Kherrata
Five thousand people gathered in the town of Kherrata, Bejaia Province to mark the second anniversary of the Hirak protest movement. Demonstrations had been suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria.
What happened on February 16
34 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1249 to 2026.
Standout on February 16
2021
Kherrata
Five thousand people gathered in the town of Kherrata, Bejaia Province to mark the second anniversary of the Hirak protest movement. Demonstrations had been suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Algeria.
About February 16
February 16 is the 47th day of the year. These facts are computed from the calendar, not copied from anywhere.
- Day of the year
- Day 47 of 365 (47 in leap years)318 days left in the year (319 in leap years)
- Falls on
- Monday in 2026, Tuesday in 2027, Wednesday in 2028, Friday in 2029, Saturday in 2030
- Week
- ISO week 8 of 2026 · Q1
- Zodiac sign
- ♒ Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
- Season
- Winter in the north · Summer in the south
- February birthstone
- Amethystcalm, clarity and courage
- February birth flower
- Violet / Primrosefaithfulness and young love
- Next occurrence
- In 112 days
- Roman numerals
- XVI.IIday.month — see the Roman numeral date tool
Anniversaries in 2026
- 90thPopular Front (Spain)1936
- 40thChina Airlines Flight 22651986
- 40thSoviet Union1986
- 30th1996 Maryland train collision1996
- 30thAmtrak1996
- 25thYuki Naito2001
- 20thMobile Army Surgical Hospital2006
- 10thBoutros Boutros-Ghali2016
February 16 through the years
- 10 years ago2016
- Boutros Boutros-Ghali
- 25 years ago2001
- Yuki Naito
- 50 years ago1976
- Nothing recorded
- 100 years ago1926
- Nothing recorded
- 200 years ago1826
- Nothing recorded
Born on February 16 — ages this year
- 2001Yuki Naitoturns 25
- 2000Coby Whiteturns 26
- 2000Carlos Yuloturns 26
- 2000Original Koffeeturns 26
- 1999Ignatius Ganagoturns 27
- 1999Girl in Redturns 27
Historical events 34
A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
February 2013 Quetta bombing
At least 91 people were killed and 190 others injured after a bomb hidden in a water tank exploded at a market in Hazara Town, Pakistan.
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
The last Mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) is decommissioned by the United States Army.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League cancels the entire 2004–05 regular season and playoffs.
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol comes into force, following its ratification by Russia.
Emery Worldwide Airlines Flight 17
Emery Worldwide Airlines Flight 17 crashes near Sacramento Mather Airport in Rancho Cordova, California, killing all three aboard.
Taoyuan International Airport
While on approach to Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, China Airlines Flight 676 crashed due to an over-reliance of the autopilot, which resulted in the deaths of 202 people.
China Airlines Flight 676
China Airlines Flight 676 crashes into a road and residential area near Chiang Kai-shek International Airport in Taiwan, killing all 196 aboard and six more on the ground.
1996 Maryland train collision
Eleven people died in a train collision in Silver Spring, Maryland, leading to the creation of comprehensive U.S. federal rules for the design of passenger cars.
Amtrak
A Chicago-bound Amtrak train, the Capitol Limited, collides with a MARC commuter train bound for Washington, D.C., killing 11 people.
Nicaragua
Nicaraguan Contras leader Enrique Bermúdez is assassinated in Managua.
China Airlines Flight 2265
China Airlines Flight 2265 crashes into the Pacific Ocean near Penghu Airport in Taiwan, killing all 13 aboard.
Soviet Union
The Soviet liner MS Mikhail Lermontov runs aground in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand.
Hezbollah
Hezbollah is founded.
Shia Islam
The Lebanese Shia political and paramilitary organization Hezbollah released a manifesto describing its ideology and goals.
Iran
Iran launches Operation Dawn 5, a major offensive during the Iran–Iraq War targeting the Basra–Baghdad highway, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides.
Ash Wednesday bushfires
The Ash Wednesday bushfires burned over half a million acres (over 2,000 km2) each in both South Australia and Victoria, killing 75 people and injuring 2,676 others.
Bulletin board system
The first computer bulletin board system is created (CBBS in Chicago).
Haleyville, Alabama
In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system goes into service.
Civil Air Transport Flight 10
Civil Air Transport Flight 010 crashes near Shongshan Airport in Taiwan, killing 21 of the 63 people on board and one more on the ground.
Great Sheffield Gale
The Great Sheffield Gale impacts the United Kingdom, killing nine people; the city of Sheffield is devastated, with 150,000 homes damaged.
