1990 in paleontology, Vertebrates, Dinosaurs, Newly named birds
A Ralliformes, Songziidae Hou, 1990, this is the type species of the new genus.


1990 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1990 in poetry, Works published in English
Listed by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:


1990 in poetry, Works published in English, Anthologies in the United States, Poets included in The Best American Poetry 1990
These 75 poets were included in The Best American Poetry 1990, edited by David Lehman with Jorie Graham, guest editor:


1990 in poetry, Works published in other languages
Listed by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:


1990 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1990 in professional wrestling
1990 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.


1990 in race walking
This page lists the World Best Year Performance in the year 1990 in both the men's and the women's race walking distances: 10 km, 20 km and 50 km (outdoor).


1990 in rail transport
This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1990.


1990 in science
The year 1990 in science and technology involved some significant events.


1990 in sports
1990 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.


1990 in tennis
This page covers all the important events in the sport of tennis in 1990. Primarily, it provides the results of notable tournaments throughout the year on both the ATP and WTA Tours, the Davis Cup, and the Fed Cup.


1990 in tennis, ITF, Grand Slam events, Australian Open
The 1990 Australian Open, the first major of the year, was a tennis tournament that took place at Flinders Park in Melbourne, Australia. It was held from 15 to 28 January.


1990 in tennis, ITF, Grand Slam events, French Open
The 1990 French Open took place at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France from 28 May until 10 June.


1990 in tennis, ITF, Grand Slam events, Wimbledon
The 1990 Wimbledon Championships, the only major played on grass courts, took place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England. It was held from 25 June to 8 July.


1990 in tennis, ITF, Grand Slam events, US Open
The 1990 US Open, the last tennis major of the year, was played at the USTA National Tennis Center in New York City, United States, being held from 27 August to 9 September.


1990 in the Philippines
1990 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1990.


1990 in the Soviet Union
The following lists events that happened during 1990 in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.


1990 in the United Arab Emirates
Events from the year 1990 in the United Arab Emirates.


1990 in the decathlon
This page lists the World Best Year Performance in the year 1990 in the men's decathlon. One of the main events during this season were the 1990 European Championships in Split, Yugoslavia, where the competition started on August 28, 1990, and ended on August 29, 1990.


1990 in the environment
This is a list of notable events relating to the environment in 1990. They relate to environmental law, conservation, environmentalism and environmental issues.


1990 in the sport of athletics
This article contains an overview of the year 1990 in athletics.


1990 in video games
1990 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Dr. Mario, Dragon Quest IV, Final Fantasy III, Super Mario World, and Phantasy Star II, as well as several new titles such as Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light.


1990 in video games, Financial performance, Highest-grossing arcade games, Japan
In Japan, the following titles were the top ten highest-grossing arcade games of 1990.


1990 in video games, Financial performance, Highest-grossing arcade games, Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, the following titles were the top-grossing arcade games of each month on the Bondeal charts.


1990 in video games, Financial performance, Highest-grossing arcade games, United Kingdom and Australia
In the United Kingdom and Australia, the following titles were the top-grossing arcade games of each month.


1990 in video games, Financial performance, Highest-grossing arcade games, United States
In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1990.


1990 in video games, Financial performance, Highest-grossing arcade games, United States
The following titles were the top-grossing arcade games on the monthly RePlay arcade charts in 1990.


1990 in video games, Financial performance, Best-selling home video games, Japan
In Japan, according to Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) magazine, the following titles were the top ten best-selling 1990 releases, including later sales up until 1992.


1990 in video games, Financial performance, Best-selling home video games, Japan
The following titles were the best-selling home video games on the Japan game charts published by Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) and Family Computer Magazine (Famimaga) in 1990.


1990 in video games, Financial performance, Best-selling home video games, United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the following titles were the best-selling home video games of each month in 1990, for various home computer and game console platforms.


1990 in video games, Financial performance, Best-selling home video games, United States
In the United States, Super Mario Bros. 3 was the best-selling home video game of 1990. The following titles were the best-selling home video games of each month in 1990.


1990 in video games, Top-rated games, Critically acclaimed titles, Famitsu Platinum Hall of Fame
The following video game releases in 1990 entered Famitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" for receiving Famitsu scores of at least 35 out of 40.


1990 in video games, Top-rated games, Critically acclaimed titles, English-language publications
Notable video game releases in 1990 that have accumulated overall critical acclaim from at least three contemporary English-language sources include:


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers
A mass murder of Sri Lankan Police officers took place on 11 June 1990. Members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant organization, are alleged to have killed over 600 unarmed Sri Lanka Police officers in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. Some accounts have estimated the number killed as high as 774.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Background, Indian intervention
According to the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord, Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) arrived in Sri Lanka in July 1987. Their presence in the country was not very popular among the Sri Lankan public and the politicians. In January 1989, President Ranasinghe Premadasa's government was elected. President Premadasa's initial intention was to work out a peace plan with the LTTE, which was waging a bloody separatist campaign in the country's north and east. Premadasa too was unhappy with the Indian presence in Sri Lanka. In June 1989, he entered into a ceasefire agreement with the LTTE.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Background, Indian intervention
In an attempt to win over its leadership, Premadasa transferred a large quantity of weapons to the organization (at their request), to fight against the IPKF. And in late 1989, Premadasa asked the IPKF to depart, due to the adverse public opinion. Indian Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh consented and withdrew his force.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Background, Breakdown of peace talks
Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan government delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed held peace talks with the LTTE. Although the talks seemed successful at the initial stages, no agreement was made on critical issues like the dissolution of the Northeast Provincial Council and repealing of the Sixth Amendment to the constitution. LTTE chief political strategist and chief negotiator Anton Balasingham threatened the government, stating that "this is the last chance we give you. If you fail, we are prepared to wage war". The situation worsened after Sri Lankan Minister of Defence Ranjan Wijeratne asked the LTTE to lay down arms. LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran refused and hostilities between the government and the LTTE began to increase.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Background, Preceding events
During this time, the  Army was confined to the military camps. No action was taken against any of the LTTE activities for fear that peace talks would break down. But tension began to escalate by late May 1990. The army found that LTTE had constructed bunkers, dug trenches, and implemented other defense measures closer to the camps. But the Defense Ministry had instructed the Army to keep mute.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Background, Preceding events, Thandikulam incident
On 7 June 1990, a vehicle carrying Army personnel from Vavuniya to Mullaitivu was fired at by the LTTE. One soldier died and nine were injured. But the Defense Ministry instructed to take no action.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Massacre
On 11 June 1990, at about 6:00 a.m., LTTE surrounded the Batticaloa police station and abducted 3 policemen. About an hour later, around 250 armed LTTE cadres occupied the police station. Then the Sinhalese police officers along with their families were sent to the airport. Tamil Police officers were taken to the St Mary's Church, with their families. The acting officer-in-charge and four other policemen were detained. LTTE also removed Rs. 45 million in cash, gold jewellery, 109 T 56 rifles; 77 T 84S rifles; 28 light machine guns; 29 self-loading rifles; 65 submachine guns; 78 .303 rifles and 78 SAR 80 guns from the police station.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Massacre
LTTE ordered all police stations in Eastern Province to be vacated by 2:30 p.m. or face the consequences. The inspector general of Police, Ernest Perera, also instructed the police officers to surrender, at the request of President Ranasinghe Premadasa. Police officers laid down their arms after being promised safe conduct and subsequent release.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Massacre
Then the Sinhalese officers were sent to the Army or Air Force camps while Tamil officers were accommodated at schools. Meanwhile, the LTTE abducted 899 officers. About 125 were able to escape. Prisoners were taken to the Vinayagapuram and Trincomalee jungles. Once they had arrived, the LTTE cadres lined up the officers, tied their hands behind their backs and shot them dead. In all, 600 to 774 police officers died.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Massacre
But not all the officers complied at once. ASP Ivan Boteju, who was the OIC of Kalmunai police station, refused to surrender and kept on fighting with the LTTE from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. He protested insisting that they "would be tortured if not killed [if they surrendered]". Within that period, he repeatedly requested air support and artillery support but was denied. At about 5:20 p.m. the IGP personally contacted Botheju, ordered them to cease firing and surrender. When they had laid down their arms, LTTE took over and all communications with the Colombo Police headquarters were lost. Then the LTTE cadres took them to the Tirukkovil jungles and executed them.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Massacre
In Kalmunai, LTTE also fired at an Army convoy, killing ten Army soldiers. It was reported that 324 police officers who died were Sinhalese and Muslim. All of them were taken to the Tirukovil jungles by the LTTE, blindfolded, hands tied, made to lie down on the ground, and shot. It was later found out that these police officers were massacred using the weapons that R. Premadasa had clandestinely given the LTTE.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Aftermath
Sri Lanka's chief peace negotiator Minister Shahul Hameed's attempts to rescue the officers in detention went in vain. This massacre officially put an end to the ceasefire between the government and the LTTE. On 18 June 1990, the Minister of Defence Ranjan Wijeratne announced from the floor of the parliament, "From now on, it is all out war and no half ways". It was the start of the Eelam War II. As a result of the LTTE attacks, Army had to abandon camps including Kokavil, Mankulam, Killinochchi, Kondachchi and Silavathurai.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Aftermath
This, together with the abandonment of Police stations, resulted in a huge loss of territory to the government. LTTE had also managed to cut off the land route to Jaffna Peninsula. LTTE was in charge of most of the area in North and Eastern provinces by July 1990. Before this incident, LTTE had no conventional fighting capabilities. During Eelam War I, LTTE was merely a guerilla Outfit.


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Aftermath
At the time of this massacre, LTTE's peace delegation comprising Jude – an LTTE communication specialist – and two military wing cadres were at Hilton Colombo. Then they were moved to a military camp at Kalutara, under heavy security of Special Task Force. They were returned to the LTTE a few days later without any harm. According to Major General Sarath Munasinghe's book A Soldiers Version, the LTTE radio operator [Jude] had a message from Prabhakaran: "Whatever happens, ensure that the money offered is brought with you".


