Spain beats the Netherlands 1-0 in the final of the FIFA World Cup in the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg

Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian street vendor in Sidi Bouzid, sets himself on fire in protest at harassment and confiscation of his wares by local officials

Demonstrators gather in the streets of Sidi Bouzid as news of Mohamed Bouazizi's action spreads, in a mood that sparks the Tunisian revolution and the 'Arab Spring'

Ben Ali, in control of Tunisia for 23 years, resigns and flees to Saudi Arabia after four weeks of mounting tension and violence in the streets

Inspired by the example of Tunisia, a day of revolt is organized in Egypt, in protest against police methods and to coincide with National Police Day

Recognizing the use made by demonstrators of Facebook and Twitter, the Egyptian government shuts down internet access for most of the country

On what becomes known as the 'Friday of Anger' hundreds of thousands demonstrate in Egypt after Friday prayers, a developing tradition in the Arab Spring

The results are published of the Southern Sudan referendum on independence, with more than 98% voting in favour of the break from Sudan

After nearly three weeks of escalating violence in Egypt, President Mubarak announces his resignation

Demonstrations over the arrest of a human rights lawyer in Benghazi, Libya's second city, are violently broken up by the police

A demonstration in Rabat demands that the king of Morocco relinquish some of his powers is followed by King Mohammed VI announcing on television plans for reform

Benghazi, by now firmly in the control of rebels, becomes the temporary headquarters of Libya's newly formed National Transitional Council

King Mohammed VI of Morocco announces in a televised address that he is taking steps to introduce constitutional reforms

Muammar Gaddafi makes a rousing speech on Libyan TV saying that his people will seek out traitors and infidels in Benghazi 'alley by alley' to deal with them

The United Nations Security Council passes Resolution 1973, authorizing the international community to use force to protect civilians in Libya

Muammar Gaddafi's tanks are on the verge of reaching Benghazi to enter the city and carry out his promised cleansing of the city of rebel traitors

The first air strikes by NATO, authorized by the UN, destroy sufficient of Gaddafi's armour just in time to save Benghazi from a proclaimed massacre of rebel civilians

The civil war in Ivory Coast is perhaps ended by the capture of former president, and recently defeated presidential candidate, Laurent Gbagbo

A court in Cairo finds Hosni Mubarak guilty of damaging the national economy by severing internet connections on January 26 and fines him about US $34 million

Following the referendum result earlier in the year, South Sudan secedes from the Sudan to become the independent Republic of South Sudan

The United Nations declares southern Somalia to be in a state of famine, with the disastrous lack of rain driving thousands of refugees into Ethiopia and Kenya

The commander of the rebel forces in Libya, Abdel Fattah Younes, is assassinated in mysterious circumstances while in rebel hands

Hosni Mubarak appears in court on a hospital bed on the first day of his trial on the capital charge of premeditated killing of peaceful protesters

A second consecutive rainy season fails to materialize, causing severe drought in Ethiopia and elsewhere in east Africa

The Libyan leader Muammad Gaddafi is captured and killed in Sirte