The year in history
2012
Someone born in 2012 turns 14 in 2026
2012 (MMXII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2012th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 12th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the 3rd year of the 2010s decade. 2012 was designated as:
What happened in 2012
The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
Iran suspends oil exports to Britain and France, following sanctions put in place by the European Union and the United States in January.
A coach carrying school pupils and teachers crashes while travelling through Sierre Tunnel on the A9 motorway in western Switzerland. Of the 52 people on board, 28 are killed, among them 22 children.
Mutinous soldiers in Guinea-Bissau stage a coup d'état and take control of the capital city, Bissau. They arrest interim President Raimundo Pereira and leading presidential candidate Carlos Gomes Júnior in the midst of a presidential election campaign.
May 20 Presidential elections were held in the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina result as president-elect.
Morley and Dianella in Perth, Western Australia, have a once in a decade tornado.
An extra leap second (23:59:60) is added to end of June. The last time this occurred was in 2008.
August 12 – The 2012 Summer Olympics are held in London, England, United Kingdom.
Canada officially cuts diplomatic ties with Iran by closing its embassy in Tehran, and orders the expulsion of Iranian diplomats from Ottawa, over support for Syria, nuclear plans and human rights abuses.
North Kalimantan is established as the 34th province of Indonesia.
December 9 – Typhoon Bopha, known as "Pablo" in the Philippines, kills at least 1,067 with around 838 people missing. The typhoon causes considerable damage in the island of Mindanao.
December 12 would be the last time in the 21st century that the month, day and final two digits of the year are the exact same (12/12/12). The next time this will happen will be on New Year's Day in 2101 (01/01/01).