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The 2010s, pronounced "twenty-tens",^[1] "two thousand (and) tens", or simply "the tens",^[2][3][4][5] is the current decade, which began on January 1, 2010 and will end on December 31, 2019.

Names of the decade

Among experts and the general public, there is a debate as to how specific years of the 21st century should be pronounced in English, that as of February 2010 has yet to be fully resolved.^[6] Although the majority of English-speakers say "two thousand (and) X" for years of the 2000s decade, in theory this could mean any year up to 2999.

One article suggests that since former years such as 1809 and 1909 were commonly pronounced as "eighteen oh-nine" and "nineteen oh-nine", the year 2009 should naturally be pronounced as "twenty oh-nine", and that majority usage of "two thousand (and) X" is a result of influences from the Y2K hype, as well as the way "2001" was pronounced in the influential 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.^[7]

The Vancouver Olympics, taking place in 2010, are being officially referred to by Vancouver 2010 as "the twenty-ten Olympics," despite the United States saying "two thousand ten" in a commercial about them,^[8] plus American television broadcaster NBC's decision to avoid any pronouncement of "2010", instead saying "21st Winter Olympic Games". The London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006 has restricted the commercial use of the terms "Two Thousand and Twelve" and "Twenty Twelve", to protect the London 2012 Olympics.^[9] According to a recent press release, David Crystal, author of the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, has predicted that the change of pronunciation to "twenty X" will occur in 2011, as "twenty eleven", explaining that the way people pronounce years depends on rhythm, rather than logic. Crystal claims that the rhythm or "flow" of "two thousand (and) ten", beats that of "twenty ten", but the flow of "twenty eleven" beats "two thousand (and) eleven".^[10] Alternatively, Ian Brookes, editor-in-chief of Chambers Dictionary, suggests the change will occur in 2013 (as 2012 is often referred to as "two thousand and twelve"). However, the pronunciations of 2010, 2011, etc., as "twenty ten", or "twenty eleven", requires one (two) less syllable(s) than "two thousand (and) ten", or "two thousand (and) eleven."

Suggested names for the decade other than the "twenty-tens" or "two thousand tens" include the "teenies" (reflecting the name "Noughties" for the 2000s), "tenties", "tweenies", "teens", and "twenteens".^{[11][12][13][14]}

The 2010s are considered the second decade of the 21st century and 3rd millennium, ^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]} though technically the 21st century and 3rd millennium began in 2001.^[25]

Politics and wars

Wars

The prominent wars of the decade include

International wars

• War on Terrorism (2001–present) – refers to several ideological, military, and diplomatic campaigns ostensibly aimed at putting an end to international terrorism by preventing groups defined by the US and its allies as "terrorist" (largely Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas) from posing a threat to the US and its allies, and by putting an end to state sponsorship of terrorism. The campaigns were launched by the United States, with support from NATO and other allies, immediately following the September 11, 2001 attacks which were carried out by al-Qaeda. Today the term has become mostly associated with Bush administration-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

• War in Afghanistan (2001–present) – In 2001, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada invaded Afghanistan seeking to oust the Taliban and find Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden.
• War in Iraq (2003-present) – In 2003, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded and occupied Iraq, following what was ultimately shown to be a false claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction at its disposal.^[26] The war, which ended the rule of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party, also led to violence against the coalition forces and between many Sunni and Shia Iraqi groups, and to al-Qaeda operations in Iraq.