North Sea flood of 1962
Flooding in the coastal areas of West Germany kills 315 and destroys the homes of about 60,000 people.
Explorers Program
Explorer program: Explorer 9 (S-56a) is launched.
DuSable Black History Museum
The DuSable Museum, the first museum dedicated to the study and conservation of African American history, culture, and art, was chartered.
Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro was sworn in as Prime Minister of Cuba, beginning his decades-long rule over the country.
Popular Front (Spain)
The Popular Front, a coalition of left-wing parties, came to power in the Spanish general election, a factor in the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War five months later.
Byblos
A landslide in Byblos revealed a sarcophagus in an underground tomb that was later discovered to be part of a large Bronze Age necropolis.
Council of Lithuania
The Council of Lithuania signed the Act of Independence (pictured), proclaiming the restoration of an independent Lithuania.
Southern Cross Expedition
The Southern Cross Expedition led by Carsten Borchgrevink (pictured) achieved a new Farthest South of 78° 50'S, making the first landing at the Great Ice Barrier.
American Civil War
American Civil War: A Union victory at the Battle of Fort Donelson gave General Ulysses S. Grant the nickname "Unconditional Surrender".
Musical note
The French government passed a law setting the musical note A4 to a frequency of 435 hertz, in the first attempt to standardize concert pitch.
First Barbary War
First Barbary War: Lieutenant Stephen Decatur led a U.S. Navy raid to destroy the captured USS Philadelphia in the harbor of Tripoli (depicted), denying her use to the Barbary States.
Livonian Crusade
Livonian Crusade: In the Battle of Karuse, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania achieved a decisive victory over the Livonian Order on the frozen surface of the Baltic Sea.
Louis IX of France
King Louis IX dispatched André de Longjumeau as the French ambassador to the Mongol Empire.
Births 20
A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
Deaths 20
A notable person who died on this day.
Gustavo Noboa
Gustavo Noboa, Ecuadorian politician, 42nd President of Ecuador (born 1937)
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Egyptian politician and diplomat, 6th Secretary-General of the United Nations (born 1922)
R. R. Patil
R. R. Patil, Indian lawyer and politician, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra (born 1957)
Lasse Braun
Lasse Braun, Algerian-Italian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1936)
Holidays & observances 8
A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
Act of Independence of Lithuania
Restoration of Lithuania's Statehood Day, celebrate the independence of Lithuania from Russia and Germany in 1918 (Lithuania)
February 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Christian feast day: February 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Elias and Companions
Christian feast day: Elias and companions
Abda of Edessa
Christian feast day: Abda of Edessa
Charles Todd Quintard
Christian feast day: Charles Todd Quintard (Episcopal Church (USA))
Onesimus
Christian feast day: Onesimus
Juliana of Nicomedia
Christian feast day: Juliana of Nicomedia (Catholic Church)
Day of the Shining Star
Day of the Shining Star (Kim Jong Il's birthday) (North Korea)
Spread across the centuries
- 13th century2
- 19th century4
- 20th century42
- 21st century26
Earliest: Louis IX of France (1249). Most recent: Frederick Wiseman (2026).
What the categories mean, and how the standout is chosen
- Historical events
- A dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
- Births
- A notable person born on this day. Each links to a person page with their dates and story.
- Deaths
- A notable person who died on this day.
- Milestones
- A first, a founding or a turning point our editors flagged as a landmark moment.
- Holidays & observances
- A holiday, feast day, awareness day or national day observed every year on this date.
- Standout / notable
- Editor-written entries come first, then entries covered by the most Wikipedia language editions. For the standout tile we prefer an entry that has a picture.
Nearby and related
Questions about February 16
What day of the year is February 16?
February 16 is the 47th day of the year, with 318 days left after it.
What star sign is February 16?
February 16 falls under Aquarius (January 20 – February 18), a air sign ruled by Uranus (traditionally Saturn). The birthstone for the month is Amethyst.
How many things happened on February 16?
We record 82 entries for February 16: 34 events · 20 births · 20 deaths · 8 observances. From 1249 to 2026.
Who was born on February 16?
Yuki Naito (2001) is among the notable births on February 16. The births section lists the rest.
How often is the February 16 page updated?
The day is filled the first time anyone opens it and then re-checked for new entries about every 90 days. Computed facts such as the weekday and the anniversaries update every year.
Get a daily entry like February 16
One short email a day from this calendar. Kept for this site only.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.