January 1: Egypt

A suicide bomber kills 21 people and injures 70 others at a Coptic Orthodox Christian church in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, where people gathered to greet the New Year. The Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s mostly Muslim population. Both Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak and the main opposition Muslim Brotherhood party condemn the attack. After the bombing, hundreds of angry Christian protesters clash with police and local Muslims, and call for better protection of for the Christian population.

January 15: Tunisia

After 23 years in power, Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali is forced to step down after weeks of continuous countrywide protests going into exile in Saudi Arabia. The protests broke out on December 17, sparked by the self-immolation of a desperate young unemployed man whose vegetable street stand was destroyed by police for not having a permit. The protesters have been angry about economic problems and suppression of political freedoms. The Speaker of the parliament, Foued Mebazaa, takes over as interim president and asks Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi to form a national unity government that would include all political parties.

January 22: Algeria

Anti-government protests break out in Algeria despite the ban on demonstrations by the state of emergency in place since 1992. Demonstrators call for greater political freedoms.

January 25: Egypt

Inspired by the uprising in Tunisia which forced President Ben Ali from power, violent anti-government protests erupt in several Egyptian cities. Demonstrators are angry about the country’s high unemployment, corruption, poverty, and lack of political freedoms. The protesters call for President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power for the last 30 years, to step down. (January 31): Under pressure from the protesters, President Mubarak reshuffles his cabinet and promises reforms.

January 30: Sudan

After a week-long referendum on independence in Southern Sudan that started on January 9, the results show that 99 percent of people have voted to secede from the north. The referendum was a part of the 2005 peace agreement that ended 20 years of civil war between the mainly Arab Muslim north and mainly black Christian south. The new country of South Sudan will formally declare its independence on July 9.

February 11: Egypt

Weeks of popular protests across Egypt force the country’s President Hosni Mubarak to resign after 30 years in office. He hands power to the army and leaves Cairo to his residence at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Egypt’s military promises to transition the country to civilian rule.

February 16: Libya

An arrest of human rights activist in Libya sparks violent anti-government protests in the north-eastern coastal city of Benghazi, with about two thousand people clashing with riot police and pro-government supporters. Demonstrations spread to Zenton, south of Tripoli, and eastern city of Beyida. Libya’s leader, Colonel Gaddafi, is the Arab world’s longest-serving leader, ruling Libya since 1969.

February 22: Libya

Colonel Gaddafi refuses to step down, vows to crush the uprising, and calls on his supporters to join the fight against the rebels. Many Libyan soldiers, policemen, and diplomats defect and join the opposition. Also, interior and justice ministers resign. The opposition says that at least 500 people have been killed so far in fighting with the government forces. The next day, the protesters celebrate taking control of eastern part of the country.

February 24: Algeria

Bowing to pressure from protesters, Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika lifts a 19-year-old state of emergency. Inspired by popular uprisings in the region, Algerian protesters have been calling for greater political rights and resignation of President Bouteflika.

February 27: Tunisia

Amid continued street protests, Tunisia’s Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi steps down. The protesters demand to clear the government of all politicians connected to the previous regime of President Ben Ali.

March 1: Libya

The Untied Nations reports that about 140,000 people have been trying to cross Libya’s border with Egypt and Tunisia, escaping fierce fighting between the pro-government forces and the rebels. (March 11): The United States and the European Union call on Colonel Gaddafi to step down. The EU also imposes economic sanctions against Libya. (March 18): The United Nations Security Council passes a resolution authorizing a no-fly zone over Libya and air strikes to protect civilians from attacks of pro-Gaddafi forces. (March 26): Extensive air-strikes by coalition planes led by the U.S., UK, and France across Libya help the rebels retake their territorial losses from government forces in the east of the country, and push westward towards Gaddafi’s stronghold in his hometown of Sirte.

March 20: Egypt

Egyptians approve constitutional changes in a referendum, which paves the way to parliamentary elections as early as September. The changes include reducing the presidential term from six years to four and limiting the president to two terms.

March 31: Ivory Coast

Forces supporting internationally recognized president of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, take control of the country’s airport in Abidjan and close in on former President Laurent Gbagbo. Gbagbo lost in the run-off election held in November of last year, but so far has refused to accept the defeat. The post-election violence has resulted in several hundreds deaths and has taken toll on the country’s economy.

April 6 — Africa

Italian coast guards rescue several dozen of illegal migrants whose boat capsized just south of the Italian island of Lampedusa. More than 130 people, however, are missing. The boat, which took off from western Libya, carried more than 200 people mostly from African countries: Eritrea, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Chad, Nigeria, and Sudan. Hundreds of migrants have been recently arriving in Lampedusa, overwhelming its facilities.

April 11: Ivory Coast

Troops loyal to internationally recognized Ivory Coast’s president, Alassane Ouattara, and the French troops, which operate under the United Nations mandate, capture former President Laurent Gbagbo in his home in the capital, Abidjan, after months of the post-election standoff. Gbagbo refused to accept his defeat in the November poll. More than 1,500 people died and about 100,000 fled the country due to the months of this violent conflict. President Ouattara wants Gbagbo to be tried for his crimes.

April 13: Egypt

Egyptian authorities arrest former President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons, Alaa and Gamal, ahead of an investigation of corruption and violence. Mubarak’s family is not allowed to leave Egypt. The interim government has also frozen their assets.

