December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars. It is one of seven months with the length of 31 days. December is the first month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, December is the seasonal equivalent to June in the Northern hemisphere, which is the first month of summer. December is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
December symbols: Its birth flower is the narcissus. The birthstones of December are the turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite. The zodiac signs for the month of December are Sagittarius (until December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 onwards).
Historical Events for December, 1989
Day of Week 3rd » Cold War: In a meeting off the coast of Malta, U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev release statements indicating that the cold war between NATO and the Soviet Union may be coming to an end.
Day of Week 6th » The École Polytechnique massacre (or Montreal Massacre): Marc Lépine, an anti-feminist gunman, murders 14 young women at the École Polytechnique de Montréal called École Polytechnique in Montreal.
Day of Week 13th » The Troubles: Attack on Derryard checkpoint The Provisional Irish Republican Army launches an attack on a British Army temporary vehicle checkpoint near Rosslea e.g Rosslea, Northern Ireland. Two British soldiers are killed and one badly wounded.
Day of Week 17th » The first episode of television series 'The Simpsons', "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", airs in the United States.
17th » Fernando Collor de Mello defeats Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round of the Brazilian presidential election, 1989 e.g Brazilian presidential election, becoming the first democratically elected President of Brazil e.g President in almost 30 years
Day of Week 18th » The European Economic Community and the Soviet Union sign an agreement on trade and commercial and economic cooperation.
Day of Week 20th » United States invasion of Panama: The United States sends troops into Panama to overthrow government of Manuel Noriega. This is also the first combat use of purpose-designed stealth aircraft.
Day of Week 22nd » Communism called Communist President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu is overthrown by Ion Iliescu after days of bloody confrontations. The deposed dictator and his wife flee Bucharest with a helicopter as protesters erupt in cheers.
Day of Week 25th » Deposed President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife, First-Deputy Prime-Minister Elena Ceaușescu are condemned to death and executed after a summary trial.
Day of Week 28th » A 1989 Newcastle earthquake called magnitude 5.6 earthquake hits Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, killing 13 people.
Day of Week 29th » Riots break-out after Hong Kong decides to forcibly repatriate Vietnamese refugees.