At A Glance

16 August 1988 at a glance

Day of the week
16 August 1988 was a Tuesday.
ARIA No. 1
The ARIA No. 1 was “Perfect” by Fairground Attraction.
Top Film of 1988
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1988 was Rain Man.
Best-Selling Vehicle of 1988
Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1988 was the Ford Falcon.
Star sign
The star sign for 16 August is Leo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 16 August 1988 fell in the Year of the Dragon.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 16 August 1988 was Waxing Crescent.

On this day: 16 August

  • 1966 Vietnam War: The House Un-American Activities Committee begins investigations of Americans who have aided the Viet Cong. The committee intends to introduce legislation making these activities illegal. Anti-war demonstrators disrupt the meeting and 50 people are arrested.
  • 1972 In an unsuccessful coup d'état attempt, the Royal Moroccan Air Force fires upon Hassan II of Morocco's plane while he is traveling back to Rabat.
  • 1975 Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam symbolically hands over land to the Gurindji people after the eight-year Wave Hill walk-off, a landmark event in the history of Indigenous land rights in Australia, commemorated in a 1991 song by Paul Kelly and an annual celebration.
  • 1989 A solar particle event affects computers at the Toronto Stock Exchange, forcing a halt to trading.
  • 2008 The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago is topped off at 1,389 feet (423 m), at the time becoming the world's highest residence above ground-level.

Famous people born on 16 August

  • Madonna, American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and director (born 1958)
  • Sophie Cunningham, American basketball player (born 1996)
  • Jannik Sinner, Italian tennis player (born 2001)
  • James Cameron, Canadian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1954)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Choose your country: the charts, news and leaders change to match.

Events of 1988 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1988 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 17 January – The TV soap Home and Away is launched by Seven Network.
  • 26 January – Australia Day, Australia celebrates its bicentennial day with the arrival of the First Fleet Re-enactment Voyage and a tall ships parade in Sydney Harbour.
  • 19 March – Nick Greiner and the Liberal Party win the 1988 New South Wales state election in a landside, removing the ALP government of Barrie Unsworth.

Life in Australia in 1988

Prime Minister

Bob Hawke

Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II

Petrol (per litre)

$0.55

Loaf of Bread

$1.02

Average House

$92,000

Weekly Wage

$470.00

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1980s

Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.

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 →