1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, Aftermath
The massacre provoked revenge riots in the Gal Oya valley, instigated by policemen. 26 Tamils were killed by Sinhalese mobs.


1990 oil price shock
The 1990 oil price shock occurred in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein's second invasion of a fellow OPEC member. Lasting only nine months, the price spike was less extreme and of shorter duration than the previous oil crises of 1973–1974 and 1979–1980, but the spike still contributed to the recession of the early 1990s. Average monthly price of oil rose from $17 per barrel in July to $36 per barrel in October. As the U.S.-led coalition experienced military success against Iraqi forces, concerns about long-term supply shortages eased and prices began to fall.


1990 oil price shock, Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and ensuing economic effects
On August 2, 1990, the Republic of Iraq invaded the State of Kuwait, leading to a seven-month occupation of Kuwait and an eventual U.S.-led military intervention. While Iraq officially claimed Kuwait was stealing its oil via slant drilling, its true motives were more complicated and less clear. At the time of the invasion, Iraq owed Kuwait $14 billion of outstanding debt that Kuwait had loaned it during the 1980–1988 Iran–Iraq War. In addition, Iraq felt Kuwait was overproducing oil, lowering prices and hurting Iraqi oil profits in a time of financial stress.


1990 oil price shock, Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and ensuing economic effects
In the buildup to the invasion, Iraq and Kuwait had been producing a combined 4.3 million barrels (680,000 m3) of oil a day. The potential loss of these supplies, coupled with threats to Saudi Arabian oil production, led to a rise in prices from $21 per barrel at the end of July to $28 per barrel on August 6. On the heels of the invasion, prices rose to a peak of $46 per barrel in mid-October.


1990 oil price shock, Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and ensuing economic effects
The United States' rapid intervention and subsequent military success helped to mitigate the potential risk to future oil supplies, thereby calming the market and restoring confidence. After only nine months, the spike had subsided, although the Kuwaiti oil fires set by retreating Iraqi forces were not completely extinguished until November 1991, and it took years for the two countries' combined production to regain its former level.


1990 oil price shock, Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and ensuing economic effects, U.S. financial response
The U.S. Federal Reserve's monetary tightening in 1988 targeted the rapid inflation of the 1980s. By raising interest rates and lowering growth expectations, the Fed hoped to slow and eventually reduce inflationary pressures, creating greater price stability. The August 6 invasion was seen as a direct threat to the price stability the Fed sought. In fact, the Council of Economic Advisors published a consensus estimate that a one-year, 50 percent increase in the price of oil could temporarily raise the price level of the economy by one percent and potentially lower real output by the same amount.


1990 oil price shock, Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and ensuing economic effects, U.S. financial response
Despite the potential for inflation, the U.S. Fed and central banks around the globe decided it would not be necessary to raise interest rates to counteract the rise in oil prices. Rather, the U.S. Federal Reserve decided to maintain interest rates as if the oil price spike were not occurring. This decision to refrain from action stemmed from confidence in the future success of Desert Storm to protect major oil-producing facilities in the Middle East and a will to maintain the long-term credibility of economy policy that had been built up during the 1980s.


1990 oil price shock, Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and ensuing economic effects, U.S. financial response
To avoid being accused of inaction in the face of potential economic turbulence, the U.S. revised the Gramm–Rudman–Hollings Balanced Budget Act. Initially, the act prohibited the U.S. from changing budget deficit targets even in the event of a negative shock to the economy. When oil prices rose, revision of this act allowed the U.S. government to adjust its budget for changes in the economy, further mitigating the risk of rising prices. The result was a peak in prices at $46 per barrel in mid-October, followed by a steady decline in prices until 1994.


1990 reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada
The list below consists of the reasons delivered from the bench by the Supreme Court of Canada during 1990. This list, however, does not include decisions on motions.


1990 Úrvalsdeild, Overview
It was contested by 10 teams, and Fram won the championship. FH's Hörður Magnússon was the top scorer with 13 goals.


1990-Sick
1990-Sick is the fourth studio album by American rapper Spice 1, released December 5, 1995, on Jive Records. The album was produced by Ant Banks, Blackjack, Bosko, Chase and Clint "Payback" Sands. It peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 30 on the Billboard 200. One single, "1990-Sick (Kill 'em All)", peaked at number 91 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and at number 18 on the Billboard Rap Songs. The album features guest appearances by MC Eiht, E-40, Kokane, Joya, Young Kyoz and G-Nut of 187 Fac.


1990-Sick
Along with singles, music videos were released for two songs: "1990-Sick (Get 'Em All)" featuring MC Eiht, and an alternate version of "Ain't No Love" featuring Levitti on the chorus instead of Joya. G-Nut makes a cameo appearance in "1990-Sick (Get 'em All)".


1990-Sick, Background
After wrapping up recording 1990-Sick, he turned himself in to Oakland police. Spice was forced to lay low during the summer of 1995 while making the album, since police were armed with a warrant for his arrest on illegal weapons charges. In between hiding and recording, he made a video for his first single, "1990-Sick (Get 'em All)." After serving two weeks in prison, he was released due to overcrowding.


1990-Sick, Critical reception
Allmusic – "...Building from a solid West Coast hip-hop base, Spice 1 adds ragamuffin and dancehall flourishes, which makes him distinctive as an MC... Spice 1 is an engaging rapper..."


1990-Sick, Critical reception
The Source – "... The way he switches flows from semi-automatic fire to fully automatic is enough to make you overlook the weak points of the CD. Spice may be 1990-SICK, but he's still 187-Pure."


1990-Sick (Get 'Em All)
"1990-Sick (Get 'Em All)" (AKA: "1990-Sick (Kill 'Em All)") is a 1995 song by Spice 1. It originally appeared on the album of the same name. The song features a guest verse from fellow West Coast rapper MC Eiht. The song would go on to reach #91 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart and #18 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.


1990-Sick (Get 'Em All)
Due to extreme amounts of profane language and violent content in the lyrics, the lyrics in the music video version for "1990-Sick" are heavily altered, to the point where the lyrics are unrecognizable when compared to the original uncensored album version. A version of the song without MC Eiht was also made and included on the 1990-Sick album. The song was released as a 12-inch single on October 30, 1995, and later appeared on Spice's 1998 greatest hits album Hits.


1990/91 South Australian Individual Speedway Championship
The 1990/91 South Australian Individual Speedway Championship was the 45th running of the South Australian Individual Speedway Championship organised by the Speedway Riders Association of South Australia and sanctioned by Motorcycling Australia. The final took place on 29 December 1990 at the 300 metres (330 yd) long Riverview Speedway in Murray Bridge.


1990/91 South Australian Individual Speedway Championship
Shane Parker scored a virtually unchallenged 15 point maximum to claim his first South Australian Championship. Damon Richardson finished second on 11 points after defeating Brett Tomkins in a runoff after Tomkins also scored 11 points. Defending champion Scott Norman was hampered by bike troubles on the night and never posed a threat to Parker.


1990/91 South Australian Individual Speedway Championship
Shane Bowes, who was one of the favorites to take out the title after breaking the 4 and 6 lap records at Riverview earlier in the month (after having done the same the previous night at North Arm in Adelaide), was unable to ride in the meeting due to lodging his nomination form one day too late. Organizers considered letting him ride in the state championship, but some of his fellow riders (perhaps mindful of his career best form) insisted that rules were rules and Bowes should be kept out.


1990/91 South Australian Individual Speedway Championship
Bowes and Scott Norman would later get their chance to qualify for the Australian Championship in Alice Springs when they finished 1st and 2nd respectively a special last chance qualifying round arranged due to the large number of leading riders (mostly from New South Wales and Queensland) who had failed to qualify through the various state championships.


1990: The Bronx Warriors
1990: The Bronx Warriors (Italian: 1990: I guerrieri del Bronx) is a 1982 Italian action-science fiction film directed by Enzo G. Castellari.


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Plot
Ann is the 17-year-old heiress to the arms manufacturing giant, The Manhattan Corporation. Unable to face her guilt over inheriting a morally questionable company when she turns 18, Ann runs away into the lawless wasteland of New York's the Bronx. According to the film publicity:"In the year 1990 the Bronx is officially declared No Man's Land. The authorities give up all attempts to restore law and order. From then on the area is ruled by the Riders".


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Plot
Attacked by a roller skating gang called The Zombies, Ann is saved by members of The Riders, and taken under the protection of The Riders' leader, Trash. The Manhattan Corporation hires a ruthless and psychopathic mercenary named Hammer, who turns the various Bronx gangs against each other to ensure Ann is returned.


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Production
The idea for the film was first envisioned by producer Fabrizio De Angelis when he missed a subway stop for his Manhattan hotel and ended up in dangerous neighbourhood in the Bronx. De Angelis stated he imagined the idea of a futuristic city where young hoods would fight for their home.


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Production
1990: The Bronx Warriors was one of the three science fiction films Enzo G Castellari made with producer Fabrizio De Angelis. These films take influence from Mad Max 2 (1981), The Warriors (1979), and Escape From New York (1981). Castellari changed some of De Angelis' plot ideas while filming, including incorporating more weird gangs such as the roller skating gang. When discussing 1990: The Bronx Warriors, The New Barbarians and Escape from the Bronx, Castellari stated the three films were written prepared and filmed in six months.


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Production
Italian regulations required that 50% of a film had to be shot in Italy. To solve this situation, the film was shot on location in the Bronx with interiors shot in Rome.


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Release
1990: The Bronx Warriors was released on October 29, 1982 in Italy.


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Reception
In a contemporary review, Kim Newman wrote in the Monthly Film Bulletin that the film contains the "usual virtues and vices of the Italian rip-off" noting that it was predominantly derivative of Escape from New York and The Warriors as well taking smaller elements from The Exterminator, Class of 1984 and Mad Max 2. Newman stated that "Castellari nimbly steals back all the stylistic elements that Carpenter and Hill poached from Leone's Westerns in the first place."