Civil wars and Guerrilla wars

• Mexican Drug War (2006–present) - an armed conflict fought between rival drug cartels and government forces in Mexico. Although Mexican drug cartels, or drug trafficking organizations, have existed for quite some time, they have become more powerful since the demise of Colombia's Cali and Medellín cartels in the 1990s. Mexican drug cartels now dominate the wholesale illicit drug market in the United States.^[27] Arrests of key cartel leaders, particularly in the Tijuana and Gulf cartels, have led to increasing drug violence as cartels fight for control of the trafficking routes into the United States.^[28][29][30] Roughly more than 16,851 people in total were killed between December 2006 until November 2009.^[31]

• War in North-West Pakistan (2004–present) - an armed conflict between the Pakistani Armed Forces and Islamic militants made up of local tribesmen, the Taliban, and foreign Mujahideen (Holy Warriors). It began in 2004 when tensions rooted in the Pakistani Army's search for al-Qaeda members in Pakistan's mountainous Waziristan area (in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas) escalated into armed resistance by local tribesmen. The violence has displaced 3.44 million civilians^[32] and to more than 7,000 civilians being killed.^[33]

• Sa'dah insurgency (2004–present) - a civil war in the Sa'dah Governorate of Yemen. It began after the Shī‘a Zaidiyyah sect launched an uprising against the Yemeni government. The Yemeni government has accused Iran of directing and financing the insurgency.^[34] Thousands of rebels and civilians have been killed during the conflict.^[35][36]

• War in Somalia (2009 – present) - involved largely the forces of the Somali Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) assisted by African Union peacekeeping troops, whom fought against various militant Islamist factions for control of the country. The violence has displaced thousands of people residing in Mogadishu, the nation's capital. 1,739 people in total were killed between 1 January 2009 until 1 January 2010.^[37]

• Conflict in the Niger Delta (2004–present) - an ongoing conflict in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The conflict was caused due to the tensions between the foreign oil corporations and a number of the Niger Delta's minority ethnic groups who felt they were being exploited, particularly the Ogoni and the Ijaw. The competition for oil wealth has led to an endless violence cycle between innumerable ethnic groups, causing the militarization of nearly the entire region which was occupied by militia groups as well as Nigerian military and the forces of the Nigerian Police.

• Civil war in Chad (2005–present) - involved Chadian government forces and several Chadian rebel groups. The Government of Chad estimated in January 2006 that 614 Chadian citizens had been killed in cross-border raids.^[38] The fighting still continues despite several attempts to reach agreements.

• Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present) - Algeria has been the subject of an Islamic insurgency since 2002 waged by the Sunni Islamic Jihadist militant group Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC). GSPC allied itself with the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb against the Algerian government. The conflict has since spread to other neighboring countries.

Nuclear threats

• Since 2005, Iran's nuclear program has become the subject of contention with the Western world due to suspicions that Iran could divert the civilian nuclear technology to a weapons program. This has led the UN Security Council to impose sanctions against Iran on select companies linked to this program, thus furthering its economic isolation on the international scene. The U.S. Director of National Intelligence said in February 2009 that Iran would not realistically be able to a get a nuclear weapon until 2013, if it chose to develop one.^[39]

Political events

• January 2010 - A trial determining the constitutionality of same-sex marriage in the United States is held in California.^[40]

Disasters

Damage in downtown Port-au-Prince, 13 January 2010

• On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hits Haiti, causing widespread destruction in Port-au-Prince. Haitian authorities currently believe that the disaster has claimed between 200,000 and 250,000 lives.^[41] Over 2 million inhabitants were affected and over 3 million in need of emergency aid.

• 2010 seen many Major Earthquake disasters so far with a total 14 Earthquakes in less than 2 1/2 months, with an average year containing a total of 25, while most years have 12 Quakes above 7.0 Magnitude, 2010 has already seen 4, nearly 1/2 an annual amount in less than a season, this suggests 2010 will be known as Earthquake Year.

• The 2009 flu pandemic fizzles out by February 2010, and proves not nearly as dangerous as expected.^[42]

Society

• The Baby boomers generation will reach retirement age in North America, Europe and Australia during the 2010s. The estimated unprecedented number of people whom will start using their Social security funds is expected to burden the Government budgets of the Western world.^[43][44]

• According to UN estimates, the World population is expected to reach around 7.5 billion people by the end of the decade, representing a significant slowdown in growth. In Europe and Japan, the population is projected to decline during the decade.^[45]

Science and technology

Technology

Electronics and communications

• IPv6 has to be deployed around the world, as the unallocated IPv4 address pool is projected to be exhausted by 2011.^[46]

• Supercomputers are projected to reach exaflop scale in 2019.^[47]

Transportation

• The Gotthard Base Tunnel, then the world's longest railway tunnel, will be completed in 2017 or 2018.

