UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
1 January 1981 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 1 January 1981 was a Thursday.
- Kent Music Report No. 1
- The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “Shaddap You Face” by Joe Dolce Music Theatre.
- Top Film of 1981
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1981 was Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Best-Selling Vehicle of 1981
- Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1981 was the Holden Commodore.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 1 January is Capricorn.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 1 January 1981 fell in the Year of the Monkey.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for January is Garnet.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 1 January 1981 was Waning Crescent.
On this day: 1 January
- 1979 the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and Taiwan Relations Act enter into force. Through the Communiqué, the United States establishes normal diplomatic relations with China. Through the Act, the United States guarantees military support for Taiwan.
- 1981 Greece is admitted into the European Community.
- 1982 Peruvian Javier Pérez de Cuéllar becomes the first Latin American to hold the title of Secretary-General of the United Nations.
- 1983 The ARPANET officially changes to using TCP/IP, the Internet Protocol, effectively creating the Internet.
- 1984 The original American Telephone & Telegraph Company is divested of its 22 Bell System companies as a result of the settlement of the 1974 United States Department of Justice antitrust suit against AT&T.
Famous people born on 1 January
- Noah Kahan, American singer-songwriter (born 1997)
- J. Edgar Hoover, American law enforcement official; 1st Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (1895–1972)
- Angourie Rice, Australian actress (born 2001)
- Lamine Camara, Senegalese footballer (born 2004)
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.
Events of 1981 in Australia
A selection from Wikipedia's '1981 in Australia'. Not a complete list.
- 30 January – Sir Harry Gibbs is announced as the next Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia in the wake of Sir Garfield Barwick's resignation.
- 10 February – Townsville International Airport opens in Townsville
- 19 March – The South Australian Parliament passes the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981.
Life in Australia in 1981
Prime Minister
Malcolm Fraser
Monarch
Queen Elizabeth II
Petrol (per litre)
$0.34
Loaf of Bread
$0.65
Average House
$50,000
Weekly Wage
$250.00
Or
Browse by Year
Famous Faces Born in the 1980s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Chris Hemsworth11 August 1983ActorView their day →Delta Goodrem9 November 1984Singer & songwriterView their day →Ruby Rose20 March 1986Actor & modelView their day →Sam Reid19 February 1987ActorView their day →Rebel Wilson2 March 1980Actress & writerView their day →Teresa Palmer26 February 1986Actress & modelView their day →Alexander Volkanovski29 September 1988Mixed martial artist & kickboxerView their day →Abbie Cornish7 August 1982ActressView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About The Day You Were Born
Ever wondered what was happening in the world when you took your first breath? Our birthday lookup tool reveals the fascinating history of your special day.
About The Birthday Chronicle and where our data comes from →