2006

Years: 2003 2004 2005 - 2006 - 2007 2008 2009

Decades: 1970s 1980s 1990s - 2000s - 2010s 2020s 2030s

Centuries: 20th century - 21st century - 22nd century 2006 in film 2006 in literature 2006 in music 2006 in sports 2006 in television

2006 is a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). It has been designated:

• The International Year of Deserts and Desertification

Predicted events

• January 9 - Planned launch date of New Horizons
• February 28 - Mardi Gras
• February 9 - Independence referendum in Serbia and Montenegro
• March 1 - Attack Submarines USS-Lapon to start to be deactivated. Los Angeles class submarines USS Indianapolis, USS-Birmingham, USS-New York City and USS-Atlanta to also start to be deactivated
• March 29 - Total solar eclipse (Brazil, Mid Atlantic ocean, Sahara Desert, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia)
• September 24 - Sweden holds elections for the Riksdag.
• September 22 - Annular solar eclipse (South America, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean).
• October - NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft to Mercury makes the first of two Venus flybys.
• December 31 The United Kingdom finally pays off its 4336 Trillion dollar (US) World War 2 war debts to the United States Government.

Uncertain dates

• I-295 is scheduled to have completed its loop around Jacksonville, FL.
• 2006 Winter Olympics scheduled in Turin, Italy
• 18^th Football World Cup scheduled in Germany. Proposed dates are from June 9 to July 9.
• 2006 Commonwealth Games scheduled in Melbourne, Australia.
• Finland plans to cease analog television broadcasts.
• Airbus plans to release Airbus A380 to service, the biggest airliner of the world.
• Microsoft may release Windows Longhorn, a computer operating system (although Microsoft has not stated an official release date, 2006 is a probable year)
• The European Space Agency plans to launch the Keo space time capsule
• Open Office.org is expected to release the Aqua version of Open Office for Mac OS X.
• In Germany elections for the Bundestag are to be held in September.
• Manuel Noriega becomes elligble for parole.
• The Osaka Outer Loop Line and the eighth line of the Osaka City Subway are scheduled to open in Osaka, Japan.
• Wembley Stadium expected to open after renovations.