UK, 
US, 
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IrelandAt A Glance
31 December 2003 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 31 December 2003 was a Wednesday.
- ARIA No. 1
- The ARIA No. 1 was “Shut Up” by The Black Eyed Peas.
- Top Film of 2003
- The highest-grossing film worldwide released in 2003 was The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
- Best-Selling Vehicle of 2003
- Australia's top-selling new vehicle in 2003 was the Holden Commodore.
- Star sign
- The star sign for 31 December is Capricorn.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 31 December 2003 fell in the Year of the Goat.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for December is Turquoise.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 31 December 2003 was First Quarter.
On this day: 31 December
- 1998 The European Exchange Rate Mechanism freezes the values of the legacy currencies in the Eurozone, and establishes the value of the euro currency.
- 1999 The first President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, resigns from office, leaving Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the acting President and successor.
- 1999 The U.S. government hands control of the Panama Canal (as well all the adjacent land to the canal known as the Panama Canal Zone) to Panama. This act complied with the signing of the 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties.
- 2001 Rwanda adopts a new national flag and anthem.
- 2004 The official opening of Taipei 101, the tallest skyscraper at that time in the world, standing at a height of 509 metres (1,670 ft).
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 2003 in Australia
A selection from Wikipedia's '2003 in Australia'. Not a complete list.
- 17 January – Batsman Darren Lehmann made a racist outburst during Australia's four-wicket victory at the Gabba. Lehmann shouted "black c-" while entering the dressing room after being run out.
- 2–6 February – Cyclone Beni causes widespread flooding and damage in south-east Queensland, but also easing the drought in rural areas. Floodwaters claimed the life of a 67-year-old man on 5 February as he attempted to rescue a horse trapped in floodwaters near Rockhampton.
- 16 February – Tens of thousands of Australian protestors join millions more in other cities around the world in the 2003 anti-war protests demonstrating against the Iraq War. These are the biggest street protests seen since the Vietnam War.
Life in Australia in 2003
Prime Minister
John Howard
Monarch
Queen Elizabeth II
Petrol (per litre)
$0.95
Loaf of Bread
$2.30
Average House
$265,000
Weekly Wage
$930.00
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Famous Faces Born in the 2000s
Well-known people born in the same decade as you, not on your birthday.
Milly Alcock11 April 2000ActressView their day →Joseph Zada21 July 2005ActorView their day →Robert Irwin1 December 2003Conservationist & wildlife photographerView their day →Teagan Croft23 April 2004ActressView their day →Angourie Rice1 January 2001ActressView their day →Catherine Laga'aia17 December 2006Actress & singerView their day →Oscar Piastri6 April 2001Racing driverView their day →Felix15 September 2000Rapper & singerView their day →Sources: Wikidata and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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