| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
In the 1920s the communist Mongolian governments banned surnames for efficiency - many had the same name, which confused tax collection. In 19971997 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year of the Reef''. Events January January 3 NBC's Today Show Bryant Gumbel signs off for the last time January 8 Mister Rogers receives a star on t the government reversed this, the new law was not acted upon until 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co when identity cards began to require the surname. Mongolian citizens were largely given free reign over the choice of name - resulting in half of the nation choosing the family name of nationalist icon Genghis Khan.