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Reception
The review praised the "attractive Panavision photography" and that the editing does "the best to conceal the fact that the epic battles and quests cover an extremely limited area of the Bronx." In his book Science Fiction, Phil Hardy also stated that the film was derivative of Escape From New York and The Warriors. The review went on to describe it as "riddled with narrative non-sequiteurs as it is devoid of cinematic imagination or élan." Variety referred to the film as an "exceedingly silly Italian action picture" that was "poorly scripted" and "lacks atmosphere".


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Reception
Variety praised Fred Williamson, stating that he "comes off as the best in the cast, handling himself smoothly in fight scenes which owe more to Italian sword 'n sandal programmers than recent violent epics." Alan Jones reviewed the film in Starburst, finding that Dardano Sachetti's story "doesn't jell under Enzo G. Castellari's messy and pendantic direciton" and that the film ahd "obnoxious characters"


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Reception
AllMovie described the film as "one of the more successful examples of the post-apocalyptic action film genre that became popular during the early '80s" and that it was "probably too silly and overblown for a general audience, but is likely to please exploitation fans in search of cheap thrills". The review praised Sergio Salvati's cinematography and Walter Rizzati's rock music-oriented score. The review noted that these elements did not compensate for the films "sillier excesses" such as the roller-skating gang and that the leads of Stefania Girolami and Marco di Gregorio were bland protagonists.


1990: The Bronx Warriors, Reception
A  exists for this movie, plus the 1983 sequel Escape from the Bronx. The creator Lance Manley is the subject of a 13-minute documentary on the 2015 Blu-ray release of 'Escape From the Bronx'. Entitled "The Hunt for Trash" it details his search for Mark Gregory, the star of both movies who has not been seen for decades.


1990s
The 1990s (pronounced "nineteen-nineties"; shortened to "the '90s") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1990, and ended on December 31, 1999.


1990s
The 1990s saw a rise in the awareness of multiculturalism since the 1980s, as well as the advance of alternative media. Movements such as grunge, the rave scene and hip hop spread around the world to young people during that decade, aided by then-new technology such as cable television and the World Wide Web.


1990s
A combination of factors, including the continued mass mobilization of capital markets through neo-liberalism, the thawing and end of the decades-long Cold War, the beginning of the widespread proliferation of new media such as the Internet from the middle of the decade onwards, increasing skepticism towards government, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union led to a realignment and reconsolidation of economic and political power across the world and within countries. The dot-com bubble of 1997–2000 brought wealth to some entrepreneurs before its crash between 2000 and 2001.


1990s
The 1990s saw extreme advances in technology, with the World Wide Web, the first gene therapy trial, and the first designer babies all emerging in 1990 and being improved and built upon throughout the decade.


1990s
New ethnic conflicts emerged in Africa, the Balkans, and the Caucasus, the former two witnessing the Rwandan and Bosnian genocides, respectively. Signs of any resolution of tensions between Israel and the Arab world remained elusive despite the progress of the Oslo Accords, though The Troubles in Northern Ireland came to a standstill in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement after 30 years of violence.


1990s, Politics and wars, Prominent political events, North America
The enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on 1 January 1994, creating a North American free trade zone consisting of Canada, Mexico, and the United States.


1990s, Politics and wars, Prominent political events, North America
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a former Haitian priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a Roman Catholic parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies to become a priest of the Salesian order. He was born 66 years (July 15, 1953). He made 11 books.Jean-Bertrand Aristide (born 15 July 1953) is a former Haitian priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president. ... Aristide was later forced into exile in the Central African Republic and South Africa. He finally returned to Haiti in 2011 after seven years in exile.


1990s, Disasters, Natural disasters
The 1990s saw a trend in increasingly frequent and more devastating natural disasters, breaking many previous records. Although the 1990s was designated by the United Nations as an International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction as part of its program to prevent losses due to the disasters, its disasters would go on to cause a record-breaking US$608 billion worth of damage—more than four previous decades combined.


1990s, Technology and science, Technology
The 1990s were a revolutionary decade for digital technology. Between 1990 and 1997, individual personal computer ownership in the US rose from 15% to 35%. Cell phones of the early-1990s and earlier ones were very large, lacked extra features, and were used by only a few percent of the population of even the wealthiest nations. Only a few million people used online services in 1990, and the World Wide Web, which would have a significant impact on technology for many decades, had only just been invented. The first web browser went online in 1993 and by 2001, more than 50% of some Western countries had Internet access, and more than 25% had cell phone access.


1990s, Technology and science, Technology, Electronics and communications
An early portable CD player, a Sony Discman model D121


1990s, Technology and science, Technology, Rail Transportation
The opening of the Channel Tunnel between France and the United Kingdom saw the commencement by the three national railway companies of Belgium, France and the United Kingdom, respectively SNCB/NMBS, SNCF and British Rail of the joint Eurostar service.


1990s, Technology and science, Technology, Rail Transportation
On 14 November 1994 Eurostar services began between Waterloo International station in London, Gare du Nord in Paris and Brussels South in Brussels. In 1995 Eurostar was achieving an average end-to-end speed of 171.5 km/h (106.6 mph) between London and Paris. On 8 January 1996 Eurostar launched services from a second railway station in the UK when Ashford International was opened. Journey times between London and Brussels were reduced by the opening of the High Speed 1 line on 14 December 1997.


1990s, Technology and science, Technology, Automobiles
The 1990s began with another recession that dampened car sales. General Motors continued to suffer huge losses thanks to an inefficient structure, stale designs, and poor quality. Sales improved with the economy by the mid-1990s, but GM's US market share gradually declined to less than 40% (from a peak of 50% in the 1970s). While the new Saturn division fared well, Oldsmobile declined sharply, and attempts to remake the division as a European-style luxury car were unsuccessful.


1990s, Technology and science, Technology, Automobiles
Cars in the 1990s had a rounder, more streamlined shape than those from the 1970s and 1980s; this style would continue early into the 2000s and to a lesser extent later on.


1990s, Technology and science, Technology, Automobiles
Chrysler ran into financial troubles again as the 1990s started. Like GM, the company too had a stale model lineup (except for the best-selling minivans) that was largely based on the aging K-car platform. In 1992, chairman Lee Iacocca retired, and the company began a remarkable revival, introducing the new LH platform and "Cab-Forward" styling, along with a highly successful redesign of the full-sized Dodge Ram in 1994. Chrysler's minivans continued to dominate the market despite increasing competition. In 1998, Daimler-Benz (the parent company of Mercedes-Benz) merged with Chrysler.


1990s, Technology and science, Technology, Automobiles
The following year, it was decided to retire Plymouth, which had been on a long decline since the 1970s. Ford continued to fare well in the 1990s, with the second and third generations of the Ford Taurus being named the best selling car in the United States from 1992 to 1996. However, the Taurus would be outsold and dethroned by the Toyota Camry starting in 1997, which became the best selling car in the United States for the rest of the decade and into the 2000s. Ford also introduced the Ford Explorer, 1991 being the first model year. Fords Explorer became the best selling SUV on the market; out selling both the Chevy Blazer and Jeep Cherokee


1990s, Technology and science, Technology, Automobiles
Japanese cars continued to be highly successful during the decade. The Honda Accord vied with the Taurus most years for being the best-selling car in the United States during the early part of the decade. Although launched in 1989, the luxury brands Lexus and Infiniti began car sales of 1990 model year vehicles and saw great success. Lexus would go on to outsell Mercedes-Benz and BMW in the United States by 1991, and would outsell Cadillac and Lincoln by the end of the decade.


1990s, Technology and science, Technology, Automobiles
SUVs and trucks became hugely popular during the economic boom in the second half of the decade. Many makes that had never built a truck before started selling SUVs. Car styling during the 1990s became gradually more round and ovoid, the third-generation Taurus and Mercury Sable being some of the more extreme examples. Safety features such as airbags and shoulder belts became mandatory equipment on new cars.


1990s, Environment
At the beginning of the decade, sustainable development and environmental protection became serious issues for governments and the international community. In 1987, the publication of the Brundtland Report by the United Nations had paved the way to establish an environmental governance. In 1992 the Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, in which several countries committed to protect the environment, signing a Convention on Biological Diversity.


1990s, Environment
The prevention of the destruction of the tropical rainforests of the world is a major environmental cause that first came into wide public concern in the early 1990s, and has continued and accelerated.


1990s, Environment
The Chernobyl disaster had significant impact on public opinion at the end of the 1980s, and the fallout was still causing cancer deaths well into the 1990s and possibly even into the 21st century. All along the 1990s, several environmental NGOs helped improve environmental awareness among public opinion and governments. The most famous of these organizations during this decade was Greenpeace, which did not hesitate to lead illegal actions in the name of environmental preservation. These organizations also drawn attention on the large deforestion of the Amazon Rainforest during the period.


1990s, Environment
Global warming as an aspect of climate change also became a major concern, and the creation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) after the Earth Summit helped coordinate efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere. From 1995, the UNFCCC held annual summits on climate change, leading to the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in December 1997, a binding agreement signed by several developed countries.


1990s, Society
The 1990s represented continuing social liberalization in most countries, though coupled with an increase in the influence of capitalism, which would continue until the Great Recession of the late 2000s/early 2010s.


1990s, Society
Youth culture in the 1990s responded to this by embracing both environmentalism and entrepreneurship. Western world fashions reflected this by often turning highly individualistic and/or counter-cultural, which was influenced by Generation X and early millennials: tattoos and body piercing gained popularity, and "retro" styles inspired by fashions of the 1960s and 1970s were also prevalent. Some young people became increasingly involved in extreme sports and outdoor activities that combined embracing athletics with the appreciation of nature.


1990s, Society
Those born from 1990 to 1996 are generally considered part of the Millennial Generation, along with those born in the 1980s, while those born from 1997 onward are often considered part of Generation Z, the post-Millennial generation.


1990s, Society
In 1990, the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from its list of diseases. Increasing acceptance of homosexuality occurred in the western world, slowly starting in the early 1990s.