April 18: Nigeria

Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, is declared a winner of the country’s March presidential elections. Jonathan, a vice president in the previous administration, was appointed president after the death of President Umaru Yar’Aduna in May. About 500 people died in the post-election violence, which reflects the country’s regional divisions. Jonathan, who is a southern Christian, ran against a former military ruler and a northern Muslim, Muhammadu Buhari.

May 30: Libya

Eight senior Libyan officers, including five generals, defect from Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s army and encourage soldiers to desert and join the rebels. Since the beginning of the revolt, many army officers, government dignitaries, and soldiers have abandoned Gaddafi, including former Foreign Minister Abdel Rahman Shalgam, former Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa, and Oil Minister and former Prime Minister Shukri Ghanem.

June 20: Tunisia

A court in Tunisia sentences former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife in absentia to 35 years in prison and fines them $66 million for embezzlement and misusing public funds while in office. Ben Ali and his family fled to Saudi Arabia after he was forced out of power during the recent popular uprising.

June 27: Libya

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issues arrest warrants for Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and the head of intelligence, Abdullah al-Sanussi, accusing them of crimes against humanity. The court says they ordered attacks against civilians during the popular uprising that started a few months ago.

July 1: Morocco

Voters in Morocco approve constitutional amendments in a referendum put forward by King Mohammed VI in a move to pacify the Arab Spring protests. The reforms give executive powers to a prime minister; however, the king remains in charge of the military, judiciary, and the religious affairs. Demonstrators continue to call for more reforms that would lead for Morocco to become a constitutional monarchy.

July 9: South Sudan

South Sudan, the world’s newest country, celebrates its first day of independence. The ceremonies take place in the country’s capital, Juba, and include Salva Kiir’s oath as president. South Sudan and Sudan still have many unresolved issues, such as the new border, citizenship, and division of Sudan’s debts and oil wealth. (July 14): The United Nations General Assembly unanimously admits South Sudan as its 193rd member.

July 20: Somalia/Ethiopia/Kenya/Djibouti

The United Nations (UN) declares a famine in two regions in southern Somalia. Although Somalia is the worst hit, other countries in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti, are also affected. All together, about 10 million people are at risk of starvation. The famine was caused by a combination of drought, conflict and soaring food prices. (July 27): The UN’s agency, World Food Programme (WFP), starts delivery of emergency food to Somalia. In the meantime, tens of thousands of Somalis have fled the areas controlled by al-Shabab to other areas in Somalia as well as neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia.

August 3: South Africa/Swaziland

South Africa conditionally agrees to loan Swaziland, its eastern neighbor, $355 million to help its financial crisis and ensure the country’s stability. The condition is that Swaziland, a small absolute kingdom, implements political and economic reforms. Swaziland has been hit by protests after it failed to pay public employees.

August 25: Libya

Libyan rebel forces take most of the country’s capital, Tripoli, including Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s compound. They now proceed towards his hometown of Sirte, despite fierce resistance from forces loyal to Gaddafi. (August 29): Gaddafi’s family flees to Algeria; Gaddafi himself, however, goes into hiding. The Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) uncovers four mass graves of civilians massacred by Gaddafi’s forces.

September 13: Algeria

In an effort to appease protesters calling for reforms, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika promises to relax the strict governmental control of the media and allow private radio and television stations for the first time since Algeria’s independence in 1962. He also promises to release journalists who were jailed for libel. Bouteflika has been in power since 1999.

September 30: Libya

Forces loyal to Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) capture the airport in the city of Sirte, the birthplace of the country’s leader, Muammar Gaddafi and his last stronghold. NATO and the NTC soldiers have been fighting the Gaddafi loyalists in Sirte and the city of Bani Walid.

October 17: Kenya/Somalia

Kenya sends troops to neighboring Somalia to fight the al-Shabab militants who are in control of much of the south of the country. The Kenyan government makes this decision after several humanitarian workers were abducted from the Kenyan territory by suspected al-Shabab Islamists.

October 20: Libya

Soldiers of Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) capture and kill Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in his home town of Sirte. Gaddafi was ousted in August and was on the run since then. His son, Mutasim, is also killed, while his other son, Saif- al-Islam, is captured.

November 8: Liberia

Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wins a second term in a run-off election marred by violence. Her rival, Winston Tubman, boycotts the election, claiming that the poll has been rigged. Foreign observers, however, say the election process has been fair and transparent. President Johnson Sirleaf promises to bring reconciliation.

November 24: Egypt

In response to violent protests across Egypt accusing the military of trying to grip to power, the military sacks Prime Minsiter Essam Sharaf and appoints former Prime Minsiter Kamal Ganzouri, who is asked to form a new government. (November 28): Egypt begins important parliamentary elections that will take place in several stages. About 6,000 candidates from 40 political parties take part in the poll. The new parliament will draft a new constitution and will hold legislative powers. Presidential powers will stay in the hands of the military until a new president is elected in July 2012.

December 21: Egypt

The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) wins the largest number of votes in Egypt’s first post-Mubarak parliamentary elections followed by the hardline Salafist Nour party. The Muslim Brotherhood was banned during the 30-year Mubarak rule.

December 25: Nigeria

A series of Christmas Day bomb attacks across Nigeria kill as many as 40 people and injure many more. The Islamist militants called Boko Haram claim responsibility. The targeted places are Mandalla near the capital of Abuja, the central city of Jos, the northern Yobe state, and the towns of Damaturu and Gadaka. The Boko Haram is a jihadist terrorist organization that unleashed a campaign of violence in 2009 in an effort to impose the Sharia law on the entire country.