irfan Bachdim, Indonesian footballer
** Patty Mills, Australian basketball player
* August 12 – Tyson Fury, British boxer
* August 13 – MØ, Danish singer
* August 14 – Kayla Mueller, American human rights activist (d.2015)
* August 18
** G-Dragon, South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter and fashion icon
** Katarina Ivanovska, Macedonian model and actress
* August 19
** Kirk Cousins, American football quarterback
** Veronica Roth, American novelist and short story writer
** Cristina Scuccia, Italian singer
* August 21
Events Pre-1600
* 959 – Eraclus becomes the 25th bishop of Liège.
*1140 – Song dynasty general Yue Fei defeats an army led by Jin dynasty (1115–1234), Jin dynasty general Wuzhu at the Battle of Yancheng during the Jin–Song War ...
** Kacey Musgraves, American country music artist
** Robert Lewandowski, Polish footballer
* August 23 – Mikhail Aloyan, Russian boxer
* August 24 – Rupert Grint, English actor
* August 25
** Alexandra Burke, English singer
**Giga Chikadze, Georgian mixed martial artist
* August 28 – Rosie MacLennan, Canadian trampoline gymnast
* August 29 – Bartosz Kurek, Polish volleyball player
September
* September 1 – Simona de Silvestro, Swiss racing driver
* September 2 – Ishant Sharma, Indian cricketer
* September 3 – Jérôme Boateng, German footballer
* September 5
** Felipe Caicedo, Ecuadorian association footballer
** Nuri Şahin, Turkish footballer
* September 6 – Sargun Mehta, Indian model, comedian, dancer, presenter and actress
* September 7 – Kevin Love, American basketball player
* September 8 – Roy van den Berg, Dutch track cyclist
* September 10 – Coco Rocha, Canadian fashion model
* September 11 – Lee Yong-dae, South Korean male badminton player
* September 12 – Prachi Desai, Indian film and television actress
* September 13 – Eva-Maria Brem, Austrian alpine skier
* September 14 – Martin Fourcade, French biathlete
* September 20
** Sergei Bobrovsky, Russian Ice Hockey player
** Khabib Nurmagomedov, Russian mixed martial artist
* September 21 – Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistani politician
* September 23 – Juan Martín del Potro, Argentine tennis player
* September 26
** James Blake (musician), James Blake, English electronic music producer and singer-songwriter
** Kiira Korpi, Finnish figure skater
** Wei Qiuyue, Chinese volleyball player
* September 27 – Alma (French singer), Alma, French singer-songwriter
* September 28 – Marin Čilić, Croatian tennis player
* September 29
** Kevin Durant, American basketball player
** Maurício Souza (volleyball), Maurício Souza, Brazilian volleyball player and politician
** Alexander Volkanovski, Australian mixed martial artist and boxer
October
* October 1
** Cariba Heine, Australian actress and performer
** Nemanja Matić, Serbian footballer
* October 3
** Alex Dowsett, British racing cyclist
** ASAP Rocky, American rapper and music video director
** Alicia Vikander, Swedish actress
* October 4
** Melissa Benoist, American actress and singer
** Derrick Rose, American basketball player
* October 5
** Maja Salvador, Filipino actress
** Sam Warburton, Welsh rugby union player
* October 6
**Kaylyn Kyle, Canadian soccer player
**Jennifer Maia, Brazilian mixed martial artist
* October 7 – Diego Costa, Brazilian born-Spanish footballer
* October 8 – Maddie Hinch, English field hockey player
* October 9 – Amanda Serrano, Puerto Rican boxer, mixed martial artist and professional wrestler
* October 10 – Jodie Devos, Belgian soprano (d. 2024)
* October 15 – Mesut Özil, German football player
* October 16 – Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Nigerian footballer
* October 18
** Efe Ambrose, Nigerian footballer
** Sam Quek, British field hockey player
* October 19
** Irene Escolar, Spanish actress
** Claudia Lösch, Austrian Paralympian and alpine monoskier
* October 20
** Ma Long, Chinese table tennis player
** Candice Swanepoel, South African supermodel
* October 21
** Blanca Suárez, Spanish actress
** Hope Hicks, American public relations consultant, White House Communications Director
** Glen Powell, American actor
* October 22