1990s, Popular culture
Grunge styles were popular in the 1990s, as modeled here by Kurt Cobain of the band Nirvana, one of the most famous musicians of the decade.


1990s, Popular culture
The internet was created and in its infancy in the 1990s.


1990s, Popular culture
The Nintendo 64 released in 1996. Super Mario 64 was the best selling game of the decade.


1990s, Popular culture
Crystal Pepsi was a popular drink in the 1990s, which was re-released in 2016.


1990s, Popular culture
Rugrats and other cartoons like Beavis & Butthead, The Simpsons, and Ren & Stimpy were popular in the 1990s.


1990s, Popular culture
A VHS tape as would be used in the 1990s.


1990s, Popular culture
One of the sets used in the television show Star Trek: The Next Generation, which was popular in the 1990s.


1990s, Popular culture, Film
Dogme 95 becomes an important European artistic motion picture movement by the end of the decade. The first full-length CGI movie, Pixar's Toy Story, is released, revolutionizing animated films. Titanic becomes a cultural phenomenon throughout the world, and eventually becomes the highest-grossing film of all time, grossing over $1.8 billion worldwide. It would hold this record for over a decade until 2010 when director James Cameron had another one of his films take the title, that being Avatar.


1990s, Popular culture, Film
Family animated feature films began to gain popularity during the decade, though the late-1990s (1997, 1998 and 1999) were more known. Don Bluth's animation studio released a number of  underperfoming family animated films such as Rock-a-Doodle, Thumbelina and The Pebble and the Penguin and closed down in 1995. In 1994, former Disney employee Jeffrey Katzenberg founded DreamWorks SKG which would produce its first two animated films: The Prince of Egypt and Antz which were both aimed more at adults than children and were both critical and commercially successful.


1990s, Popular culture, Film
Meanwhile, films by Walt Disney Feature Animation became popular once more when the studio returned to making family traditionally animated musical classic films, most notable films were Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Lion King. This era was known as the Disney Renaissance. Other significant animated films have also gained cult status such as The Jetsons Movie, The Princess and the Goblin, Happily Ever After, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, Ferngully: The Last Rainforest, Tom and Jerry: The Movie, The Thief and the Cobbler, Once Upon a Forest, We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Felidae, The Swan Princess, Balto, Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, Cats Don't Dance, Anastasia, Quest for Camelot, The Rugrats Movie, Kirikou and the Sorceress, The King and I, South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut and The Iron Giant.


1990s, Popular culture, Film
Live-action films featuring computer-animated characters became popular with films such as Casper, James and the Giant Peach, 101 Dalmatians, Men in Black, Small Soldiers and Stuart Little, although live-action/traditional cel animated film featuring traditional characters like Cool World, The Pagemaster and Space Jam were also prevalent.


1990s, Popular culture, Film
Japanese anime films continued in the 1990s as Studio Ghibli's continued to dominate with films such as Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, Pom Poko, Whisper of the Heart, Princess Mononoke (which became the highest-grossing anime film at the time) and My Neighbors the Yamadas.


1990s, Popular culture, Film
Other significant anime films which gained cult status include Roujin Z, Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, Patlabor 2: The Movie, Ninja Scroll, Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, Ghost in the Shell, Memories, The End of Evangelion, Perfect Blue, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, and the Pokémon film series which started with the first two entries Pokémon: The First Movie and Pokémon: The Movie 2000.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
The 1990s were a decade that saw marketing become more segmented, as MTV gradually shifted away from music videos beginning in 1992 and radio splintered into narrower formats aimed at different niches. However, they are perhaps best known for grunge, gangsta rap, R&B, teen pop; eurodance, electronic dance music, the renewed popularity of punk rock mainly because of the band Green Day (which would also help create a new genre pop punk) and for being the decade that alternative rock became mainstream.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
U2 was one of the most popular 1990s bands, their groundbreaking Zoo TV and PopMart tours were the top selling tours of 1992 and 1997. Glam metal dies out through its own accord in the music mainstream by 1991. Grunge became popular in the early 90s due to the success of Nirvana's Nevermind, Pearl Jam's Ten, Alice in Chains' Dirt and Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger. Pop punk also becomes popular with such artists as Green Day, Blink-182, Weezer, Social Distortion, the Offspring, Bad Religion, NOFX and Rancid. Other successful alternative acts included Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., Nickelback, Creed, Radiohead, Gin Blossoms, Soul Asylum, Third Eye Blind, Stone Temple Pilots, Faith No More, the Smashing Pumpkins, Live, Everclear, Bush, Screaming Trees and Ween.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
Dr. Dre's 1992 album The Chronic provided a template for modern gangsta rap, and gave rise to other emerging artists of the genre, including Snoop Dogg. Due to the success of Death Row Records and Tupac Shakur, West Coast gangsta rap commercially dominated hip hop during the early-to-mid 1990s, along with Bad Boy Records and the Notorious B.I.G. on the East Coast. Hip hop became the best selling music genre by the mid-1990s.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
In the United Kingdom, the uniquely British alternative rock Britpop genre emerged as part of the more general Cool Britannia culture, with Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Suede, Supergrass and Elastica. The impact of boy band pop sensation Take That lead to the formation of other boy bands in the UK and Ireland such as East 17 and Boyzone. Female pop icons Spice Girls took the world by storm, becoming the most commercially successful British group since the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. Their global success brought about a widespread scene of teen pop acts around the world such as All Saints, Backstreet Boys, Hanson, NSYNC, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera who came to prominence into the new millennium. 1991 also saw the death of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury from AIDS-related pneumonia.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
Contemporary R&B and quiet storm continued in popularity among adult audiences, which began during the 1980s. Popular American contemporary R&B artists included Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, D'Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston, Brandy, Sade, En Vogue, TLC, Destiny's Child, Toni Braxton, Boyz II Men, Dru Hill and Vanessa L. Williams.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
The Tibetan Freedom Concert brought 120,000 people together in the interest of increased human rights and autonomy for Tibet from China. Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain, Selena, Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. are the most publicized music-related deaths of the decade, in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 respectively.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
Richey Edwards of Manic Street Preachers was publicized in the media in 1991 following an incident involving Steve Lamacq backstage after a live show, in which Edwards carved '4 Real' into his arm. Edwards disappeared in 1995, which was highly publicized. He is still missing, but was presumed dead in 2008.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
Controversy surrounded the Prodigy with the release of the track "Smack My Bitch Up". The National Organization for Women (NOW) claimed that the track was "advocating violence against women" due to the lyrics of that song. The music video (directed by Jonas Åkerlund) featured a first-person POV of someone going clubbing, indulging in drugs and alcohol, getting into fist fights, abusing women and picking up a prostitute. At the end of the video the camera pans over to a mirror, revealing the subject to be a woman.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
1994 became a breakthrough year for punk rock in California, with the success of bands like Bad Religion, Social Distortion, Blink-182, Green Day, the Offspring, Rancid and similar groups following. This success would continue to grow over the next decade, the 2000s. The 1990s also became the most important decade for ska punk/reggae rock, with the success of many bands like Buck-O-Nine, Goldfinger, Less Than Jake, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Murphy's Law, No Doubt, Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris, Sublime and Sugar Ray.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
The rave movement that emerged in the late 1980s rose. Rave spawned genres such as Intelligent dance music and Drum and bass. The latter is an offshoot of jungle techno and breakbeat. Popular artists included Moby, Fatboy Slim, Björk, Aphex Twin, Orbital, the Orb, the Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx, Todd Terry, 808 State, Primal Scream, the Shamen, the KLF and the Prodigy.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
The rise of industrial music, somewhat a fusion of synthpop and heavy metal, rose to worldwide popularity with bands like Godflesh, Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein, Ministry and Marilyn Manson. Groove metal was born through the efforts of Pantera, whose seventh studio album Far Beyond Driven (1994) was notable for going number one on Billboard 200. Another heavy metal subgenre called nu metal, which mixed metal with hip hop influences, becomes popular with bands like Korn, Slipknot and Limp Bizkit selling millions of albums worldwide. Metallica's 1991 eponymous album Metallica is the best-selling album of the SoundScan era, while extreme metal acts such as Death, Mayhem, Darkthrone, Emperor, Cannibal Corpse and others experienced popularity throughout the decade.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
In the 1990s, country music became a worldwide phenomenon thanks to Billy Ray Cyrus, Shania Twain and Garth Brooks. The latter enjoyed one of the most successful careers in popular music history, breaking records for both sales and concert attendance throughout the decade. The RIAA has certified his recordings at a combined (128× platinum), denoting roughly 113 million United States shipments.


