world
The COVID-19 pandemic
In March 2020, the WHO declared a pandemic and life changed across the globe within weeks.
Born in 2002
It was 2020 when you turned 18
You arrived in 2002. By 2020 — 6 years ago now — the world had moved on. Here's what it looked like.
Turning 6 this year Part of Generation Alpha A leap year!
You arrived into the strangest year most of us can remember.
2020
The world you arrived into
Britain
The first UK lockdown
On 23 March 2020, the nation was told to stay at home. Thursday nights became about clapping for carers.
Britain
The UK left the European Union
On 31 January 2020, Britain left the EU after 47 years of membership.
sport
The Tokyo Olympics were postponed
For the first time outside the world wars, the summer Games were moved, to 2021.
2020
What people were listening to
music
"Blinding Lights" was everywhere
The Weeknd’s single, released late in 2019, became the defining — and most-streamed — song of 2020.
2020
At the cinema and on television
television
Everyone watched Tiger King
In lockdown spring, the Netflix documentary became a global obsession almost overnight.
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Keep exploring
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See the world you were born into →
The full picture for 2002 — music, movies, technology and more.
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Things that are younger than you →
From the NHS to the iPhone — how much arrived after you did?
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Your life in history →
A timeline of your milestones, matched with history.
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Compare 2002 with 1998 →
Two birth years, side by side. Try it with family.