Editing 1977 (section)

=== December ===
{{main|December 1977}}
* December – The [[Colombo Plan]] for Co-operative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific (CESDAP) is implemented.
* [[December 4]]
** [[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]], president of the [[Central African Republic]], crowns himself emperor.
** [[Malaysian Airline System Flight 653]] is hijacked and crashes in [[Tanjung Kupang]], [[Johor]], [[Malaysia]], killing all 100 passengers and crew on board.
* [[December 6]] – South Africa grants independence to [[Bophuthatswana]], although it is not recognized by any other country.
* [[December 10]] – [[1977 Australian federal election]]: [[Malcolm Fraser]]'s [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]/[[National Party of Australia|National Country]] [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] [[Fraser government|government]] is re-elected with a slightly reduced majority, defeating the [[Australian Labor Party|Labor Party]] led by former [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]] [[Gough Whitlam]]. Consequently, Whitlam resigns as ALP leader after holding the job for nearly 11 years; he is [[December 1977 Australian Labor Party leadership election|replaced]] by former [[Treasurer of Australia|treasurer]] [[Bill Hayden]].
* [[December 13]] – a chartered Douglas DC-3 aircraft carrying the [[University of Evansville]] basketball team to Nashville, Tennessee, [[Air Indiana Flight 216|crashes in rain and dense fog]] about 90 seconds after takeoff from [[Evansville Regional Airport]]; 29 people die in the crash, including 14 members of the team and head coach Bob Watson.
* [[December 18]] – [[SA de Transport Aérien Flight 730]], an international charter service from Zurich to Funchal Airport (Madeira), hits the sea during a landing attempt. Many of the 36 who die drown, trapped inside the sinking aircraft. Twenty-one people survive with the help of rescuers and by swimming to the shore.
* [[December 19]] – The {{M|w}} 5.9 [[1977 Bob–Tangol earthquake|Bob–Tangol earthquake]] rocks Iran, killing at least 584 people and injuring 1,000.<ref name=ngdc>{{citation |title=Significant Earthquake Database |url=https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/earthquake/event-more-info/4786 |author=National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) |year=1972 |publisher=[[National Geophysical Data Center]], [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]] |doi=10.7289/V5TD9V7K |type=Data Set}}</ref>
* [[December 20]] – [[Djibouti]] and [[Vietnam]] join the [[United Nations]].
* [[December 22]] – A [[grain elevator]] explodes in [[Westwego, Louisiana]], United States, killing 36 people.