1990s, Popular culture, Music
Other artists that experienced success during this time included Clint Black, Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin, Travis Tritt, Suzy Bogguss, Alan Jackson, Lorrie Morgan and the newly formed duo of Brooks & Dunn; George Strait, whose career began in the 1980s, also continued to have widespread success in this decade and beyond. Female artists such as Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Deana Carter, LeAnn Rimes and Mary Chapin Carpenter all released platinum selling albums in the 1990s. The Dixie Chicks became one of the most popular country bands in the 1990s and early 2000s. Their 1998 debut album Wide Open Spaces went on to become certified 12x platinum while their 1999 album Fly went on to become 10x platinum.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
TV shows, mostly sitcoms, were popular with the American audience. Series such as Roseanne, Coach, Empty Nest, Mr. Belvedere, 227, Cheers, The Cosby Show, Growing Pains, Night Court, The Hogan Family, A Different World, Amen, ALF, Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, Charles in Charge, Saved by the Bell, My Two Dads, Newhart, Dear John, Designing Women, The Golden Girls, Who's the Boss?, Head of the Class, and Seinfeld, which premiered in the eighties, and Frasier, a spin-off of the 1980s hit Cheers were viewed throughout the 1990s.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
These sitcoms, along with Friends, That '70s Show, Ellen, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Full House, Nurses, Murphy Brown, The Wonder Years, Living Single, Step by Step, NewsRadio, Blossom, The King of Queens, Major Dad, Fired Up, Jesse, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, For Your Love, The Steve Harvey Show, The Larry Sanders Show, Sex and the City, Arliss, Dream On, Grace Under Fire, Mad About You, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Naked Truth, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, The Jamie Foxx Show, Smart Guy, The Wayans Bros., Malcolm & Eddie, Clueless, Moesha, The Parent 'Hood, Unhappily Ever After, Roc, Martin, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, In Living Color, Sister, Sister, Boy Meets World, Ned and Stacey, Becker, Veronica's Closet, Two Guys and a Girl, The Drew Carey Show, Wings, The John Larroquette Show, Caroline in the City, Sports Night, Home Improvement, Will & Grace, Married... with Children, Evening Shade, Cosby, Spin City, The Nanny, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Suddenly Susan, Cybill, Just Shoot Me!, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Dharma and Greg turned TV in new directions and defined the humor of the decade.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
In early 1993, one of the last westerns ever to air on television was Walker, Texas Ranger, a crime drama which also starred Chuck Norris as the title character. Lasting for 9 seasons, the show tackled a wide variety of subjects, and was one of the few shows ever to perform karate.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
1993 also saw its debut of the medical–mystery drama, Diagnosis Murder, a comeback vehicle for Dick Van Dyke, who guest-starred on an episode of its sequel, Jake and The Fatman, where the show got off to a rocky start, and became one of television's long-running mysteries, that lasted until its cancelation in 2001.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
Medical dramas started to come into television in the '90s. One show stood out as a critical and ratings success for NBC. In 1994, ER, which starred Anthony Edwards, Noah Wyle and George Clooney, was a domestic and international success, lasting until 2009 and spawning series such as Grey's Anatomy (2005–present). It made NBC the most watched channel in the United States. This show launched the career of George Clooney. That same year, Chicago Hope, that starred Héctor Elizondo, Mandy Patinkin and Adam Arkin, was also a popular series for CBS, lasting between 1994 and 2000.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
Beverly Hills, 90210 ran on Fox from 1990 to 2000. It established the teen soap genre paving the way for Dawson's Creek, Felicity, Party of Five, and other shows airing later in the decade. The show was then remade and renamed simply 90210 and premiered in 2008. Beverly Hills, 90210 spun-off Melrose Place, a popular TV show that dominated throughout the '90s as well. Baywatch, a popular TV show that dominated throughout the '90s, became the most watched TV show in history and influenced pop culture.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
Sex and the City's frank portrayal of relationships and sexuality caused controversy and acclaim, leading to a new generation of sexually progressive television shows that would be seen in the 2000s.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
The fantasy and science fiction was popular on television, with NBC airing seaQuest DSV beginning in 1993, This series is a Steven Spielberg production, made Jonathan Brandis popular teen idol, but after three seasons it was canceled. Touched By an Angel, broadcast by CBS in 1994. The series was intended as the comeback vehicle of Della Reese, and also launched the career of Roma Downey. It wasn't an immediate hit, and was canceled the following year, but revived the following year, thanks to die hard fans who approached a letter-writing campaign, where it ran for 8 more seasons.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
Crime drama and police detective shows returned after soap-operas died down. After the successful debuts of Law & Order, NYPD Blue and Homicide: Life on the Street, Nash Bridges, a comeback vehicle for Don Johnson, lasting 6 seasons (1996–2001) which also dealt with escapist entertainment, rather than tackling issues.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
Reality television began on MTV; this would grow in importance in the western world into the next decade.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
During the mid-1990s, two of the biggest professional wrestling companies: World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation were in a ratings battle that was dubbed the Monday Night Wars (1995–2001). Each company fought to draw more viewers to their respective Monday night wrestling show. The "War" ended in 2001 when WWE bought WCW. In November 2001, there was a Winner Takes All match with both companies in a Pay-Per-View called Survivor Series. WWF won the match; putting a final end to WCW.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
As an animated sitcom, The Simpsons, debuted in December 1989, became a domestic and international success in the 1990s. The show has aired more than 600 episodes and has become an institution of pop culture. It has spawned the adult-oriented animated sitcom genre, inspiring racier shows such as Beavis and Butt-head (1993–1997), Daria (1997–2001), along with South Park and Family Guy, the latter two of which began in 1997 and 1999 respectively and continue to air new episodes through the 2000s and into the 2010s.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
Anime was popular in the 1980s, and expanded to a worldwide audience by the 1990s, for its expansive spectrum of story subjects and themes not limited to comedy and superhero action found in the US, and well produced, and well written, visual and story content that came to showcase animation's potential for emotional and intellectual depth and integrity on par with live action media to its viewers, and which also expanded to older and adult ages in the medium of animation.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
TV shows such as Sailor Moon, Digimon, Pokémon, Tenchi Muyo!, Detective Conan, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ranma ½, Yu Yu Hakusho, Slayers, Rurouni Kenshin, Initial D, Gunsmith Cats, Outlaw Star, to anime movies such as Akira, Vampire Hunter D, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, The Castle of Cagliostro, and imports by various distributors such as Viz, AnimEigo, Central Park Media, A.D. Vision, Pioneer Entertainment, Media Blasters, Manga Entertainment, and Celebrity, helped begin the mid to late 1990s and turn of the millennium introductory anime craze in the US, and the Cartoon Network anime block Toonami in 1997.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
American animated children's programs went through a renaissance during the decade with studios producing many critically acclaimed shows. Specifically Warner Bros Animation shows like Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Batman: The Animated Series, and Superman: The Animated Series, as well as syndicated shows like Phantom 2040. Nickelodeon's first animated series (Doug, Rugrats, The Ren & Stimpy Show) debuted in 1991.


1990s, Popular culture, Television
The late 90s also saw the evolution of a new TV genre: primetime game shows, popularized by the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, hosted by Regis Philbin on ABC, as well as other first-run game shows aired in primetime on the newly launched Game Show Network.


1990s, Popular culture, Fashion
The handheld digital pet device Tamagotchi became an especially popular game among children around the world during the decade


1990s, Popular culture, Fashion
Pogs was an especially popular game among children around the world during the decade


1990s, Popular culture, Fashion
In the 90s Dr. Martens shoes became a popular fashionable item heavily influenced by the grunge scene and the prominent grunge musicians who wore them


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Video game consoles released in this decade included the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Neo Geo, Atari Jaguar, 3DO, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast; while Portable video game consoles included Game Gear, Atari Lynx and Game Boy Color. Super Mario World was the decade's best selling console video game, while Pokémon Red and Blue was the decade's best selling portable video game; Super Mario 64 was the decade's best selling fifth-generation video game, while Street Fighter II was the decade's highest grossing arcade video game.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Mario as Nintendo's mascot finds a rival in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog on the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1991. Sonic would go on to become on the most successful video game franchises of the decade and of all time.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Popular notable video games of the 1990s include: Super Metroid, Metal Gear Solid, Super Mario World, Doom, Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong 64, Pokémon Red and Blue Versions, Pokémon Yellow Version, GoldenEye 007, Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Gran Turismo, Mario Kart 64, Half-Life, Super Mario Kart, Radiant Silvergun, Rayman, Gunstar Heroes, Banjo-Kazooie, Soulcalibur, Star Fox series, Tomb Raider series, Final Fantasy, Sonic the Hedgehog series, Story of Seasons series, Tony Hawk's series, Crash Bandicoot series, Metal Slug series, Resident Evil series, Street Fighter II, Spyro the Dragon series, Commander Keen series, Test Drive series, Dance Dance Revolution series, Monkey Island series, Dune series, Mortal Kombat series, Warcraft series, Duke Nukem 3D, Tekken series, EarthBound, Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game, and StarCraft.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Sony's PlayStation becomes the top selling game console and changes the standard media storage type from cartridges to compact discs in consoles. Crash Bandicoot is released on 9 September 1996, becoming one of the most successful platforming series for the Sony PlayStation. Tomb Raider's (PlayStation) Lara Croft became a video game sex symbol, becoming a recognizable figure in the entertainment industry throughout the late 1990s.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
3-D graphics become the standard by end of decade. Although FPSs had long since seen the transition to full 3D, other genres begin to copy this trend by the end of the decade. Most notable first shooter games in the 1990s are GoldenEye 007 and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
The console wars, primarily between Sega (Mega Drive, marketed as the Sega Genesis in North America, introduced in 1988) and Nintendo (Super NES, introduced in 1990), sees the entrance of Sony with the PlayStation in 1994, which becomes the first successful CD-based console (as opposed to cartridges). By the end of the decade, Sega's hold on the market becomes tenuous after the end of the Saturn in 1999 and the Dreamcast in 2002.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Arcade games rapidly decrease in popularity, mainly due to handheld and home consoles.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Fighting games like Capcom's Street Fighter II, Sega's futuristic Virtua Fighter, and especially the more violent Mortal Kombat from Midway prompted the video game industry to adopt a game rating system. Hundreds of knock-offs are widely popular in the mid-to-late 1990s. Doom (1993) bursts onto the world scene, and instantly popularizes the FPS genre. Half-Life (1998) features the next evolutionary step in the genre with continual progression of the game (no levels in the traditional sense) and an entirely in-person view, and becomes one of the most popular computer games in history.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
The real-time strategy (RTS) genre is introduced in 1992 with the release of Dune II. Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994) popularizes the genre, with Command & Conquer and Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness in 1995, setting up the first major real-time strategy competition and popularizing multiplayer capabilities in RTS games. StarCraft in 1998 becomes the second best-selling computer game of all time. It remains among the most popular multiplayer RTS games to this day, especially in South Korea. Homeworld in 1999 becomes the first successful 3d RTS game.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
The rise of the RTS genre is often credited with the fall of the turn-based strategy (TBS) genre, popularized with Civilization in 1991. Final Fantasy debuted (in North America) in 1990 for the NES, and remains among the most popular video game franchises, with many new titles to date and more in development, plus numerous spin-offs, sequels, films and related titles. Final Fantasy VII, released in 1997, especially popularized the series.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) see their entrance into the computer game world with Ultima Online in 1997, although they don't gain widespread popularity until EverQuest and Asheron's Call in 1999. MMORPGs go on to become among the most popular genres in the first decade of the 21st century.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Pokémon enters the world scene with the release of the original Game Boy Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green games in Japan in 1996, later changed to Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue for worldwide release in 1998. It soon becomes popular in the United States, spurring the term Pokémonia and is adapted into a popular anime series and trading card game, among other media forms.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Resident Evil is released in 1996. It becomes the most popular survival-horror series in video gaming well into the next decade and inspires several films.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Crash Bandicoot is released in September 1996, becoming an innovative platformer for the PlayStation.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
The best selling games of the 1990s were as follows (note that some sources disagree on particular years):


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Nintendo's Game Boy was a popular handheld game console during the 1990s.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
The PlayStation was released in the mid-1990s and became the best-selling gaming console of its time.


