1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1997th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 997th year of the 2nd millennium, the 97th year of the 20th century, and the 8th year of the 1990s decade.

Millennium: 2nd millennium
Centuries: 19th century20th century21st century
Decades: 1960s  1970s  1980s  – 1990s –  2000s  2010s  2020s
Years: 1994 1995 199619971998 1999 2000

Births change

 
Kylie Jenner

Deaths change

January change

 
Melvin Calvin
 
Alexander R. Todd
 
Clyde Tombaugh

February change

 
Marjorie Reynolds
 
Deng Xiaoping

March change

 
Cheddi Jagan
 
The Notorious B.I.G.
 
Fred Zinnemann

April change

 
Allen Ginsberg
 
Chaim Herzog
 
Diosdado Macapagal

May change

 
Virgilio Barco Vargas

June change

 
Brian Keith
 
Jacques Cousteau

July change

 
Robert Mitchum
 
James Stewart
 
Gianni Versace

August change

 
William S. Burroughs
 
Jeanne Calment
 
Diana, Princess of Wales

September change

 
Mother Teresa
 
Mobutu Sese Seko
 
Matrika Prasad Koirala

October change

 
John Denver
 
James A. Michener
 
Audra Lindley

November change

 
Hastings Banda

December change

 
Toshirō Mifune

Events change

January change

 
Kofi Annan becomes UN Secretary-General.

February change

March change

 
Tony Blair becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
 
Korean Airlines Flight 801 crashes on Guam.

April change

May change

June change

July change

August change

September change

 
Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales on September 6, 1997

October change

November change

 
Mary McAleese is chosen as President of Ireland on November 11, 1997.

December change

Other significant events change

  • Algerian Civil War: Hundreds of people are killed in massacres throughout the year.

Nobel Prizes change

Movies Released change

New books change

Hit songs change