Events depicted here are meant only to capture a time relationship of general world history with surveying and mapping events of the same time period portrayed on this site.

1986

The Challenger space shuttle exploded in the Florida skies

The Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Russia experienced a meltdown, resulting in the world's worst nuclear accident

1989

3.8 million litres of crude oil was spilled in Alaskan waters when the Exxon Valdez ran aground

The Berlin Wall was torn down, effectively ending communism in East Berlin

1990

Internet access became available to the public.

Nelson Mandela freed after serving 27 years in a South African jail

The opening of the 'Chunnel', an undersea road tunnel linking Britain and France

1991

Apartheid laws abolished in South Africa

The Gulf War raged in the Middle East

1994

Dolly, a sheep, was cloned.

2001

World Trade Centre destroyed by terrorists.

2004

Countries of south-east Asia and Africa were devasted by a Tsunami on Boxing Day, which killed hundreds of thousands of people.