The year my daughter was born

1997 Gas was $1.22 a gallon in the US and 2 Pounds 70 pence in the UK , Great Britain handed back Hong Kong to China and the Dow was at less than 8000 . The first signs of the dreaded Bird Flu in China where the first documented case of the jump to humans causes Hong Kong to kill 1.25 million chickens. In the UK Tony Blair is the prime minister and Princess Diana dies in a car accident.

Cost of Living 1997
How Much things cost in 1997
Yearly Inflation Rate USA 2.34 %
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 7908
Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 8.50%
Average Cost of new house $124,100.00
Average Income per year $37,006.00
Average Monthly Rent $576.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas $1.22
Average cost of new car $16,900.00
Loaf of Bread $1.17
Movie Ticket $4.59
1 LB Hamburger meat$1.38 
Average House Price 71,248
Gallon of Petrol 2.70
Yearly Inflation Rate UK 3.1%
Interest Rates Year End Bank of England 7.25%
FTSE 100 Average 4750

Events 1997

Hong Kong

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule from UK rule

Israel
Israelis pull out of Hebron on West bank
Egypt
70 people including 60 foreign tourists are gunned down by Islamic extremists in Egypts Valley of The Kings
UK
Princess Diana calls for an immediate international ban on land mines
UK
Intercity 125 from Swansea to London crashes in Southall, West London killing 6
France
Diana Princess of Wales is killed in a car crash in Paris August 31st
UK
Princess Diana's funeral watched by 1.5 billion people around the world
World
Kyoto Protocol Agreed when 150 countries sign up at a global warming conference in Kyoto, Japan
U.S.
Microsoft becomes the worlds most valuable company valued at $261 billion dollars
U.S.
Heavens Gate Cult Commits Mass Suicides in California
U.S.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 7,000 for the first time
UK
Tony Blair becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
India
Mother Teresa Dies in Calcutta
Algeria
The Armed Islamic Group (GIA ) continues it's reign of terror killing innocent villagers in an attempt to overthrow the Algerian government and replace it with an Islamic state
World
UN FAO announces that 18 million people die annually in the third world from hunger and undernourishment
U.S.
Tornado hits in Jarrell, Texas killing 27 people
Luxemburg
Luxemburg is the richest country in the world with an average per capita income of $41,210 followed by Switzerland and Japan
Scotland
Scotland votes to create its own Parliament after 290 years of union with England
Wales
Wales votes in favour of devolution and the formation of a National Assembly
Australia
El Nino forms in the oceans between Australia causing unstable weather conditions including Hurricanes and drought in the Southern Hemisphere and colder temperatures in the North
World
Stock markets around the world crash because of a global economic crisis scare and in response to a 554.26 point free fall on 24th November , New York Stock Exchange officials invoked the "circuit breaker" rule and put a halt to trading
U.S.
Mike Tyson Bites Evander Holyfield's ear during a match and is suspended from boxing
U.S.
Louise Woodward a British Au Pair found guilty of second degree murder in Boston for killing the baby in her care
U.S.
Woolworths closes its remaining discount stores after more than 100 years of trading
U.S.
A civil jury panel findsOJ Simpson Guilty
U.S.
Hemophiliacs / Aids US Cases From 80's infected blood products Settled
Peru
Siege of the Japanese embassy ends in Peru when troops storm the embassy and free all but one of 72 hostages held inside
Italy
Assisi's Medieval Basilica ceiling and important frescoes Damaged In Earthquake
U.S.
A series of settlements between tobacco companies and US states is agreed to cover tobacco-related health costs
Egypt
Terrorists Attack A tourist bus on November 17th in Luxor
European Union
Due to torrential rains many rivers flood in Europe causing mass flooding to villages and towns in many parts of Europe.
U.S.
Tiger Woods at 21 years old became the youngest ever golfer to win the Masters
U.S.
Steve Jobs returns to run Apple Computers
China
China deports the pro democracy dissident Wei Jingsheng to the United States
France
Carlos the Jackal, is caught and sentenced by a French court to life in prison
France
French truck drivers form roadblocks around the country at ports, oil refineries and major roads.
U.S.
Andrew Cunanan Commits Suicide after murdering 4 people including fashion designer Gianni Versace
U.S.
WorldCom and MCI Communications announce the largest merger in history
Hong Kong
Hong Kong kills all the chickens within its territory (1.25 million) to stop the spread of a potentially deadly influenza strain known as Avian Flu . Bird flu was thought only to infect birds until the first human cases were seen in Hong Kong in 1997

Technology

• Scientists in Scotland reveal the first successful cloning of an adult mammal a sheep named Dolly
• Microsoft becomes the worlds most valuable company valued at $261 billion dollars
• Internet Explorer version 4 released
• The comet Hale-Bopp has its closest approach to earth
• Microsoft buys minority stake in Apple Computers for $150 million
• ThrustSSC sets the first supersonic land speed record at Black Rock Desert, Nevada at an average speed of 1,227.985 km/h (763.035 mph).
• Mars Pathfinder lands on the surface of Mars
• the weight loss drug Fen-phen is withdrawn from the market due to problems identified with valvular heart disease and pulmonary hypertension
• Alaska sees more ground ice breaking off due to the greenhouse effect

Popular Culture 1997

• The Simpsons becomes the longest-running prime-time animated series.
• Notorious B.I.G. Shot killed in drive by shooting
• The first book in the award winning Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling is published "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" released in US in 1998 as "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

Popular Films

• Titanic
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park
• Men in Black
• Tomorrow Never Dies
• Air Force One
• As Good as It Gets
• Liar Liar
• My Best Friend's Wedding
• The Fifth Element
• The Full Monty
• Batman & Robin
• The Rainmaker

Popular Musicians

• Mariah Carey
• Smashing Pumpkins
• Foo Fighters
• Nine Inch Nails
• The Verve
• Counting Crows
• Lenny Kravitz
• Céline Dion
• Daft Punk
• Sneaker Pimps
• Fleetwood Mac
• Spice Girls
• Radiohead
• Garth Brooks
• Hanson
• The Offspring
• Bryan Adams
• Aerosmith

Major World Political Leaders 1997

Australia Prime Minister John Howard Brazil President Fernando Henrique Cardoso Canada Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Jiang Zemin
France President Jacques Chirac
Germany Chancellor Helmut Kohl India Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda Till 21 April
India Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral From 21 April
Italy Prime Minister Romano Prodi
Japan Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto Mexico President Ernesto Zedillo Russia / Soviet Union General Secretary of the CPSU Boris Yeltsin South Africa State President Nelson Mandela United States President Bill Clinton United Kingdom Prime Minister John Major Till This Day In History May 2nd
United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair From 2 May

Political Elections 1997

Canadian Federal Election 1997 Jean Chrétien ( Liberal ) defeats Preston Manning ( Reform ) and Gilles Duceppe ( Bloc Québécois )
British General Election 1997 Tony Blair ( Labour ) defeats John Major ( Conservative ) and Paddy Ashdown ( Liberal Democrat )