UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
31 December 1981 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 31 December 1981 was a Thursday.
- Kent Music Report No. 1
- The Kent Music Report No. 1 was “Down Under” by Men at Work.
- 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 31 December is Capricorn.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 31 December 1981 fell in the Year of the Rooster.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 31 December 1981 was Waxing Crescent.
On this day: 31 December
- 1981 A coup d'état in Ghana removes President Hilla Limann's PNP government and replaces it with the Provisional National Defence Council led by Flight lieutenant Jerry Rawlings.
- 1983 The AT&T Bell System is broken up by the United States Government.
- 1983 Benjamin Ward is appointed New York City Police Department's first ever African American police commissioner.
- 1983 In Nigeria, a coup d'état led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari ends the Second Nigerian Republic.
- 1991 All official Soviet Union institutions have ceased operations by this date, five days after the Soviet Union is officially dissolved.
Famous people born on 31 December
- Val Kilmer, American actor (1959–2025)
- Sophia Laforteza, Filipino-American singer (born 2002)
- Alex Ferguson, Scottish footballer and manager (born 1941)
- Charles Edward Stuart, Scottish claimant to the throne of England (1720–1788)
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 →