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Protests Begin in Tunisia
In Tunisia, Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old fruit and vegetable seller, sets himself on fire after police confiscate his cart becahse he doesn't have a permit; he dies later from his injuries. Protests quickly spread nationwide. -
Tunisian President Toppled
After Weeks of violent protesst, Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali flees to Saudi Arabia, ending more than two decades of authoritarian rule. -
Dissent Spreads to Egypt
Egyptians begin mass demonstrations, similar to the ones in Tunisia. Protests center on Cairo's Tahrir Square -
Discontent in Yemen
Mass protests begin in Yemen, where President Ali Abdullah Saleh has ruled for more than three decades. -
Mubarak Steps Down
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns after 18 days of protests against his rule and heads to the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh -
Violence in Bahrain
Large-scale protests begin in Bahrain. They last for weeks, but a government crackdown and the intervention of troops from nearby Saudi Arabia eventually Suppress the demonstrations. -
Unrest in Libya
In Libya, protests begin in the eastern city of Benghazi after the arrest of a human-rights activist. -
Libyan Rebels Assert Control
After taking control of Benghazi, Libyan rebel leaders declare themselves the country's official representative. -
Syrians Rise Up
Protests begin in Syria, where President Bashar Assad, and his father before him, have rulded for four decades. Protests quickly escalate, and the government ersponds with a harsh crackdown. -
No- Fly Zone for Libya
The U.N. Security Council authorizes a no-fly zone over Libya. NATO airstrikes begin two days later. -
Yemeni President Leaves Country
After months of protests in Yemen, President Saleh is badly injured in an explosion at the presidential compound in the capital, Sanaa. Saleh goes to Saudi Arabia for extended medical treatment, but refuses to relinquish power. -
Mubarak Goes on Trial
Former Egyptian President Mubarak goes on trial while bed-ridden appearing in a Cairo courtroom in a cage for the defendants. -
Libyan Rebels enter Tripoli
Libyan rebels enter the capital, Tirpoli; longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi goes into hiding. Sporadic fighting continues for the next two months as the rebels pursue Gadhafi's dwindling band of loyalists. -
Gadhafi Killed
Moammar Gadhafi is killed after being seized by a mob near his hometown of Sirte. -
Tunisians Vote
Tunisia holds the first elections in an Arab Spring country where an authoritarian ruler was toppled in 2011. The Islamic party Ennahda wins. -
Yemen's President Resigns
Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh signs an agreement in Saudi Arabia to step down from power after 33 years of rule. However, he returns to Yemen, where his relatives and longtime associates continue to hold power in the deeply divided country. -
Report Finds Abuses In Bahrain
In Bahrain, a special commision that examined the government's response to an uprising says the security forces used excessive force against protesters and tortured detainees. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa promises reforms. But critics say the report and the proposed changes do not go far enough. -
Egyptians Go To The Polls
Egyptians begin coting in parliamentary elections that are carried out in phases. The Muslim Brotherhod leads in the early stages of the voting -
Syrian Dead Estimated at 5,000
The U.N. Estimates that 5,000 Syrians, many of them unarmed civilians, have been killed in nine months of violence.
