Global timeline

Dated events from published cases, in chronological order. Dates keep their real precision; a period filter includes any event whose date range overlaps it.

Date range

Negative years are BCE.

Reset

Events

45 events.

Events over time

Published events in this view, counted by their earliest possible date in single years. Select a period to narrow the list.
  1. · Other

    Chittagong Hill Tracts insurgency, 1977-1997

    A two-decade armed conflict over Jumma autonomy and land rights, fuelled by state-sponsored Bengali settlement, ended with a negotiated peace accord.

    In: Chittagong Hill Tracts self-government

  2. · Other

    Kurdistan War in Iran, 1979-1983

    Kurdish autonomy demands were rejected by the new Islamic Republic, leading to a war reported to have killed around 10,000 Iranian Kurds.

    In: Kurdish self-determination in Iran

  3. · Conflict episode

    Coconut War, 1980

    Jimmy Stevens' Nagriamel movement led an uprising on Espiritu Santo from June 1980, declaring the unrecognised "State of Vemerana," which was suppressed by Papua New Guinean troops shortly after Vanuatu's independence.

    In: Vanuatu

  4. · Declaration

    Tafea Nation declaration, 1980

    Tanna and neighbouring islands were declared an independent "Tafea Nation," distinct from the Espiritu Santo secession.

    In: Tanna separatist episodes

  5. · Election

    Southern Rhodesian general election, 1980

    Under British administration and Lancaster House arrangements, Southern Rhodesia held elections from 14 February to 4 March 1980, in which the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front, led by Robert Mugabe, won a majority of seats.

    In: Zimbabwe

  6. · Declaration

    Independence of Zimbabwe, 1980

    Zimbabwe became independent at midnight on 18 April 1980, at a ceremony in Salisbury (later Harare) attended by Prince Charles, at which Robert Mugabe took office as the country's first Prime Minister.

    In: Zimbabwe

  7. · Referendum or popular consultation

    Quebec referendum, 1980

    Voters refused the Quebec government a mandate to negotiate sovereignty-association, by 59.56% to 40.44%.

    In: Quebec

  8. In: Espiritu Santo separatist episode

  9. · Conflict episode

    Isangel firefight, June 1980

    A march to free imprisoned breakaway-state supporters ended in a fatal firefight.

    In: Tanna separatist episodes

  10. · Declaration

    Independence of Vanuatu, 1980

    The New Hebrides, jointly administered by the United Kingdom and France as an Anglo-French Condominium since 1906, became independent as the Republic of Vanuatu on 30 July 1980, following a 1977 Paris conference and a 1979 constitution.

    In: Vanuatu

  11. In: Zimbabwe

  12. · Administrative change

    Formal separation of Anguilla, 1980

    Anguilla was formally separated from Saint Kitts-Nevis, becoming a distinct British dependency.

    In: Anguilla political status

  13. In: Galicia

  14. · Declaration

    Cape Verde's PAIGC branch separates as the PAICV, 1981

    A November 1980 military coup in Guinea-Bissau, which deposed President Luís Cabral, broke the political unity envisaged between Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde; Cape Verde's PAIGC branch, under Aristides Pereira, separated and re-formed as the PAICV in January 1981.

    In: Cape Verde

  15. In: Vanuatu

  16. · Conflict episode

    Falklands War, 1982

    Argentina and the UK fought a war following an Argentine military landing on the islands.

    In: Falkland Islands / Malvinas political status

  17. In: Guåhan / Guam self-determination

  18. In: Western Sahara

  19. · Organisation founded

    Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) founded, 1982

    A merger of Galician nationalist organisations founded the BNG, whose principles included recognising a Galician right of self-determination.

    In: Galicia

  20. In: Casamance

  21. In: Northern Cyprus

  22. In: Alaskan independence advocacy

  23. · Other

    Operation Blue Star, 1984

    An Indian military assault on the Golden Temple complex killed militant leader Bhindranwale and, per disputed estimates, hundreds to thousands of others.

    In: Khalistan movement

  24. · Other

    Start of the PKK insurgency, 1984

    The PKK launched an armed insurgency in southeastern Turkey, beginning a conflict that would continue for over four decades.

    In: Kurdish self-determination in Türkiye

  25. In: Khmer Krom self-determination

  26. In: Torres Strait Islander self-government

  27. In: Canary Islands independence

  28. · Other

    GNLF Gorkhaland agitation, 1986-1988

    A violent agitation for a separate Gorkhaland state was resolved through the creation of an autonomous hill council.

    In: Gorkhaland

  29. · Constitutional change

    Aruba achieves status aparte, 1986

    Aruba became a separate constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the night Betico Croes suffered his fatal accident.

    In: Aruba political status

  30. · Agreement

    Mizoram Peace Accord, 1986

    A negotiated settlement ended two decades of insurgency, granting Mizoram full Indian statehood the following year.

    In: Mizo independence history

  31. · Agreement

    Mount Data Peace Accord, 1986

    The CPLA and the Philippine government agreed to a cessation of hostilities, opening the path to constitutional autonomy provisions.

    In: Cordillera self-government

  32. · Organisation founded

    Occitan Party founded, 1987

    An autonomist party uniting several Occitanist movements was founded in Toulouse, becoming the most electorally active Occitanist party.

    In: Occitania

  33. · Declaration

    Republic of Rotuma declaration, 1987

    Henry Gibson declared Rotuma independent of Fiji and proclaimed himself king, an effort ended by 1988 sedition trials.

    In: Rotuman self-determination

  34. · Legislation

    Nicaragua Statute of Autonomy, 1987

    The North and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions were created, establishing a modern self-government framework.

    In: Miskitu self-determination

  35. · Agreement

    TNV peace agreement, 1988

    The first major armed Tripuri nationalist group disarmed in exchange for tribal land restoration measures.

    In: Tripuri independence and self-government movements

  36. · Protest

    Singing Revolution, 1988-89

    A wave of mass public singing gatherings from June 1988, and the 23 August 1989 Baltic Way human chain of over two million people across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, became the defining nonviolent movement for restoring Baltic independence.

    In: Estonia

  37. · Other

    First Nagorno-Karabakh War, 1988-1994

    A war between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces that left Armenian forces in control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azerbaijani territory for nearly three decades.

    In: Nagorno-Karabakh / Artsakh

  38. · Conflict episode

    Bougainville conflict, 1988–1997

    An armed conflict that began around the Panguna mine, closed it in 1989 and lasted until a truce in 1997.

    In: Bougainville

  39. In: Chin self-government movements

  40. In: Palestinian self-determination and statehood

  41. In: Namibia

  42. In: Wa political status

  43. In: Kurdish self-determination in Iran

  44. · Election

    Namibian Constituent Assembly election, 1989

    Namibians elected a 72-member Constituent Assembly from 7 to 11 November 1989, in a UN-supervised vote with turnout above 97%; SWAPO won 57.33% of the vote and 41 seats, and the Secretary-General's Special Representative certified the process free and fair.

    In: Namibia

  45. In: Gilgit-Baltistan political-status movements