At A Glance

17 August 1996 at a glance

Day of the week
17 August 1996 was a Saturday.
ARIA No. 1
The ARIA No. 1 was “Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion.
Top Film of 1996
The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1996 was Independence Day.
Best-Selling Vehicle of 1996
Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 1996 was the Holden Commodore.
Star sign
The star sign for 17 August is Leo.
Chinese zodiac
In the Chinese zodiac, 17 August 1996 fell in the Year of the Rat.
Birthstone
The birthstone for August is Peridot.
Moon phase
The moon phase on 17 August 1996 was Waxing Crescent.

On this day: 17 August

  • 1985 The 1985–86 Hormel strike begins in Austin, Minnesota.
  • 1998 Lewinsky scandal: US President Bill Clinton admits in taped testimony that he had an "improper physical relationship" with White House intern Monica Lewinsky; later that same day he admits before the nation that he "misled people" about the relationship.
  • 2004 The National Assembly of Serbia unanimously adopts new state symbols for Serbia: Bože pravde becomes the new anthem and the coat of arms is adopted for the whole country.
  • 2005 The first forced evacuation of settlers, as part of Israeli disengagement from Gaza, starts.
  • 2008 American swimmer Michael Phelps becomes the first person to win eight gold medals at one Olympic Games.

Famous people born on 17 August

  • Robert De Niro, American actor, entrepreneur, director, and producer (born 1943)
  • Phoebe Bridgers, American singer/songwriter (born 1994)
  • Sean Penn, American actor, director, and political activist (born 1960)
  • Larry Ellison, American businessman, co-founded the Oracle Corporation (born 1944)

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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

Events of 1996 in Australia

A selection from Wikipedia's '1996 in Australia'. Not a complete list.

  • 3 February – Liberal Frank Tanti wins the 1996 Mundingburra state by-election causing Labor to lose its Parliamentary majority in Queensland.
  • 24 February – A state election is held in Tasmania. The Liberal Party government of Ray Groom is re-elected; however, Groom's promise to only govern in a majority saw him resign.
  • 2 March – A federal election is held. The Liberal/National coalition defeats the Labor government of Paul Keating with a landslide two-party preferred vote of 53.9% and a 45-seat majority, one of the biggest wins since World War II.

Life in Australia in 1996

Prime Minister

John Howard

Monarch

Queen Elizabeth II

Petrol (per litre)

$0.70

Loaf of Bread

$1.85

Average House

$146,000

Weekly Wage

$710.00

Or

Browse by Year

Famous Faces Born in the 1990s

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 →