The world population on January 1, 2006, was estimated to be 6.629billion people and increased to 6.714billion people by January 1, 2007. An estimated 138.5million births and 53.3million deaths took place in 2006. The average global life expectancy was 68.6 years, an increase of 0.5 years from 2005.
The estimated number of global refugees increased from 8.65million to 9.88million by the end of the year, marking an end to several years of declining rates. The number of refugees from Iraq increased by about 1.2million, and the global number also increased by 464,000 after a change to how the United Nations counted refugees that resided in the United States. Afghanistan remained the largest source of refugees with 2.1million people.
There were 32 conflicts in 2006 that resulted in at least 25 fatalities, all of which were intrastate conflicts fought by violent non-state actors. Five resulted in at least 1,000 fatalities: the Iraqi insurgency, Eelam War IV in Sri Lanka, the Chadian Civil War, and the Sudanese War in Darfur. Peace agreements were made with at least one faction in conflicts in Angola, Burundi, Chad, Nepal, and Sudan.
The gross world product increased by 3.8% in 2006. The largest growth took place in transition economies (7.2%) and developing countries (6.5%). International trade grew by over 10%, improving on the 7.3% growth in 2005. Unemployment rates lowered in developed countries, while transition economies and developing countries saw only minimal reduction in unemployment. Inflation occurred in many parts of the world but was mostly limited to oil prices, which rose to an all-time high before sharply declining.
The year 2006 was the fifth hottest year on record. Temperatures were cooled by La Niña in the beginning of the year, but El Niño began in September. Heat waves occurred in July in Europe and the United States, while cold waves occurred in January in India and Russia, and in June in Australia. Frost appeared in New Delhi for the first time in 70 years on January 9. The year 2006 had the highest precipitation in five years, although droughts continued in the Horn of Africa, triggering a food crisis. China also faced a severe drought in May. Major flooding occurred in southern China and the Philippine island Leyte. A magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred on May 26 in Java, killing approximately 5,700 people.
The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season had five tropical storms, including five hurricanes. The year was closer to average following years of more active seasons. The two most intense hurricanes were Hurricane Gordon and Hurricane Helene. The 2006 Pacific typhoon season had average activity with 24 tropical storms, including 15 typhoons. The most intense typhoons were Typhoon Saomai, Typhoon Ioke, Typhoon Yagi, and Typhoon Cimaron. Six typhoons made landfall in the Philippines, breaking a 32-year record, and Typhoon Saomai was the most intense typhoon to make landfall in China in over 50 years.
Drug-resistant tuberculosis became a major concern in South Africa in 2006. Hundreds of cases of polio occurred in India, threatening global eradication efforts. Polio also returned to Namibia after being eradicated ten years before.
March 9 – NASA's Cassini–Huygens spacecraft announces a geyser-like emission of vapor, dust, and small ice crystals on Saturn's moon Enceladus, possibly indicating the presence of water.
April 4 – The Faddoul Brothers, kidnapped on February 23, 2006, in Caracas, Venezuela, are found dead, causing outrage and mass protests against insecurity in the country.
April 20 – Iran announces a deal with Russia, involving a joint uranium enrichment firm on Russian soil; nine days later Iran announces that it will not move all activity to Russia, thus leading to a de facto termination of the deal.
May 27 – The 6.4 MwYogyakarta earthquake shakes central Java in Indonesia with an MSK intensity of IX (Destructive), leaving more than 5,700 dead and 37,000 injured.
June
June 3 – Montenegro declares its independence from Serbia and Montenegro after a May 21 referendum and becomes a sovereign state. Two days later, the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro officially disbands after Serbia declares its independence as well, ending an 88-year union between the two countries and leaving Serbia as the successor country to the union.
June 14 - The 2006 Kismet Train Collision occurs in California. At 5:51 AM, two BNSF Railway freight trains collided head-on at the Kismet Siding in Kismet, California near Madera, California. The southbound mixed manifest train disregarded a red signal at East Kismet instead of stopping and crashed into the northbound grain train.
The Nathu La pass between India and China, sealed during the Sino-Indian War, re-opens for trade after 44 years.
In Buenos Aires, Argentina, serial shooter Martín Ríos opens fire against passers-by on Cabildo Avenue, killing an 18-year-old and injuring six others.
July 12 – 2006 Lebanon War: Israeli troops invade Lebanon in response to Hezbollah kidnapping two Israeli soldiers and killing three others. Hezbollah declares open war against Israel two days later.
November 1 - Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko: Litvinenko, former officer of the Russian Federal Security Service and critic of the Putin administration, is poisoned with Polonium-210. He dies of acute radiation syndrome on 23 November, causing widespread accusations that the Russian government was behind the poisoning.
Mexican drug war: Felipe Calderón sends the Mexican military to combat the drug cartels and put down the violence in the state of Michoacán, initiating Mexico's drug war.
Analog terrestrial television is switched off permanently in the Netherlands.
↑"What is the Islamic hajj?". CBC News. January 12, 2006. Archived from the original on July 15, 2009. Retrieved July 6, 2009. It's the same place where 362 people died in a stampede on Jan. 12, 2006
↑Offshore Marine Protected Area Project, Offshore Marine Protected Area Project (2011). "Final Summary Report 2011"(PDF). South African National Biodiversity Institute. Archived(PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
↑Danilova, Maria (November 11, 2006). "Georgia: Separatist Vote Illegitimate". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 10, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
World Population Prospects 2024 (Report). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2024. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
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