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
The game Tomb Raider, launched in 1996, became particularly popular during the decade and as a result Lara Croft's character eventually became a cultural icon in the video game industry


1990s, Popular culture, Video games
Private LAN parties were at the peak of their popularity in the late 90s and early 2000s when broadband Internet access was unavailable or too expensive for most people


1990s, See also, Timeline
The following articles contain brief timelines which list the most prominent events of the decade:


1990s, See also, Timeline
1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999


1990s (band)
1990s were an indie rock three-piece band from Glasgow, Scotland.


1990s (band), History
They were signed to Rough Trade Record Company (home of many notable acts such as The Strokes and The Long Blondes) when they were spotted at only their sixth gig (a first for Rough Trade) and released two albums, Cookies and Kicks. Lead singer Jackie (aka John) McKeown and bassist, Jamie McMorrow, were the founding members of Scottish indie band The Yummy Fur. The line-up over the years that The Yummy Fur existed changed on numerous occasions. At one point, both Franz Ferdinand singer Alex Kapranos and drummer Paul Thomson were members of the group. 1990s' drummer Michael McGaughrin and bassist Dino Bardot were also in Glasgow band V-Twin, signed to Domino Records, before 1990s were formed.


1990s (band), History
1990s had supported Babyshambles at the Glasgow Barrowlands, and Franz Ferdinand at the SECC and Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, as well as releasing their debut single, "You Made Me Like It/Arcade Precinct" on limited edition vinyl. They played at the Indian Summer festival at Victoria Park in Glasgow on 2 September 2006, alongside bands such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Fall and Antony and the Johnsons and also Bestival on the Isle of Wight. 1990s went on tour in October 2006 with The Long Blondes, and with CSS in November. According to the band, they play music "like a blonde gets out of a car".


1990s (band), History
On the official website it was revealed Jamie McMorrow left the band on 5 September 2007. He was replaced by Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub on the 2007 European tour. Dino Bardot of Stinky Munchkins (also formerly of V-Twin alongside Michael McGaughrin), played the bass on the Australian and North American shows in late 2007, and was confirmed as a new member of the band on their MySpace page early in 2008.


1990s (band), History
The band's second album, Kicks, was produced by Bernard Butler and was released on 23 March 2009. This twelve-track sophomore effort included the glam-stomp of "The Box", "Everybody Please Relax" and the single "59" (the video of which was shot on the number 59 bus around Glasgow). It boasted a beefier, harmony-driven sound, whilst maintaining the band's trademark style and wit. Kicks also featured a guest turn from former The Long Blondes singer Kate Jackson, who lent backing vocals to the track "Kickstrasse". NME wrote that "like Supergrass and British Sea Power before them, 1990s’ refusal to be difficult and consistent greatness makes them a hard concept to market. But a fantastic one to listen to." The song "You Made Me Like It" can be heard in the pilot for Community.


1990s Chinese bank restructurings
1990s Chinese bank restructurings refers to the period from 1990 to 1999 when China's banking system underwent systemic restructurings. Throughout the 1990s, the Chinese government took several major steps to recapitalize its banks and to reduce non-performing loans (NPLs).


1990s Chinese bank restructurings, Overview
Like many of the countries directly affected by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, Chinese bank NPLs grew substantially (with some estimates reaching as high as 42% of the big four banks' loan balance). This forced Chinese authorities to establish asset management companies (AMCs) in order to purchase NPLs and affect a bank recapitalization.


1990s Chinese bank restructurings, Overview
Economists suggest that the effective recapitalization of the big four banks might not be as large as the headline NPL number would suggest and they also criticize that the PBOC's balance sheet clearly suffered.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform
The structure of local government in the United Kingdom underwent large changes in the 1990s. The system of two-tier local government introduced in the 1970s by the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 was abolished in Scotland and Wales on 1 April 1996 and replaced with single-tier authorities. In England, some areas remained two-tier but many single-tier authorities (designated as Unitary Authorities in England) were created. No changes were made to local government in Northern Ireland.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Background
Prior to the 1970s, the UK had had a mixed system of local government, with some areas being covered by a county council and a more local district council, while large towns had only a single tier of authority (in England and Wales these were termed county boroughs, and in Scotland 'counties of cities'). The Acts abolished the existing county boroughs or counties of cities, and created a uniform two-tier system of government with regions or counties, and districts.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Background
In 1986, Margaret Thatcher's government abolished the county councils of the six metropolitan counties that had been created in 1974, along with the Greater London Council, effectively creating 68 new single-tier authorities: 32 London boroughs and 36 metropolitan boroughs.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Background
In 1990, Thatcher's government introduced the Community Charge, popularly known as the Poll Tax, a new way of funding local councils based on a fixed per-head fee. This proved very unpopular, and led to riots. Eventually, Thatcher was ousted by her own party, and the new Conservative leader and Prime Minister, John Major, pledged to abolish the Community Charge.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Background
Legislation for the Council Tax was introduced and passed in the 1991/1992 session. Also at this time the government took the opportunity to review the structure of local government throughout Great Britain.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, England
The Local Government Commission for England was established under the Local Government Act 1992, allowing the Secretary of State to order the Commission to undertake 'structural reviews' in specified areas, to create unitary authorities in the two-tier shire counties. After much political debate, the Commission's proposals resulted in:


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Scotland
The previous system in Scotland had been the regions and districts. These were quite unbalanced in terms of population — the Strathclyde region had nineteen districts and over two million people, whereas the Borders region had four districts and only 100,000 people.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Scotland
The Act established 29 new 'council areas', and retained the three Island Councils. Variance in population was much less in the council areas, with just over half a million in the largest authority, City of Glasgow, compared to 50,000 in the smallest on the mainland, Clackmannanshire. These are however outliers, and only six are outside the range 75,000 to 250,000.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Scotland
In some cases the names of traditional counties were revived as administrative areas, although often with vastly different borders.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Wales
In Wales the existing system was replaced with a new single-tier system, of counties and county boroughs, the only difference between them now being the name (and the councils of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport are styled as cities).


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Wales
The 1974 reform in Wales had abandoned use of the names of the historic counties of Wales as local government areas. This was partially reversed in 1996, with Anglesey, Carmarthenshire, Cardiganshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire and Pembrokeshire all reappearing as local government areas, although not necessarily with their traditional borders.


1990s United Kingdom local government reform, Wales
The names and areas of the administrative counties abolished in 1996 remained in use (with modifications) as the preserved counties of Wales for purposes such as Lieutenancy.


1990s United States boom
The 1990s economic boom in the United States was an economic expansion that began after the end of the early 1990s recession in March 1991, and ended in March 2001 with the start of the early 2000s recession during the Dot-com bubble crash (2000–2002). It was the longest recorded economic expansion in the history of the United States until July 2019.


1990s United States boom, Background
The 1990s were remembered as a time of strong economic growth, steady job creation, low inflation, rising productivity, economic boom, and a surging stock market that resulted from a combination of rapid technological changes and sound central monetary policy.


1990s United States boom, Background
The prosperity of the 1990s was not evenly distributed over the entire decade. The economy was in recession from July 1990 - March 1991, having suffered the S&L Crisis in 1989, a spike in gas prices as the result of the Gulf War, and the general run of the business cycle since 1983. A surge in inflation in 1988 and 1989 forced the Federal Reserve to raise the discount rate to 8.00% in early 1990, restricting credit into the already-weakening economy. GDP growth and job creation remained weak through late-1992.


1990s United States boom, Background
Unemployment rose from 5.4% in January 1990 to 6.8% in March 1991, and continued to rise until peaking at 7.8% in June 1992. Approximately 1.621 million jobs were shed during the recession. As inflation subsided drastically, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates to a then-record low of 3.00% to promote growth.


1990s United States boom, Background
For the first time since the Great Depression, the economy underwent a "jobless recovery," where GDP growth and corporate earnings returned to normal levels while job creation lagged, demonstrating the importance of the financial and service sectors in the national economy, having surpassed the manufacturing sector in the 1980s.


1990s United States boom, Background
Politically, the stagnant economy would doom President George H.W. Bush in the 1992 election, as Bill Clinton capitalized on economic frustration and voter fatigue after 12 years of Republican stewardship of the White House. Unemployment remained above 7% until July 1993, and above 6% until September 1994.


1990s United States boom, Background
It was in the spring of 1994 where GDP growth surged and the number of jobs created (3.85 million) set a record that has yet to be surpassed as of 2015. But 1995 would bring a pause in economic growth, primarily because the Federal Reserve raised interest rates from 3% to 6% beginning in late 1994 to prevent inflation from rising after such rapid growth along with two government shutdowns that slowed the economy. The pause was short-lived, however, as the economy adjusted and the surge of investment in the Dot-Com bubble would jumpstart the economy beginning in late 1995. 1996 saw a return to steady growth, and in May 1997 unemployment fell below 5% for the first time since December 1973.


