UK, 
US, 
Australia & 
IrelandAt A Glance
5 August 1988 at a glance
- Day of the week
- 5 August 1988 was a Friday.
- ARIA No. 1
- The ARIA No. 1 was “Age of Reason” by John Farnham.
- 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 5 August is Leo.
- Chinese zodiac
- In the Chinese zodiac, 5 August 1988 fell in the Year of the Dragon.
- Birthstone
- The birthstone for August is Peridot.
- Moon phase
- The moon phase on 5 August 1988 was Waning Crescent.
On this day: 5 August
- 1973 Mars 6 is launched from the USSR.
- 1974 Watergate scandal: President Richard Nixon, under orders of the US Supreme Court, releases the "Smoking Gun" tape, recorded on June 23, 1972, clearly revealing his actions in covering up and interfering investigations into the break-in. His political support vanishes completely.
- 1979 In Afghanistan, Maoists undertake the Bala Hissar uprising against the Leninist government.
- 1981 President Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 striking air-traffic controllers who ignored his order for them to return to work.
- 1995 Yugoslav Wars: The city of Knin, Croatia, a significant Serb stronghold, is taken by Croatian forces during Operation Storm. The date is celebrated in Croatia as Victory Day.
Famous people born on 5 August
- James Gunn, American filmmaker (born 1966)
- Wendell Berry, American novelist, short story writer, poet, and essayist (1934–2026)
- Angry Anderson, Australian singer and actor (1947–2026)
- Neil Armstrong, American pilot, engineer, and astronaut, first man to walk on the Moon (1930–2012)
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.
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 →