** Parineeti Chopra, Indian actress
** Julia Krajewski, German equestrian
* October 23 – Nia Ali, American hurdler
* October 24 – Emilia Fahlin, Swedish cyclist
* October 28 – Camila Brait, Brazilian volleyball player
* October 29 – Dmitry Muserskiy, Russian volleyball player
* October 30 – Tandara Caixeta, Brazilian volleyball player
* October 31 – Sébastien Buemi, Swiss racing driver
November
* November 1
** Scott Arfield, Scottish footballer
** Masahiro Tanaka, Japanese baseball player
* November 2 – Julia Görges, German tennis player
* November 5 – Virat Kohli, Indian international cricketer
* November 6
** Emma Stone, American actress
** Conchita Wurst, Austrian singer, Eurovision Song Contest 2014 winner
* November 7
** Alexandr Dolgopolov, Ukrainian tennis player
** Tinie Tempah, English rapper
* November 8
**Makwan Amirkhani, Iranian-Finnish mixed martial artist
**Jessica Lowndes, Canadian actress and singer
* November 12 – Russell Westbrook, American basketball player
* November 9 – Lio Tipton, American actress and model
* November 15 – B.o.B., American rapper, singer, record producer and conspiracy theorist
* November 16 – Helly Luv, Iranian born-Finnish singer and actress
* November 19 – Patrick Kane, American ice hockey player
* November 20 – Dušan Tadić, Serbian footballer
* November 22 – Dong Bin, Chinese triple jumper
* November 25 – Nodar Kumaritashvili, Georgian luger (d.2010)
* November 26 – Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Icelandic strongman and actor
* November 29 – Russell Wilson, American football player
* November 30
** Rebecca Rittenhouse American actress
** Phillip Hughes, Australian cricketer (d. 2014)
December
* December 1
** Jelena Blagojević, Serbian volleyball player
** Tyler Joseph, American singer
** Zoë Kravitz, American actress, singer and model
* December 2 – Alfred Enoch, British actor
* December 4
** Mario Maurer, Thai model and actor
** Justin Meram, American-Iraqi soccer player
* December 5
** Tina Charles (basketball), Tina Charles, American basketball player
** Joanna Rowsell, English cyclist
** Miralem Sulejmani, Serbian footballer
* December 6 – Sandra Nurmsalu, Estonian musician
* December 7
** Nathan Adrian, American Olympic swimmer
** Emily Browning, Australian actress
** Cláudia Gadelha, Brazilian mixed martial artist
* December 9 – Kwadwo Asamoah, Ghanaian footballer
* December 10
** Wilfried Bony, Ivorian footballer
** Jena Hansen, Danish sailor
** Neven Subotić, Serbian footballer
* December 14
** Nicolas Batum, French basketball player
** Vanessa Hudgens, American actress and singer
* December 16
** Mats Hummels, German footballer
** Kaitlyn Lawes, Canadian curler
** Chibuzor Okonkwo, Nigerian footballer
** Park Seo-joon, South Korean actor and singer
* December 17
** David Rudisha, Kenyan middle-distance runner
** Yann Sommer, Swiss footballer
** Rin Takanashi, Japanese film and television actress
* December 19 – Alexis Sánchez, Chilean footballer
* December 23 – Tatiana Kosheleva, Russian volleyball player
* December 24 – Nikola Mektić, Croatian tennis player
* December 25
** Dele Adeleye, Nigerian footballer
** Marco Mengoni, Italian singer-songwriter
* December 27 – Hayley Williams, American singer
* December 28 – Katlyn Chookagian, American mixed martial artist
Date unknown
* Tô Linh Hương, Vietnamese businesswoman
Deaths
Nobel Prizes
* Nobel Prize in Physics, Physics – Leon M. Lederman, Melvin Schwartz, Jack Steinberger
* Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Chemistry – Johann Deisenhofer, Robert Huber, Hartmut Michel
* Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Medicine – Sir James Black (pharmacologist), James W. Black, Gertrude B. Elion, George H. Hitchings
* Nobel Prize in Literature, Literature – Naguib Mahfouz
* Nobel Peace Prize, Peace – The United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
United Nations peacekeeping, Peace-Keeping Forces
* Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, The Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel – Maurice Allais
References
{{Authority control
1988,
Leap years in the Gregorian calendar