Quebec separates from Canada, sparking a financial crisis and forcing the Canadian economy into recession.

American Reform party captures 22% of the vote, signalling the creation of a new tri-party dynamic in Congress.

Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Norway and the Czech Republic ascend into the European Union.

NATO deploys troops into the Visegrad Four, sparking demonstrations and military sabre-rattling in Russia

International Space Station is completed despite the withdrawal of Russian co-operation.

Chinese and other East Asian economies begin decline after overheated 1990s euphoria subsides.

Airbus Consortium combines with Arianespace and the ESA to form a global corporation called Eurospace.

European Monetary Union in full effect despite some interest-rate instability. Most EU countries except the UK and Denmark are members. The new currency is known as the 'euro' {E}, and monetary policy is now controlled by the European Central Bank, the larges central bank in the world.