1990s United States boom, Background
This prosperity, combined with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 and Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (which raised taxes and restrained spending), allowed the federal government to go from a $290 billion deficit in 1992 to a record $236.4 billion surplus in 2000. The reduction in government borrowing freed up capital in markets for businesses and consumers, causing interest rates on loans to fall creating a cycle that only reinforced growth. Government debt increased from $5.02 trillion in 1990 to $5.413 in 1997 and flatlined, barely increasing to $5.674 in 2000.


1990s United States boom, Background
1995-2000 is also remembered for a series of global economic financial crises that threatened the U.S. economy: Mexico in 1995, Asia in 1997, Russia in 1998, and Argentina in 1999. Despite occasional stock market downturns and some distortions in the trade deficit, the US economy remained resilient until the dot-com bubble peaked in March 2000.


1990s United States boom, Background
The Federal Reserve had a hand in propping up the US economy by lowering interest rates to 4.75% by November 1998 to flood the world financial markets with dollars and prevent a global economic crisis as well as to restore confidence within the American economy which panicked during the height of the Asian financial crisis in 1997.


1990s United States boom, Background
The easing of credit also coincided with spectacular stock market run-ups from 1999 to 2000. The NASDAQ, at less than 800 points in 1994, surged to over 5,000 in March 2000. The Dow Jones Industrial Index traded at roughly 3,000 points in 1990 and 4,000 in 1995, nearly tripled to over 11,000 by mid-2000.


1990s United States boom, Proposed reasons for the Boom
None of these rationales for the 1990s economic boom should be seen as mutually exclusive.


1990s United States boom, End of the boom
Despite the concerns, it was during this time that talk of a "New Economy" emerged, where inflation and unemployment were low and strong growth coincided. Some even spoke of the end of the business cycle, where economic growth was perpetual. In April 2000, unemployment dropped to 3.8%, and was below 4% September–December 2000. For the whole 1990-2000 period, roughly 23,672,000 jobs were created. Hourly wages had increased by a strong 10.1% since 1996. But by the fall, the economy began to run out of steam.


1990s United States boom, End of the boom
The Federal Reserve hiked rates to 6.5% in May 2000, and it appeared by late-2000 that the business cycle was not eliminated, but was coming to a crest. Growth faltered, job creation slowed, the stock markets plunged, and the groundwork for the 2001 recession was being laid, thus ending the economic boom of the 1990s.


1990s United States boom, Legacy
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the 1990s was the longest economic expansion in the history of the United States until the 2009-2020 expansion, lasting exactly ten years from March 1991 to March 2001. It was the best performance on all accounts since the 1961-1969 period. The importance and influence of the financial sector only grew, as demonstrated by the bursting of the Dot-Com Bubble in 2000 followed by a recession in 2001. The effects of the early-2000s recession would continue to be felt through the end of 2003.


1990s in Angola
In the 1990s in Angola, the last decade of the Angolan Civil War (1975–2002), the Angolan government transitioned from a nominally communist state to a nominally democratic one, a move made possible by political changes abroad and military victories at home. Namibia's declaration of independence, internationally recognized on April 1, eliminated the southwestern front of combat as South African forces withdrew to the east. The MPLA abolished the one-party system in June and rejected Marxist-Leninism at the MPLA's third Congress in December, formally changing the party's name from the MPLA-PT to the MPLA. The National Assembly passed law 12/91 in May 1991, coinciding with the withdrawal of the last Cuban troops, defining Angola as a "democratic state based on the rule of law" with a multi-party system.


1990s in Angola
Observers met such changes with skepticism. American journalist Karl Maier wrote, "In the new Angola, ideology is being replaced by the bottom line, as security and selling expertise in weaponry have become a very profitable business. Michael Johns, The Heritage Foundation's primary Reagan Doctrine advocate and a key Savimbi advisor, described the Soviet Union and Cuba's diplomatic initiatives as "a perilous moment" and urged the U.S. to maintain military pressure on Angola's government through escalated support to UNITA in an effort to ensure the withdrawal of Soviet and Cuban troops and the establishment of free and fair elections.


1990s in Angola, Savimbi wounded in combat
In early 1990, the MPLA sought to overrun UNITA militarily in southern Angola in several major military offensives, coordinated with Soviet and Cuban troops and military advisors. While UNITA ultimately repelled the offensives, Savimbi sustained bullet wounds twice in battles in January and February 1990, though they did not restrict his mobility  In Washington, D.C., Savimbi's supporters warned that continued Soviet support for the MPLA was threatening U.S.-Soviet relations in global affairs and undermining Mikhail Gorbachev's promises of "new thinking" in Moscow's foreign policy.


1990s in Angola, Savimbi wounded in combat
The Heritage Foundation's Michael Johns wrote that, "If there is 'new thinking' in Soviet foreign policy and if Gorbachev is, as he claims, very different from Leonid Brezhnev, then Moscow will call off the Angolan offensive. If not, then Gorbachev's 'new thinking' will fail its first regional test, forcing America to reconsider its new relaxed attitude toward the Soviet Union."


1990s in Angola, Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly
As Washington's role in the Angolan conflict grew, Savimbi retained Black, Manafort, Stone, and Kelly, an influential lobbying firm based in Washington, D.C., paying the firm US$5 million for government and public relations support on UNITA's behalf. Savimbi reaped huge rewards.


1990s in Angola, Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly
Senators Larry Smith and Dante Fascell, a senior member of the firm, worked with the Cuban American Negro Foundation, Representative Claude Pepper of Florida, Neal Blair's Free the Eagle, and Howard Phillips The Conservative Caucus to repeal the Clark Amendment in 1985. From the amendment's repeal in 1985 to 1992 the U.S. government gave Savimbi $60 million per year, a total of $300 million. A sizable amount of the aid went to Savimbi's personal expenses. Black, Manafort filed foreign lobbying records with the U.S. Justice Department showing Savimbi's expenses during his U.S. visits.


1990s in Angola, Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly
During his December 1990 visit he spent $136,424 at the Park Hyatt hotel and $2,705 in tips. He spent almost $473,000 in October 1991 during his week-long visit to Washington and Manhattan. He spent $98,022 in hotel bills, at the Park Hyatt, $26,709 in limousine rides in Washington and another $5,293 in Manhattan. Paul Manafort, a partner in the firm, charged Savimbi $19,300 in consulting and additional $1,712 in expenses. He also bought $1,143 worth of "survival kits" from Motorola.


1990s in Angola, Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly
When questioned in an interview in 1990 about human rights abuses under Savimbi, Charlie Black, a partner in the firm, said, "Now when you're in a war, trying to manage a war, when the enemy... is no more than a couple of hours away from you at any given time, you might not run your territory according to New Hampshire town meeting rules."


1990s in Angola, Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly
In December 1990, Savimbi returned to Washington, D.C., meeting with President George H. W. Bush and several of his key American advisors, the fourth of five trips he made to the United States.


1990s in Angola, Bicesse Accords
President dos Santos met with Savimbi in Lisbon, Portugal and signed the Bicesse Accords, the first of three major peace agreements, on May 31, 1991, with the mediation of the Portuguese government. The accords laid out a transition to multi-party democracy under the supervision of the United Nations' UNAVEM II mission with a presidential election in a year. The agreement attempted to demobilize the 152,000 active fighters and integrate the remaining government troops and UNITA rebels into a 50,000-strong Angolan Armed Forces (FAA). The FAA would consist of a national army with 40,000 troops, navy with 6,000, and air force with 4,000. While UNITA largely did not disarm, the FAA complied with the accord and demobilized about half of its forces, leaving the government disadvantaged.


1990s in Angola, Bicesse Accords
Angola held the first round of its 1992 presidential election on September 29–September 30. Dos Santos officially received 49.57% of the vote and Savimbi won 40.6%. As no candidate received 50% or more of the vote, election law dictated a second round of voting between the top two contenders. Savimbi, along with many other election observers, said the election had been neither free nor fair, but he sent Jeremias Chitunda, Vice President of UNITA, to Luanda to negotiate the terms of the second round. The election process broke down on October 31, when government troops in Luanda attacked UNITA.


1990s in Angola, Bicesse Accords
This began what was known as the Halloween Massacre. Civilians, using guns they had received from police a few days earlier, conducted house-by-house raids with the Rapid Intervention Police, killing and detaining hundreds of UNITA supporters. The government took civilians in trucks to the Camama cemetery and Morro da Luz ravine, shot them, and buried them in mass graves. On November 2, assailants attacked Chitunda's convoy, pulling him from his car and shooting him and two others dead. Confiscated by the Angolan military, the three bodies were never seen again.


1990s in Angola, Bicesse Accords, Savimbi and UNITA return to war
Following the Chitunda killing, Savimbi questioned the legitimacy of the general election, announced that he was withdrawing from the run-off election, and led UNITA to war, scoring major military successes in 1993. On April 13, 1993, The New York Times reported that, "Nearly six months after the elections that were supposed to cement the peace in Angola, the rebel leader who lost in the vote has resumed the civil war and scored such enormous advances that there is talk he might engineer an outright military victory."


1990s in Angola, Bicesse Accords, Savimbi and UNITA return to war
UNITA regained control over Caxito, Huambo, M'banza Kongo, Ndalatando, and Uíge, provincial capitals it had not held since 1976, and moved against Kuito, Luena, and Malange. Although the U.S. and South African governments had stopped aiding UNITA, supplies continued to come from Mobutu in Zaire. UNITA tried to wrest control of Cabinda from the MPLA in January 1993. Edward DeJarnette, Head of the U.S. Liaison Office in Angola for the Clinton Administration, warned Savimbi that, if UNITA hindered or halted Cabinda's production, the U.S. would end its support for UNITA.


1990s in Angola, Bicesse Accords, Savimbi and UNITA return to war
On January 9, UNITA began a 55-day-long battle over Huambo, the War of the Cities. Hundreds of thousands fled and 10,000 were killed before UNITA gained control on March 7. The government engaged in an ethnic cleansing of Bakongo, and, to a lesser extent Ovimbundu, in multiple cities, most notably Luanda, on January 22 in the Bloody Friday massacre. UNITA and government representatives met five days later in Ethiopia, but negotiations failed to restore the peace. The United Nations Security Council sanctioned UNITA through Resolution 864 on September 15, 1993, prohibiting the sale of weapons or fuel to UNITA.


