Editing 1959 (section)

===December===
{{Main|December 1959}}
* [[December 1]] – [[Cold War]]: [[Antarctic Treaty System|Antarctic Treaty]] – 12 countries, including the United States and the [[Soviet Union]], sign a landmark treaty that sets aside [[Antarctica]] as a scientific preserve and bans military activity on the [[continent]] (the first [[arms control]] agreement established during the Cold War).
* [[December 2]] – [[Malpasset Dam]] in southern France collapses and water flows over the town of [[Fréjus]], killing 412.
* [[December 8]] – The life-boat ''[[RNLB Mona (ON 775)|Mona]]'', based at [[Broughty Ferry]] in Scotland, capsizes during a rescue attempt with the loss of 8 lives.
* [[December 11]] – [[Charles Robberts Swart]] is appointed the 11th [[Governor-General of the Union of South Africa]].
* [[December 14]] – [[Makarios III]] is selected as the first [[president of Cyprus]].