By the Numbers in 1999
World Population
—
UK Life Expectancy
58.8 years
US Life Expectancy
59.2 years
Gold Price (per oz)
$282.29
Dow Jones Index
9,983
US National Debt
—
Sovereign Nations
188
How Much Did Things Cost in 1999?
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £80,000 | $133,000 |
| Average salary | £19,500 | $39,000 |
| Pint of milk | 34p | $0.67 |
| Loaf of bread | 65p | $0.84 |
| Dozen eggs | £1.20 | $1.14 |
| Pint of beer | £1.68 | $2.90 |
| Gallon of petrol/gas | £2.80 | $1.17 |
| Cinema ticket | £3.70 | $5.08 |
Technology and Inventions in 1999
The dot-com bubble was at its peak, with internet start-ups valued at absurd levels. Napster launched and began disrupting the music industry. BlackBerry released its first device. Y2K preparations dominated IT departments worldwide.
- ● Napster launched, revolutionising (and disrupting) the music industry
- ● BlackBerry released its first device
- ● Wi-Fi branding introduced for 802.11b wireless networking
- ● MSN Messenger launched, becoming a staple of teenage communication
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