Science

Space exploration

Artist's rendering of an Orion spacecraft in lunar orbit

• In 2010 an international team of astronomers, including two from Hertfordshire, discovered the youngest planet outside the solar system. This planet named BD+20°1790 was estimated to be "just" 35 million years old.

• NASA will launch the James Webb Space Telescope as early as 2014 and replace the Hubble Space Telescope.^[48]

• NASA's New Horizons probe will reach Pluto in 2015, completing its main mission, and continuing into the Kuiper Belt.

• The Constellation space program is expected to begin in 2010. Under this program, the Orion is set to replace the Space Shuttle around 2014 or 2015. This is expected to follow a period of several years beginning with the scheduled retirement of the space shuttle program in 2010 in which NASA will not have an active manned spacecraft launch program.

• With the Altair spacecraft, NASA plans another series of manned landings on the moon beginning in 2019.

Physics

• Both the International Linear Collider and ITER may be completed during the latter half of the decade.

Environment

• In 2012, the Kyoto Agreement in its current form will expire.

• The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report is scheduled to appear in 2014.^[49]

Popular culture

Film

• The 3D science fiction film Avatar (released in December 2009) becomes the highest grossing film of all time within 17 days of its initial release, surpassing the former number-one blockbuster Titanic (1997) in early January.^[50][51][52]

• Kathryn Bigelow, became the first female to receive the best director award in Academy award history, just a day before International Women's day, Kathryn wept on stage as she received the historic award.

Music

• On January 31, 2010 Beyoncé Knowles won 6 Grammy Awards, breaking the record for most Grammy awards won by a female artist in one night.

Architecture

Burj Khalifa

• Burj Khalifa becomes the tallest man-made structure ever built (standing at 828 m) after it officially opened on January 4, 2010.

Sports

The opening ceremony at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Notable sporting events to be held in the 2010s:

• 2010 African Cup of Nations was won by Egypt.
• 2010 FIFA World Cup to be held in South Africa
• 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi, India
• 2010 Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
• 2010 Summer Youth Olympics to be held in Singapore
• 2010 World Lacrosse Championship to be held in Manchester, England, United Kingdom
• 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• 2011 Copa America to be held in Argentina.
• 2011 Cricket World Cup to be held in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
• 2011 Pan American Games to be held in Guadalajara, Mexico.
• 2011 Rugby World Cup to be held in New Zealand
• 2012 Summer Olympics to be held in London, England, United Kingdom
• 2012 Winter Youth Olympics to be held in Innsbruck, Austria
• 2012 UEFA European Football Championship to be held in Poland and Ukraine
• 2013 Rugby League World Cup to be held in England, United Kingdom
• 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup to be held in Brazil
• 2014 FIFA World Cup to be held in Brazil
• 2014 Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi, Russia
• 2014 Summer Youth Olympics scheduled, location to be announced in February 2010
• 2014 Asian Games to be held in Incheon, South Korea
• 2014 Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
• 2015 Cricket World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand
• 2015 Pan American Games to be held in Toronto, Canada.
• 2015 Rugby World Cup to be held in England, United Kingdom
• 2016 UEFA European Football Championship scheduled, location to be announced in May 2010
• 2016 Summer Olympics to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• 2016 Winter Youth Olympics scheduled, location to be announced in February 2010
• 2018 FIFA World Cup scheduled, location to be announced in December 2010
• 2018 Winter Olympics scheduled, location to be announced in 2011
• 2018 Summer Youth Olympics scheduled, location to be announced.
• 2019 Asian Games scheduled, location to be announced in 2011
• 2019 Cricket World Cup to be held in England and Wales, United Kingdom
• 2019 Rugby World Cup to be held in Japan.

See also

• 2010s in film
• 2010 in music
• 2012 in fiction

References