1990s in Angola, Bicesse Accords, Savimbi and UNITA return to war
Perhaps the clearest shift in U.S. foreign policy emerged when President Clinton issued Executive Order 12865 on September 23, labeling UNITA a "continuing threat to the foreign policy objectives of the U.S.". By August 1993, UNITA had gained control over 70% of Angola, but the government's military successes in 1994 forced UNITA to sue for peace. By November 1994, the government had taken control of 60% of the country. Savimbi called the situation UNITA's "deepest crisis" since its creation.


1990s in Angola, Lusaka Protocol
Savimbi, unwilling to personally sign an accord, had former UNITA Secretary General Eugenio Manuvakola represent UNITA in his place. Manuvakola and Angolan Foreign Minister Venancio de Moura signed the Lusaka Protocol in Lusaka, Zambia on October 31, 1994, agreeing to integrate and disarm UNITA. Both sides signed a ceasefire as part of the protocol on November 20. Under the agreement the government and UNITA would ceasefire and demobilize.


1990s in Angola, Lusaka Protocol
5,500 UNITA members, including 180 militants, would join the Angolan National police, 1,200 UNITA members, including 40 militants, would join the rapid reaction police force, and UNITA generals would become officers in the Angolan Armed Forces. Foreign mercenaries would return to their home countries and all parties would stop acquiring foreign arms. The agreement gave UNITA politicians homes and a headquarters.


1990s in Angola, Lusaka Protocol
The government agreed to appoint UNITA members to head the Mines, Commerce, Health, and Tourism ministries, in addition to seven deputy ministers, ambassadors, the governorships of Uige, Lunda Sul, and Cuando Cubango, deputy governors, municipal administrators, deputy administrators, and commune administrators. The government would release all prisoners and give amnesty to all militants involved in the civil war. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and South African President Nelson Mandela met in Lusaka on November 15, 1994, to boost support symbolically for the protocol.


1990s in Angola, Lusaka Protocol
Mugabe and Mandela both said they would be willing to meet with Savimbi and Mandela asked him to come to South Africa, but Savimbi did not come. The agreement created a joint commission, consisting of officials from the Angolan government, UNITA, and the UN with the governments of Portugal, the United States, and Russia observing, to oversee its implementation. Violations of the protocol's provisions would be discussed and reviewed by the commission.


1990s in Angola, Lusaka Protocol
The protocol's provisions, integrating UNITA into the military, a ceasefire, and a coalition government, were similar to those of the Alvor Agreement which granted Angola independence from Portugal in 1975. Many of the same environmental problems, mutual distrust between UNITA and the MPLA, loose international oversight, the importation of foreign arms, and an overemphasis on maintaining the balance of power, led to the protocol's collapse.


1990s in Angola, Arms monitoring
In January 1995, United States President Bill Clinton sent Paul Hare, his envoy to Angola, to support the Lusaka Protocol and impress the importance of the ceasefire onto the Angolan government and UNITA, both in need of outside assistance. The United Nations agreed to send a peacekeeping force on February 8. Savimbi met with South African President Nelson Mandela in May. Shortly after, on June 18, the MPLA offered Savimbi the position of Vice President under dos Santos with another Vice President chosen from the MPLA.


1990s in Angola, Arms monitoring
Savimbi told Mandela he felt ready to "serve in any capacity which will aid my nation," but he did not accept the proposal until August 12. The United States Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency's Angola operations and analysis expanded in an effort to halt weapons shipments, a violation of the protocol, with limited success. The Angolan government bought six Mil Mi-17 from Ukraine in 1995. The government bought L-39 attack aircraft from the Czech Republic in 1998 along with ammunition and uniforms from Zimbabwe Defence Industries and ammunition and weapons from Ukraine in 1998 and 1999. U.S. monitoring significantly dropped off in 1997 as events in Zaire, the Congo and then Liberia occupied more of the U.S. government's attention. UNITA purchased more than 20 FROG-7 scuds and three FOX 7 missiles from the North Korean government in 1999.


1990s in Angola, Arms monitoring
The UN extended its mandate on February 8, 1996. In March, Savimbi and dos Santos formally agreed to form a coalition government. The government deported 2,000 West African and Lebanese Angolans in Operation Cancer Two, in August 1996, on the grounds that dangerous minorities were responsible for the rising crime rate. In 1996 the Angolan government bought military equipment from India, two Mil Mi-24 attack helicopters and three Sukhoi Su-17 from Kazakhstan in December, and helicopters from Slovakia in March.


1990s in Angola, Arms monitoring
The international community helped install a Government of Unity and National Reconciliation in April 1997, but UNITA did not allow the regional MPLA government to take up residence in 60 cities. The UN Security Council voted on August 28, 1997, to impose sanctions on UNITA through Resolution 1127, prohibiting UNITA leaders from traveling abroad, closing UNITA's embassies abroad, and making UNITA-controlled areas a no-fly zone. The Security Council expanded the sanctions through Resolution 1173 on June 12, 1998, requiring government certification for the purchase of Angolan diamonds and freezing UNITA's bank accounts.


1990s in Angola, Arms monitoring
The UN spent $1.6 billion from 1994 to 1998 in maintaining a peacekeeping force. The Angolan military attacked UNITA forces in the Central Highlands on December 4, 1998, the day before the MPLA's fourth Congress. Dos Santos told the delegates the next day that he believed war to be the only way to ultimately achieve peace, rejected the Lusaka Protocol, and asked MONUA to leave. In February 1999, the Security Council withdrew the last MONUA personnel. In late 1998, several UNITA commanders, dissatisfied with Savimbi's leadership, formed UNITA Renovada, a breakaway militant group. Thousands more deserted UNITA in 1999 and 2000.


1990s in Angola, Arms monitoring
The Angolan military launched Operation Restore, a massive offensive, in September 1999, recapturing N'harea, Mungo and Andulo and Bailundo, the site of Savimbi's headquarters just one year before. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 1268 on October 15, instructing United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to update the Security Council to the situation in Angola every three months. Dos Santos offered an amnesty to UNITA militants on November 11. By December, Chief of Staff General João de Matos said the Angolan Armed Forces had destroyed 80% of UNITA's militant wing and captured 15,000 tons of military equipment. Following the dissolution of the coalition government, Savimbi retreated to his historical base in Moxico and prepared for battle.


1990s in Angola, Diamonds
UNITA's success in mining diamonds and selling them abroad at an inflated price allowed the war to continue even as the movement's support in the Western world and among the local populace withered away. De Beers and Endiama, a state-owned diamond-mining monopoly, signed a contract allowing De Beers to handle Angola's diamond exportation in 1990. According to the United Nation's Fowler Report, Joe De Deker, a former stockholder in De Beers, worked with the government of Zaire to supply military equipment to UNITA from 1993 to 1997.


1990s in Angola, Diamonds
De Deker's brother, Ronnie, allegedly flew from South Africa to Angola, directing weapons originating in Eastern Europe. In return, UNITA gave Ronnie bushels of diamonds worth US$6 million. De Deker sent the diamonds to De Beer's buying office in Antwerp, Belgium. De Beers openly acknowledges spending $500 million on legal and illegal Angolan diamonds in 1992 alone. The United Nations estimates Angolans made between three and four billion dollars through the diamond trade between 1992 and 1998. The UN also estimates that out of that sum, UNITA made at least $3.72 billion, or 93% of all diamond sales, despite international sanctions.


1990s in Angola, Diamonds
Executive Outcomes (EO), a private military company which had fought on behalf of UNITA prior to the 1992 elections, switched sides after the election. EO played a major role in turning the tide for the MPLA with one U.S. defense expert calling the EO the "best fifty or sixty million dollars the Angolan government ever spent". Heritage Oil and Gas, and allegedly De Beers, hired EO to protect their operations in Angola. Executive Outcomes trained 4,000 to 5,000 troops and 30 pilots in combat in camps in Lunda Sul, Cabo Ledo, and Dondo.


1990s in Angola, Cabinda separatism
Cabindan rebels kidnapped and ransomed off foreign oil workers throughout the 1990s to in turn finance further attacks against the national government. FLEC militants stopped buses, forcing Chevron Oil workers out, and setting fire to the buses on March 27 and April 23, 1992. A large scale battle took place between FLEC and police in Malongo on May 14 in which 25 mortar rounds accidentally hit a nearby Chevron compound.


1990s in Angola, Cabinda separatism
The government, fearing the loss of their prime source of revenue, began to negotiate with representatives from Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda-Renewal (FLEC-R), Armed Forces of Cabinda (FLEC-FAC), and the Democratic Front of Cabinda (FDC) in 1995. Patronage and bribery failed to assuage the anger of FLEC-R and FLEC-FAC and negotiations ended. In February 1997, FLEC-FAC kidnapped two Inwangsa SDN-timber company employees, killing one and releasing the other after receiving a US$400,000 ransom. FLEC-FLAC kidnapped 11 people in April 1998, nine Angolans and two Portuguese, released for a US$500,000 ransom.


1990s in Angola, Cabinda separatism
FLEC-R kidnapped five Byansol oil engineering employees, two Frenchman, two Portuguese, and an Angolan, on March, 1999. While militants released the Angolan, the government complicated the situation by promising the rebel leadership $12.5 million for the hostages. When António Bento Bembe, the President of FLEC-R, showed up, the Angolan army arrested him and his bodyguards. The Angolan army later forcibly freed the other hostages on July 7. By the end of the year the government had arrested the leadership of all three rebel organizations.


1990s in Bangladesh
The 1990s (pronounced "nineteen-nineties", commonly shortened as the "'90s", pronounced "nineties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1990, and ended on December 31, 1999. For Bangladesh this decade was characterized by transition to democracy, rapid urbanisation and globalization and struggle for free and fair elections. The newly earned democracy influenced the cultural activities in the decade.