1980

1980 is a year in the Gregorian calendar, the calendar system used internationally today. It is a leap year, meaning it contains 366 days, with February having 29 days. The year began on a Tuesday.

The year is part of the 1980s decade and marks the beginning of a new phase in global politics marked by heightened tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan at the end of 1979.

International affairs

That year saw the Summer Olympic Games held in Moscow. Many countries, led by the United States, boycotted the Games in protest of Soviet military presence in Afghanistan. In the same year, Ronald Reagan won the U.S. presidential election and took office in January 1981.

In the Middle East, the war between Iraq and Iran began in September 1980 and lasted three years. The hostage crisis at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, which began in 1979, continued throughout most of the year.

Africa and the Horn of Africa

In 1980, Zimbabwe gained independence, changing its name from Rhodesia. In the Horn of Africa, the consequences of the Ogaden War (1977–1978) continued to affect relations between Somalia and Ethiopia, with large refugee populations remaining in camps within Somalia. During this period, Somalia strengthened its ties with Western powers following the break with its Soviet allies.

Culture and technology

1980 is noted as a year of growing personal computer use and the expansion of video game industries. It also marked the beginning of satellite television and 24-hour news channels. In December 1980, musician John Lennon was killed in New York.